en
in 1780 and afterwards very much curtailed, though the general plan is
the same.'

[9] Lacour Gayet, _La marine militaire de la France sous Louis_ XV,
1902, pp. 214-5.

_ADMIRAL EDWARD RUSSELL_, 1691.

[+From a printed copy in the Library of the United Service
Institution+.]

_Fighting Instructions_.

I. When the admiral would have the fleet draw into a line of battle,
one ship ahead of another (according to the method given to each
captain), he will hoist a union flag at the mizen peak, and fire a
gun; and every flagship in the fleet is to make the same signal.[1]

II. When the admiral would have the fleet draw into a line of battle,
one ship abreast of another (according to the method given to each
captain), he will hoist a union flag and a pennant at the mizen-peak,
and fire a gun; and every flagship in the fleet is to do the same.

III. When the admiral would have the admiral of the white and his
whole squadron to tack, and endeavour to gain the wind of the enemy,
he will spread a white flag under the flag at the main top-mast-head,
and fire a gun, which is to be answered by the flagships in the fleet;
and when he would have the admiral of the blue do the same, he will
spread a blue flag on that place.

IV. When the admiral would have the vice-admiral of the red, and his
division, tack and endeavour to gain the wind of the enemy, he will
spread a red flag from the cap at the fore topmast-head downward on
the backstay. If he would have the vice-admiral of the white do the
same, a white flag; if the vice-admiral of the blue, a blue flag at
the same place.

V. When the admiral would have the rear-admiral of the red and his
division tack and endeavour to gain the wind of the enemy, he will
hoist a red flag at the flagstaff at the mizen topmast-head; if the
rear-admiral of the white, a white flag; if the rear-admiral of the
blue, a blue flag at the same place, and under the flag a pennant of
the same colour.

VI. If the admiral be to leeward of the fleet, or any part of the
fleet, and he would have them bear down into his wake or grain, he
will hoist a blue flag at the mizen peak.

VII. If the admiral be to leeward of the enemy, and his fleet, or any
part of them, to leeward of him, that he may bring those ships into a
line, he will bear up with a blue flag at the mizen peak under the
union flag, which is the signal for the line of battle; and then those
ships to leeward are to use their utmost e