British night-fighting preparation meets French delay

The British use illuminated ensigns and mast lights to reduce the danger of friendly fire, while springs on anchor cables will let them aim after anchoring. Brueys has sent about a third of his personnel ashore to forage after the army stripped fleet stores, and local Bedouin attacks force him to commit still more men as escorts. His frigates have not been deployed as a scouting screen, leaving the French struggling to assess the British approach and count the ships correctly. The French redistribute frigate crews among unfamiliar ships of the line, weakening vessels that should have served as scouts and signal repeaters. Blanquet and the captains also argue that they lack enough men to sail their ships and man their guns simultaneously. Brueys misreads Nelson's temporary slowing as evidence that the attack will wait until morning, leaving French captains gathered aboard Orient as the danger closes.