When sailing in a line of battle, one ship ahead of another, and I would have the ship that leads with either the starboard or larboard tacks aboard to alter her course in order to lead down to the enemy, I will hoist a Dutch jack under my flag at the mizen topmast-head and fire two guns. Then every ship of the squadron is to steer for the ship of the enemy that from the disposition of the two squadrons must be her lot to engage, notwithstanding I shall keep the signal for the line ahead flying, making or shortening sail in such proportion as to preserve the distance assigned by the signal for the line, in order that the whole squadron as soon as possible may come to action at the same time.[2]
ED. HAWKE.
Additional Signals.
If upon seeing an enemy I should think it necessary to alter the disposition of the ships in the line of battle, and would have any ships change station with each other, I will make the signal to speak with the captains of such ships, and hoist the flag chequered red and blue on the flagstaff at the mizen topmast-head.[3]
FOOTNOTES:
[1] I.e. the older set. They were Articles XV. and XVI. of the remodelled set used by Boscawen in 1759.
[2] This article was presumably issued by Hawke when in July 1756 he superseded Byng in the Mediterranean. It seems designed to prevent a recurrence of the errors which lost the battle of Minorca, where the British van was crushed by coming into action long before the centre and rear. It is not in the Additional Instructions of 1759, but reappears in a modified form in those of 1780.
[3] This article is entered in the same signal book, but has no signature. It may therefore have been one of Anson's innovations.
ADMIRAL BOSCAWEN, 1759.[1]
[+From the original in the Admiralty Library, 252/29+.]