Fighting Instructions, 1530-1816 Part 15

3. A red flag on the fore topmast-head, to engage.[2]

4. If overcharged or distressed, a pennant.[2]

5. Ditto, a weft with his jack and ensign.[2]

6. A pennant on the mizen peak or ensign staff if any s.h.i.+p bear away from the enemy to stop a leak.

If any s.h.i.+p shall be necessitated to bear away from the enemy to stop a leak or mend what is amiss which cannot otherwise be repaired, he is to put out a pennant on the mizen peak or ensign staff, whereby the rest of that s.h.i.+p's squadron may have notice what it is for; and if the admiral or any flags.h.i.+p should be so, the s.h.i.+ps of the fleet or of the respective squadrons are to endeavour to get up as close in line between him and the enemy as they can, having always an eye to defend him in case the enemy should come to annoy him in that condition; and in case any flags.h.i.+p or any other s.h.i.+p in the fleet shall be forced to go out of the line for stopping of leaks or repairing any other defects in the s.h.i.+ps, then the next immediate s.h.i.+ps are forthwith to endeavour to close the line either by making or shortening sail, or by such other ways and means as they shall find most convenient for doing of it; and if any s.h.i.+p, be it flags.h.i.+p or other that shall happen to be disabled and go out of the line, then all the small craft shall come in to that s.h.i.+p's a.s.sistance, upon signal made of her being disabled. If any of the chief flags.h.i.+ps or other flags.h.i.+ps shall happen to be so much disabled as that thereby they shall be rendered unable for present service, in such case any chief flag officer may get on board any other s.h.i.+p which he may judge most convenient in his own squadron, and any other flag officer in that case may go on board any s.h.i.+p in his division.

7. A blue flag on the mizen yard or topmast.[3]

8. To make sail, a red flag on the spritsail, topmast shrouds, &c.[3]

9. A red flag on the mizen shrouds, to come into the wake or grain of us.[3]

10. Not to endanger one another.[4]

11. The small craft to attend the motion of the enemy's fires.h.i.+ps.[4]

12. A white flag on the mizen yard-arm or topmast-head, all the small frigates of the admiral's squadron.[4]

13. To retreat, four guns.[4]

14. None to fire guns till within distance.[5]

15. For the larboard and starboard tacks.[6]

16. To keep the line.[7]

17. If we have the wind of the enemy.[7]

18. If the enemy have the wind of us.[7]

19. The distance of each s.h.i.+p in time of fight.[8]

20. Not to pursue any small number of enemy's s.h.i.+ps.[9]

21. For leaving chase.[9]

22. If any s.h.i.+p be disabled in fight.[9]

23. The van of the fleet to tack first.[9]

24. The rear of the fleet to tack first.[9]

25. To fall into the order of battle.[10]

26. To make sail.[10]

JAMES.

By command of his royal highness.

M. WREN.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] This set of orders has marginal rubrics indicating the contents of each article, and where the article does not differ from the orders of 1665 I have given the rubric only in the text.

[2] Identical with corresponding article of April 10, 1665.

[3] Same as corresponding article of April 10, 1665. Article 10 of those instructions relating to 'not staying to take possession of disabled s.h.i.+ps' is here omitted.

[4] These four articles are identical with 11, 12, 13 and 14 of April 10, 1665.

[5] Same as Article 16 of April 10, 1665.

[6] Same as Article 15 of April 10, 1665.

[7] These three articles are the same as 1, 2, and 3, of 'Additional Instructions' of April 18, 1665. The complete set used by Monck and Rupert in 1666 must have been numbered as above.

[8] Same as 4 and 5 of 'Additional Instructions,' April 18,1665.

[9] These five articles are the same as 6 to 10 of the 'Additional Instructions,' April 18, 1665.

[10] These two articles are the same as the two 'Additional Instructions' of April 27, 1665.

_THE DUKE OF YORK'S SUPPLEMENTARY ORDERS_, 1672.

[+Spragge's Second Sea Book. Dartmouth MSS.+]

_Further Instructions for Fighting_.

1. To keep the enemy to leeward.

In case we have the wind of the enemy, and that the enemy stands towards us and we towards them, then the van of our fleet shall keep the wind, and when _the rear comes_[1] to a convenient distance of the enemy's rear shall stay until our whole line is come up within the same distance of the enemy's van, and then our whole line is to stand along with them the same tacks on board, still keeping the enemy to leeward, and not suffering them to tack in the van, and in case the enemy tack in the rear first, then he that leads the van of our fleet is to tack first, and the whole line is to follow, standing all along with the same tacks on board as the enemy does.

2. To divide the enemy's fleet.

In case the enemy have the wind of us and we have sea-room enough, then we are to keep the wind as close as we can lie until such time as we see an opportunity by gaining their wakes to divide their fleet; and if the van of our fleet find that they have the wake of any part of them, they are to tack and to stand in, and strive to divide the enemy's body, and that squadron which shall pa.s.s first being come to the other side is to tack again, and the middle squadron is to bear up upon that part of the enemy so divided, which the last is to second, either by bearing down to the enemy or by endeavouring to keep off those that are to windward, as shall be best for service.

3. To keep the line.

The several commanders of the fleet are to take special care that they keep their line, and upon pain of death that they fire not over any of our own s.h.i.+ps.