midnight on the 5th of December
They proceeded in column of line abreast three deep , headed by the dynamite cruisers , after which came the other warships which had formed the American Navy , and after these again came the troopships and transports properly protected by cruisers on their flanks and in their rear . The commander of every warship and transport had the most minute instructions as to how he was to act on reaching British waters , and what these were will become apparent in due course . The weather was fairly good for the time of year , and , as there was but little danger of collision on the now deserted waters of the Atlantic , the whole flotilla kept at full speed all the way . As , however , its speed was necessarily limited by that of its slowest steamer until the scene of action was reached , it was after midnight on the 5th of December when its various detachments had reached their appointed stations on the English coast . At the entrance of the English Channel and St. George 's Channel a few scouting cruisers , flying French , Russian , and Italian colours , had been run down and sunk by the dynamite cruisers . Strict orders had been given by Tremayne to destroy everything flying a hostile flag , and not to permit any news to be taken to England of the approach of the flotilla . The Federation was waging a war , not merely of conquest and revenge , but of extermination , and no more mercy was to be shown to its enemies than they had shown in their march of victory from one end of Europe to the other .