XXX.  When the admiral would have the red squadron draw into a line of battle, abreast of one another, he will put abroad a flag striped red and white on the flagstaff at the main topmast-head, with a pennant under it, and fire a gun.  If he would have the white squadron, or those that have the second post in the fleet, to do the like, the signal shall be a flag striped red, white, and blue, with a pennant under it, at the aforesaid place.  And if he would have the blue squadron to do the like he will put on the said place a Genoese ensign, together with a pennant.  But when he would have either of the said squadrons to draw into a line of battle, ahead of one another, he will make the aforesaid signals, without a pennant; which signals are to be answered by the flagships only of the said squadrons, and to be kept out till I take in mine.  And if the admiral would have any vice-admiral of the fleet and his division draw into a line of battle as aforesaid, he will make the same signals at the fore topmast-head that he makes for that squadron at the main topmast-head.  And for any rear-admiral in the fleet and his division, the same signals at the mizen topmast-head; which signals are to be answered by the vice- or rear-admiral.

FOOTNOTES: 

[1] The instructions under which Mathews fought his action off Toulon in 1744 add here the words ’and every ship is to observe and keep the same distance those ships do which are next the admiral, always taking it from the centre.’  They were a MS. addition made by Mathews himself.  See ‘V.  A——­l L——­k’s Rejoinder to A——­l M——­ws’s Replies’ in a pamphlet entitled Original Letters and Papers between Adm——­l M——­ws and V. Adm——­l L——­k.  London, 1744, p. 31.  From an undated copy of Fighting Instructions in the Admiralty Library we know that this addition was subsequently incorporated into the standing form.

[2] The instructions of 1744, as quoted in the Mathews-Lestock controversy, add here the words ’and strictly to take care not to fire before the signal be given by the admiral.’  This appears also to have been an addition made by Mathews in 1744.  It was clumsily incorporated in the subsequent standing form thus:  ’to engage the enemy and on no account to fire before the admiral shall make the signal, in the order the admiral has prescribed unto them.’  See note to Article I., supra.

THE PERMANENT INSTRUCTIONS, 1703-1783

INTRODUCTORY

These like Russell’s are extracted from a complete printed set, also presented to the United Service Institution by Sir W. Laird Clowes, and entitled, ’Instructions for the directing and governing her majesty’s fleet in sailing and fighting, by the Right Honourable Sir George Rooke, Knight, Vice-Admiral of England, and admiral and commander-in-chief of her majesty’s fleet.  In the year 1703.’  They also contain all the other matter as in Russell’s, while another copy has bound with it all the fleet articles of war under the hand of Prince George of Denmark, then lord high admiral.