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but this time they were accompanied by torpedo-boats, which evidently intended to cross our bows. Suspecting that their plan was to lay floating mines (as they had done on 10th August), the Admiral ordered the 1st squadron to turn to starboard, so as to drive off the enemy by threatening him with the fire of our five best battleships.

With this intention the ships of the Ist squadron turned “in succession” 8 points (90°) to starboard, and should afterwards have turned “together” 8 points to port. The first half of the manoeuvre was most successfully performed, but the signal for the second was evidently misunderstood, as the Alexander followed the Suvoroff, while the Borodino and Orel, which had already commenced to turn correctly