Fighting Instructions, 1530-1816 Part 24

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 pa.s.s 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.

[7] _Cf._ Boscawen's Nos. 9 and 10.

[8] This appears to correspond to Article XXI. of the Additional Fighting Instructions in use in 1780, to which Rodney referred in his report on the action of April 17 in that year.

[9] _Cf._ Boscawen's No. 3.

[10] _Cf._ Boscawen's No. 2.

[11] _Cf._ Boscawen's No. 17.

[12] In connection with these three articles the following dictum attributed to Rodney should be recalled: 'During all the commands Lord Rodney has been entrusted with he made it a rule to bring his whole force against a part of the enemy's, and never was so absurd as to bring ship to ship when the enemy gave him an opportunity of acting otherwise.' And _cf. supra_, p. 213.

[13] This may be an Additional Sailing Instruction.

[14] _Cf._ Boscawen's Nos. 5, 6 and 7. A number of other Additional Instructions are referred to, but they seem to relate to Sailing, Chasing or General Instructions. No more Fighting Instructions can be identified.

_LORD HOODS ADDITIONS_, 1783.[1]

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

1. For the ships to steer for (independent of each other) and engage respectively the ships opposed to them.

2. When in line of battle, for the leading ship to carry as much sail as her commander judges the worst sailing ship can preserve her station with all her plain sail set.

3. To prepare to reef topsails together.

4. When in line of battle or otherwise for the men to go to dinner.

5. After an action for the ships to signify whether they are in a condition to renew it.[2]

6. For ships in chase or looking out to alter course to port or starboard.

7. To stay by or repair to the protection of prizes or ships under convoy.

8. When fetching up with the enemy and to leeward, or on a contrary tack, to break through their line, and to endeavour to cut off part of their van or rear.

9. For the leading ship to cut through the enemy's line of battle.

10. To signify that the admiral will carry neither top nor stern lights. _Note_.--The fleet immediately to close.

11. For particular ships to reconnoitre the enemy in view, and to return to make known their number and force.

12. For a particular ship to keep between the fleet and that of the enemy during the night, to communicate intelligence.[3]

13. To signify to a ship that she mistakes the signal that was made to her.

14. To prepare to hoist French or Spanish colours.

15. For a particular ship to open her fire on the ship opposed to her.

16. When a ship is in distress in battle.

17. Signal to call attention of larboard or starboard line of the division only.[4]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] See pp. 211-2. These additional signals are all added in paler ink, with those made by Admiral Pigot. In the original they occur on various pages without numbers. In the text above they have merely been numbered consecutively for convenience of reference. Hood was made a viscount September 12, 1782, and began to issue these orders on March 11, 1783, when he had a squadron placed under his command.

[2] Ascribed also to Pigot.

[3] Also ascribed to Pigot.

[4] The MS. has also an additional signal ascribed to Pigot for a particular ship to cut through the enemy's line of battle, and for the other ships to follow her in close order to support each other.