article of the Additional Instructions.’  Again in a MS. signal book in the Admiralty Library, which was used in Rodney’s great action of April 12, 1782, and drawn up by an officer who was present, a similar article is referred to.  But there it appears as No.  XVII. of the Additional Instructions, and its effect is given in a form which closely resembles the original article of Hawke:—­’When in a line of battle ahead and to windward of the enemy, to alter the course to lead down to them; whereupon every ship is to steer for the ship of the enemy, which from the disposition of the two squadrons it may be her lot to engage, notwithstanding the signal for the line ahead will be kept flying.’  It is clear, therefore, that between 1780 and 1782 Rodney or the admiralty had issued a new set of ‘Additional Instructions.’  The amended article was obviously designed to prevent a recurrence of the mistake that spoiled the action of 1780.  In the same volume is a signal which carries the idea further.  It has been entered subsequently to the rest, having been issued by Lord Hood for the detached squadron he commanded in March 1783.  There is no reference to a corresponding instruction, but it is ’for ships to steer for (independent of each other) and engage respectively the ships opposed to them.’  In Lord Howe’s second signal book, issued in 1790,[6] the signal reappears in MS. as ’each ship of the fleet to steer for, independently of each other, and engage respectively the ship opposed in situation to them in the enemy’s line.’  And in this case there is a reference to an ‘Additional Instruction, No. 8,’ indicating that Hood, who had meanwhile become first sea lord, had incorporated his idea into the regular ‘Additional Fighting Instructions.’

Take, again, the case of the manoeuvre of ‘breaking the line’ in line ahead.  This was first practised after its long abandonment by a sudden inspiration in Rodney’s action of April 12, 1782.  In the MS. signal book as used by Rodney in that year there is no corresponding signal or instruction.  But it does contain one by Hood which he must have added soon after the battle.  It is as follows:—­

’When fetching up with the enemy to leeward and on the contrary tack to break through their line and endeavour to cut off part of their van or rear.’  It also contains another attributed to Admiral Pigot which he probably added at Hood’s suggestion when he succeeded to the command in July 1782.  It is for a particular ship ’to cut through the enemy’s line of battle, and for all the other ships to follow her in close order to support each other.’  But in both cases there is no corresponding instruction, so that the new signals must have been based on ‘expeditional’ orders issued by Pigot and Hood.  The same book has yet another additional signal ’for the leading ship to cut through the enemy’s line of battle,’ apparently the latest of the three, but not specifically attributed either to Pigot or Hood.