cond post in the fleet, to do the like, the
signal shall be a flag striped red, white, and blue, with a pennant
under it, at the aforesaid place. And if he would have the blue
squadron to do the like he will put on the said place a Genoese
ensign, together with a pennant. But when he would have either of the
said squadrons to draw into a line of battle, ahead of one another, he
will make the aforesaid signals, without a pennant; which signals are
to be answered by the flagships only of the said squadrons, and to be
kept out till I take in mine. And if the admiral would have any
vice-admiral of the fleet and his division draw into a line of battle
as aforesaid, he will make the same signals at the fore topmast-head
that he makes for that squadron at the main topmast-head. And for any
rear-admiral in the fleet and his division, the same signals at the
mizen topmast-head; which signals are to be answered by the vice- or
rear-admiral.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The instructions under which Mathews fought his action off Toulon
in 1744 add here the words 'and every ship is to observe and keep the
same distance those ships do which are next the admiral, always taking
it from the centre.' They were a MS. addition made by Mathews himself.
See 'V. A----l L----k's Rejoinder to A----l M----ws's Replies' in a
pamphlet entitled _Original Letters and Papers between Adm----l M----ws
and V. Adm----l L----k_. London, 1744, p. 31. From an undated copy of
Fighting Instructions in the Admiralty Library we know that this
addition was subsequently incorporated into the standing form.

[2] The instructions of 1744, as quoted in the Mathews-Lestock
controversy, add here the words 'and strictly to take care not to fire
before the signal be given by the admiral.' This appears also to have
been an addition made by Mathews in 1744. It was clumsily incorporated
in the subsequent standing form thus: 'to engage the enemy and on no
account to fire before the admiral shall make the signal, in the order
the admiral has prescribed unto them.' See note to Article I., _supra._

THE PERMANENT INSTRUCTIONS, 1703-1783

INTRODUCTORY

These like Russell's are extracted from a complete printed set, also
presented to the United Service Institution by Sir W. Laird Clowes,
and entitled, 'Instructions for the directing and governing her
majesty's fleet in sailing and fighting, by the Right Honourable Sir
George Rooke, Knight, Vice-Admiral of England, and admiral a