| INSTR. I. | ||
|---|---|---|
| To prepare for Sailing. | When the Admiral would have the Fleet to get in a Condition for Sailing, he will loose his Fore-top-sail; and all the Fleet is to do the same. | |
| II. | ||
| To Unmoor. | When the Admiral would have the Fleet to Unmoor, he will loose the Main-top-sail, and fire a Gun; which is to be answered by every Flag-ship. | |
| III. | ||
| To Weigh. | When the Admiral would have the Fleet to Weigh, he will loose his Fore-top-sail, and fire a Gun; which is to be answer'd by every Flag-ship; and then every Ship in the Fleet is to get to sail as soon as they can: If with the Leeward Tide, the Stermost to weigh first. | |
| IV. | ||
| To keep a good Distance one from Another. | The Flag-ships are to keep and English Mile Distance, at least, one from another at Sea, either under Sial, or at an Anchor, unless the Signal be out for a Line of Battle: And the private Ships are to keep a Quarter of a Mile Distance one from another; and when they Anchor in Port, or in the Sea, they are to take a reasonable Distance for their Security, as they will answer the Damage His Majesty's Ships may receive by the contrary. | |
| V. | ||
| Weathermost and Headmost Ships to tack first. | When the Admiral would have the Weathermost and Headmost Ships of the Fleet to tack first, he will hoist and Union Flag at the Flag-staff on the Fore-top-mast-head, and fire a Gun; and every Flag-ship in the Fleet is to answer with the same Signal. | |
| VI. | ||
| Sternmost and Leewardmost Ships to tack first. | When the Admiral would have the Sternmost and Leewardmost Ships to tack first, he will hoist a Union Flag at the Flag-staff on the Mizen-top-mast-head, and fire a Gun; and every Flag-ship in the Fleet is to answer with the same Signal. | |
| VII. | ||
| The whole Fleet to tack together. | When the Admiral would have the whole Fleet to tack, as near as possible at one and the same Time, he will hoist an Union Flag on the Flag-staves at the Fore and Mizen-top-mast-heads, and fire a Gun. | |
| VIII. | ||
| To wear, and bring to, on the other Tack. | When the Admiral would have the Fleet in bad Weather (that they cannot stay) wear, and bring to the other Tack, he will hoist a Pendant on the Ensign-staff, and fire a Gun; and then the Leewardmost and Sternmost Ships are to wear first, and bring to the other Tack, and lay by or go with an easy Sail, which they see most convenient, till the Admiral comes a-head; and every Flag-ship in the Fleet is to answer with the same Signal. | |
| IX. | ||
| To bring to when sailing before the Wind. | When the Fleet is sailing before the Wind, and the Admiral would have them bring to, with the Starboard Tacks on board, he will hoist a Red Flag at the Flag-staff on the Mizen-topmast-head, and fire a Gun; If to bring to, with the Larboard Tack, a Blue Flag at the same Place, and fire a Gun; and every Flag-ship is to answer with the same Signal. | |
| X. | ||
| To bear up when lying by, or sailing before the Wind. | When the Fleet is lying by, or sailing by a Wind, and the Admiral would have them bear up, and sail before the Wind, he will hoist his Ensign, and fire a Gun; which is to be answered by the Flag-ships of the Fleet; and then the Leewardmost Ships are first to bear up, to give Room for the Weathermost to wear, and sail before the Wind, with an easy Sail, till the Admiral comes a-head: But if it should happen, when the Admiral has Occasion to wear, and sail before the Wind, that the Jack and Ensign be abroad, he will hawl down the Jack before he fires the Gun to wear, and keep it down till all the Fleet is before the Wind. | |
| XI. | ||
| Upon Discovery of Land. | When any discovers Land, he is to hoist his Jack and Ensign, and keep it abroad till the Admiral answers him, by hoisting his; upon Sight of which, he is to hawl down his Ensign. | |
| XII. | ||
| Upon Discovery of Danger. | If any discovers Danger, he is to tack, or bear up from it, and put a Jack abroad from the Main-top-mast Cross-Trees downwards upon Back-stay, and fire two Guns; but if that Ship should strike and stick fast on that Danger, he is to make the same Signal with his Jack, and continue firing of Guns, until he sees all the Ships of the Fleet have observed him, by endeavouring to avoid the Danger. | |
| XIII. | ||
