"About a mile, to the best of my knowledge."
"And ahead of the centre?"
"Yes."
"How many columns of ships were there in the convoy, and how far apart?"
"Seven, and two cables apart."
"So the front of the convoy extended two thousand four hundred yards?"
"That is correct."
"And the Triton was 'perhaps a mile' on the starboard bow of the convoy?"
"That is correct."
"Thank you," Napier said.
Napier's spotted a discrepancy, Ramage thought, cursing his mathematics. As Syme began reading back the evidence, Ramage pencilled a right-angled triangle on a piece of paper, wrote in "Lion" at the apex, "centre ship" at the right angle, and "Topaz" at the other end of the base line. One mile from the Lion to the centre ship; twelve hundred yards from the centre ship to the Topaz. The hypotenuse would be the distance from the Lion to the Topaz.
He drew a second triangle, substituting the Triton for the Topaz, so the base was the distance from the centre ship to the Triton. The hypotenuse was the distance from the Lion to the Triton. Bully for Pythagoras. A mile and a quarter from the Lion to the Topaz; roughly two miles to the Triton. Two? He checked his figures again. A few yards short of two.
"The prisoner may examine the witness," Napier said.
Ramage stood up.
"Could you tell the court the position assigned to the Triton!"
"Abreast the Topaz and two cables off."
"If the Triton was as far out of position as a mile off, why did you not make a signal to her?"
"I could not see her in the darkness!"
"So you did not know she was there?"
"No," Croucher said indignantly, not noticing the infuriated look on Goddard's face.
"But you have already told the court where the Triton was. How did you see her and estimate the distance?"
"From the flash of the guns when she opened fire."
"Would you agree that the distances," Ramage asked, glancing at his notes, "were from the Lion to the Topaz roughly a mile and a quarter, and from the Lion to the Triton, about two miles?"
"Without pencil and paper, I cannot."
Napier said: "If the witness will accept the court's mathematics, those distances agree approximately with the evidence the witness has already given."
"I'm grateful," Croucher said.
"When the Triton opened fire on the privateer, what was her rate of fire?"
"Slow and sporadic," Croucher said uncertainly. "Single guns."
"How slow, would you estimate?"
"Two or three guns a minute. Less, perhaps."
"But you saw the flashes and you knew they were the Triton's guns?"
"Of course."
"Can you, under oath," Ramage said deliberately, emphasizing each word, "explain how you estimated the distance of two miles in the dark with such certainty when you only had 'slow and sporadic' flashes to go by?"
"Experience, of course. I have served at sea for many years," Croucher said stiffly.
"Would you care to describe your previous experience in estimating distances under such circumstances, and what proof you subsequently had that such estimates were correct?"
Goddard leapt to his feet.
"Impertinence," he shouted. "Sheer damn'd impertinence. The accused is impugning the honour of one of the most experienced-"
"Order!" Napier snapped. "You will not make further interruptions of that nature. The question is perfectly in order. It is a very important point, and the court is trying to get at the truth of this matter."
The seven captains round the table looked at Croucher.
"One can never subsequently check one's estimates; that's absurd. But after being in action many times ..."
Ramage waited, but when Croucher said no more he knew there was no need to labour the point.
"You referred to a privateer," he said. "Could you tell the court the nature of this vessel?"
Once again Goddard was on his feet. "This is absurd! She was full of Frenchmen and -"
Napier rapped the table and Goddard broke off.
"This is the second time the court has had to warn the prosecution ..."
Goddard sat down like a sulky schoolboy, and Napier continued: "The witness will answer the question."
"She was a fairly large ship. She came up from astern -"
"What was the position you had assigned to her in the convoy?" Ramage interrupted quietly, and saw the heads of all seven captains jerk up in surprise.
"She was the eighth ship in the starboard column."
"The last ship in the column led by the Topaz?"
"Yes."
"When did the ship join the convoy?"
"I ought to explain that-"
Napier rapped the table. "Please just answer the question; you are not allowed to make statements."
"I can't be forced to incriminate..." Croucher began unhappily. He broke off as Goddard stared at him coldly. Slowly, as though they were the guns of a broadside, the seven captains turned to look at Goddard, those sitting with their backs to him swivelling round in their chairs.
"Do you wish the court to be cleared while this point is decided?" Napier asked Goddard.
"I don't know what the witness is talking about," Goddard said.
"Very well," Napier said crisply, and turned back to Croucher. "You will answer the question."
Croucher took a deep breath. "She joined the convoy in Barbados."
"A British ship?"
"No. Yes, I mean..."
Robinson held up his hand.
"The court understood you to say she was a French privateer."
"Well, she was!"
"But you have just said she was a British ship."
"We thought she was," Croucher said desperately. "She had all the correct papers. Her master claimed she was a runner and wanted to join the convoy to Jamaica. He said the route to Jamaica was thick with privateers!"
Captain Innes began laughing until he saw Napier frowning at him and gesturing to Ramage to continue. Ramage took out his watch and looked at the time, then asked: "Was any report made to you or to the Admiral about the behaviour of this ship at any time before she attacked the Topaz?”
"Yes," Croucher said grudgingly.
"Was this report in writing or verbal?"
"In writing."
"Do you have the report with you?"
"No."
"Do you recall what it said?"
Napier interrupted. "I'm not too sure whether the court ought not to insist on this report being put in as evidence."
"It is available, if required," Goddard said.
"Very well. Continue."
"It said, to the best of my recollection, that the ship - the Peacock was her name - had ranged up abreast her next ahead in the previous night."
"Did it say any more?"
"Well, it hinted that something might be wrong."
"Who made that written report?"
"You did."
"And what was the distance of the Triton from the ship ahead of the Peacock?”
"Well, the ships were a cable astern of each other. Six cables."
"So in the darkness the Triton's lookouts had spotted a suspicious movement twelve hundred yards away."
"I suppose so."
"What action was taken over this report?"