XI.  Whereas every ship is directed (when sailing in a line of battle) to keep the same distances those ships do who are nearest the admiral, always taking it from the centre:  if at any time I think the ship ahead of me is [at] too great a distance, I will make it known to him by putting abroad a pennant at the jib-boom end, and keep it flying till he is in his proper station:  and if he finds the ship ahead of him is at a greater distance from him than he is from the [4]-----(or such ship as my flag shall be flying on board of), he shall make the same signal at his jib-boom end, and keep it flying till he thinks that ship is at a proper distance, and so on to the van of the line.

XII.  And when I think the ship astern of me is at too great a distance, I will make it known to him by putting abroad a pennant at the cross-jack yard-arm, and keep it flying till he is in his station:  and if he finds the ship astern of him is at a greater distance than he is from the ——­ (or such ship as my flag shall be flying aboard of) he shall make the same signal at the cross-jack yard-arm, and keep it flying till he thinks that the ship is at a proper distance, and so on to the rear of the line.

XIII.  And if at any time the captain of any particular ship in the line thinks the ship without him is at a greater distance than those ships who are next the centre, he shall make the above signal:  and then that ship is immediately to close, and get into his proper station.

XIV.[5] When the signal is made for the squadron to draw into a line of battle, one ship ahead of another, by hoisting a union flag at the mizen peak and firing a gun, every ship is to make all the sail he can into his station, and keep at the distance of half a cable’s length from each other:  If I would have them to be a cable’s length asunder, I will hoist a blue flag, with a red cross under the union flag at the mizen peak and fire a gun:  and if two cables’ length asunder, a white and blue flag under the union flag at the mizen peak, and fire a gun:  but when I would have the squadron draw into a line of battle, one ship abreast of another, and keep at those distances as above directed, I will hoist a pennant under the said flags at the mizen peak.

XV.[6] When sailing in a line of battle, one ship ahead of another, and I would have the ship who leads to alter her course and lead more to starboard, I will hoist a flag striped white and blue at the fore topmast-head, and fire a gun for every point of the compass I would have the course altered.

XVI.[6] And if I would have the ship that leads to alter her course and lead more to port, I will hoist a flag striped blue and white on the flagstaff at the mizen topmast-head, and fire a gun for every point of the compass I would have the course altered, and every ship in the squadron is to get into her wake as fast as possible.

XVII.[7] When I would have all the fireships to prime, I will hoist a chequered blue and yellow pennant at the mizen topmast-head.