29. Plans on Paper vs Plans in Practice
Unfortunately for Napoleon, the kinds of elaborate maneuvers for juking the British Royal Navy out of position were easier done on land than on sea. On land, a general could estimate marching times over known distances, with enough accuracy to concentrate at an opportune time and place. It was not the same at sea during the age of sail, because the vagaries of wind and weather made it difficult to time a concentration of fleets with precision.
The French Toulon fleet broke out of its blockade in March, 1805, eluded the British fleet commanded by Horatio Nelson, and raced to the Caribbean. There, it managed to lose and ditch the pursuing Nelson, then sailed to the rendezvous off Martinique to link up with the Brest fleet. However, it was stood up: the other fleet failed to breakout and was still blockaded in Brest. So the Toulon fleet sailed back to Europe.