[6] Sir Charles H. Knowles did modify his code in this way some time after 1798.  For his original signal he substituted two in MS. with the following neatly worded significations:  ’No. 32.  To break through the enemy’s line together and engage on the opposite side.  No. 33.  To break through the enemy’s line in succession and engage on the other side.’  Had these two lucid significations been adopted by Howe there would have been no possible ambiguity as to what was meant.

[7] Laughton, Nelson’s Letters and Despatches, p. 151.  Ross, Memoir of Lord de Saumarez, vol. i.

[8] This last mediaeval proviso was omitted in the later editions.  It is not found in Hoste.

[9] Ross, Memoir of Saumarez, i. 212.  Nelson refers to ’Signal 54, Art.  XXXVII. of the Instructions,’ which must have been a special and amplified set issued by Jervis.  There is no Art.  XXXVII. in Howe’s set.

[10] In the United Service Institution.

[11] Logs of the Great Sea Fights, i. 210.  The log probably only gives an abbreviation of the signification.  Unless Jervis had changed it, its exact wording was ’The admiral means to pass between the ships of their line for engaging them to leeward,’ &c.  See supra, p. 255.

[12] Fernandez Duro, Armada Espanola, viii. 111.

LORD HOWE’S EXPLANATORY INSTRUCTIONS.

[+Signal Book, 1799+.[1]]

Instructions for the conduct of the fleet preparatory to their engaging, and when engaged, with an enemy.

I. When the signal is made for the fleet to form the line of battle, each flag officer and captain is to get into his station as expeditiously as possible, and to keep in close order, if not otherwise directed, and under a proportion of sail suited to that carried by the admiral, or by the senior flag officer remaining in the line when the admiral has signified his intention to quit it.

II.  The chief purposes for which a fleet is formed in line of battle are:  that the ships may be able to assist and support each other in action; that they may not be exposed to the fire of the enemy’s ships greater in number than themselves; and that every ship may be able to fire on the enemy without risk of firing into the ships of her own fleet.

III.  If, after having made a signal to prepare to form the line of battle on either line of bearing, the admiral, keeping the preparative flag flying, should make several signals in succession, to point out the manner in which the line is to be formed, those signals are to be carefully written down, that they may be carried into execution, when the signal for the line is hoisted again; they are to be executed in the order in which they were made, excepting such as the admiral may annul previously to his hoisting again the signal for the line.

IV.  If any part of the fleet should be so far to leeward, when the signal is made for the line of battle, that the admiral should think it necessary to bear up and stand towards them, he will do it with the signal No. 105 hoisted.[2] The ships to leeward are thereupon to exert themselves to get as expeditiously as possible into their stations in the line.