squadron shall be to windward of the enemy, and her commander shall judge himself far enough astern of their rear to lead down out of their line of fire. 17.  When in line of battle ahead and to windward of the enemy, to alter 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.[8] 18.  When to windward of the enemy or in any other position that will admit, for the headmost ship to lead down out of their line of fire and attack their rear, the second from the leader to pass under her fire, and take the second ship of the enemy, and so on in succession.  To engage to starboard or larboard according to signal. 19.  To come to a closer engagement.[9] 20.  For particular ships to quit the line. 21.  For particular ships to attack the enemy’s convoy.[10] 22.  For all fireships to prime.[11] 23.  On discovering a superior force. 24.  For three-decked and heavy ships to draw out of their places in the line of battle, and form in the van or rear of the fleet. 25.  To attack the enemy’s centre.[12] 26.  To attack the enemy’s rear.[12] 27.  To attack the enemy’s van.[12] 28.  To make sail ahead on a bearing from the admiral.[13] 29.  In cruising to form line ahead or abreast at one or two miles’ distance.[14]

FOOTNOTES: 

[1] The actual Additional Fighting Instructions used by Rodney for his famous campaign of 1782 are lost; what follows are merely the drift of those instructions so far as they can be determined from the references to them in his signal book.  It should be noted that by this time those used in the Seven Years’ War had been entirely recast in a more logical form.

[2] Cf. Boscawen’s Nos. 15 and 16.

[3] According to Sir Chas. H. Knowles the regular sailing formation at this time for a large fleet was in three squadrons abreast, each formed in bow and quarter line to starboard and port of its flag.  He says it was his father’s treatise on Tactics which induced Howe to revert to Hoste’s method, and adopt the formation of squadrons abreast in line ahead.  This, he adds, Howe used for the first time when sailing to relieve Gibraltar in 1782.  Thenceforth it became the rule of the service, and the subsequent signal books contain signals for forming line of battle from two, three, and six columns of sailing respectively.  This Knowles regards as the great reform on which modern tactics were founded.  See his Observations on Tactics, 1830.

[4] Cf. Boscawen’s No. 4.

[5] This may be an Additional Sailing Instruction, the various sets of Additional Instructions not being distinguished in the signal book.

[6] This article may well have been the outcome of Hawke’s defeat of L’Etenduere in 1747, when he chased and engaged practically as the instruction directs, and with complete success.