| Upon Discovery of a strange Ship or Ships. | When any one happens to see a Ship or Ships more than His Majesty's Fleet, he is to put abroad his Ensign, and there keep it till the Admiral's is out, and then to lower it as often as he sees Ships, and to stand with them, that so the Admiral may know which Way they are, and how many; but in Case they be at such a Distance, that the Ensign cannot well be discovered, then he is to lay his Head towards the Ship or Ships which are so discry'd, and to brail up his low Sails; and continue hoisting and lowering his Top-sails, and making a West with his Top-gallant-sails, till he is perceived by the Admiral. | |
| XIV. | ||
| The Vice-Admiral, or the Officer in the Second Post, to send out Ships to chase. | When the Admiral would have the Vice-Admiral, or he that commands in the Second Post of the Fleet, to send out Ships to Chase, he willl hoist a Flag, strip'd Red and White, on the Flag-staff at the Fore-top-mast-head, and fire a Gun. | |
| XV. | ||
| The Rear-Admiral, or the Officer in Third Post to send out Ships to Chase. | When the Admiral would have the Rear-Admiral, or he that commands in the Third Post of the Fleet, to send out Ships to Chase, he will hoist a Flag str'd Red and White on the Flag staff, at the Mizen-top-mast-head, and fire a Gun. | |
| XVI. | ||
| To Chase. | When the Admiral would have any Ship in the Fleet to chase to Windward, he will make the Signal for speaking with the Captain, and hoist a Red Flag in the Mizen-shrowds, and fire a Gun: If to chase to Leeward, a Blue Flag, and fire a Gun: Which Signals are also to be made by the Flag in whose Division that Ship is; and when he would have them give over Chase, he will hoist a White Flag on his Flag-staff at the Fore-top-mast-head, and fire a Gun; which Signal is likewise to be made by that Flag-ship which is nearest the Ship that chases, till the Ship sees the same. | |
| XVII. | ||
| Losing Company, and meeting again. | When any of the Fleet lose Company, and meet again, those to Windward shall
and those to Leeward shall answer by
| |
| XVIII. | ||
| Springing a Leake or any other Disaster. | In Case of springing a Leake, or any other Disaster that disables your Ship from keeping Company, you are to hawl up your Courses, and fire two Guns. | |
| XIX. | ||
| To speak with the Admiral. | Whoever desires to speak with the Admiral, must spread an English Ensign from the Head of his Main or Fore top mast downwards on the Shrowds, lowering his Main or Fore-top-sail and firing Guns till he is observed by the Admiral: And if any Ship perceives the same, and judges that the Admiral does not, that Ship is to make the same Signal, and make the best of his Way to acquaint the Admiral therewith, who will answer by firing one Gun. | |
| XX. | ||
| To prepare to Anchor. | When the Admiral would have the Fleet prepare to Anchor, he will hoist an Ensign strip'd Red, White, and Blue, on the Ensign-staff, and fire a Gun; then every Flag-ship in the Fleet is to make the same Signal. | |
| XXI. | ||
| To Moor. | When the Admiral would have the Fleet to Moor, he will fire one Gun, and hoist his Mizen-top-sail, with the Clew Lines hawl'd up. | |
| XXII. | ||
| The Fleet to Cut or Slip. | When the Admiral would have the Fleet to Cut or Slip, he will fire two Guns, and loose both his Top-sails; and then the Leewardmost Ships are to Cut or Slip first, to give Room for the Weathermost to come to sail. | |
| XXIII. | ||
| A particular Ship to Cut or Slip, and Chase to Windward. | When the Admiral would have any particular Ship to Cut or Slip, and chase to Windward, he will make the Signal for speaking with the Captain of that Ship that he would have give Chase, hoist a Red Flag in the Mizen-shrowds, and fire a Gun. | |
| XXIV. | ||
| A particular Ship to Cut or Slip, and Chase to Leeward. | When the Admiral would have any particular Ship to Cut or Slip, and Chase to Leeward, he will make the Signal for speaking with that Ship he would have give Chase, hoist a Blue Flag in the Mizen-shrowds, and fire a Gun. | |
| XXV. | ||
| For examining all Strangers. | When the Fleet is at an Anchor, the two Ships that lead the Fleet are to examine all strange Ships before they suffer them to come into the Fleet, and not permit any Stranger to come to the Admiral before he is examined; but if the Fleet lie in the Open Sea at Anchor, and a strange Ship approach into the Body of it, then the Ships next to him is to examine the Stranger, and make a Report to the Admiral. | |
| XXVI. | ||
| For Exercising the Small and Great Guns. | When the Admiral would have the Fleet exercise their Small Arms, he will hoist a Red Flag on the Ensign-staff, and fire a Gun; and if the Great Guns, the same Signal, and a Pendant over the Flag. | |
Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius
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Copyright © 1999 Lars Bruzelius.