The order of battle gives the British 27 ships of the line and six attached vessels under Vice Admirals Nelson and Collingwood and Rear Admiral the Earl of Northesk. The Allied list contains 33 ships of the line, seven attached vessels, and a much larger group of French and Spanish flag officers and commodores. Their names and ranks make the difference between the two leadership structures immediately visible. The Franco-Spanish fleet was numerically stronger and distributed senior authority across officers from two navies. The crowded Allied command becomes easier to understand when the next passage turns to sea time and experience.
Chapter · 13:42-16:56
The opposing senior commands in the order of battle
Britain's compact senior command contrasts with the much larger Franco-Spanish flag group shown in the Trafalgar order of battle.