us, to keep your barge manned and armed with hand and fire-chain grapnels on the offside from them, to be ready to assist as well any ship that may be attempted by the fireships of the enemy, as our own fireships when they shall be ordered upon service.’  This article disappears from subsequent sets, and was perhaps incorporated into the ‘General Instructions to Captains’ to which it more properly belongs.  The MS. also contains ‘Night Signals’ and private signals for knowing detached ships rejoining at night.

[8] Whoever was the author of this article, it was generally regarded as too risky and subsequently disappeared.  The article of the ’printed Fighting Instructions’ referred to is No.  XXI.

[9] This memorandum, which concludes the printed portion, must have been added in view of the misconception which occurred in Knowles’s action of 1748.

[10] MS. additions by Boscawen.

SIR GEORGE RODNEY, 1782.[1]

[+MS. Signal Book in the Admiralty Library+.]

1.  Line ahead at one cable. 2.  Line abreast at one cable. 3.  Quarter lines on various compass bearings. 4.  When in line ahead to alter course to starboard or port together—­one gun for every point.[2] 5.  The same when in line abreast.[2] 6.  To form order of sailing.[3] 7.  When in line of battle for the whole fleet to tack together. 8.  When in line of battle for the next ship ahead or on the starboard beam, which is at too great a distance, to close. 9.  The same for the next astern or on the larboard beam. 10. (Undetermined.) 11.  The fleet to form in two separate lines ahead at one cable’s distance, each division abreast of the other at two cables’ distance.[4] 12. (?) Particular ships to come under the admiral’s stern without hail.[5] 13.  Ships to change stations in the line of battle. 14.  When in chase for the headmost ship to engage the sternmost of the enemy, and the next ship to pass, under cover of her fire, and take the ship next ahead, and so on in succession, without respect to seniority or the prescribed order of battle.  To engage to windward or leeward as directed by signal.[6] 15.  The whole fleet being in chase, for some of the headmost ships to draw into line of battle and engage the enemy’s rear, at the same time endeavouring to get up with their van. Note.—­These ships to form without any regard to seniority or the order of battle.  The ship nearest the enemy is to lead and the sternmost to bring up the rear. Signal.—­Red flag with white cross at main topmast-head with one gun for five ships, and three for seven.[7] 16.  When turning to windward in line of battle for the leading ship to make known when she can weather the enemy.  To be repeated from ship to ship to the commander-in-chief.  If he should stand on till the sternmost ship can weather them, she is to make it known by hoisting a common pennant at the fore topgallant mast-head; to be repeated as before.  The sternmost ship is likewise to do so whenever the