ew form of the signal, which, according
to the MS. Signal Book of 1782, was introduced by Hood.[6] Still
more significant is Signal 235, 'when fetching up with the enemy to
leeward, and on the contrary tack, to break through their line and
endeavour to cut off part of their van or rear.' This is clearly the
outcome of Rodney's famous manoeuvre, and is adopted word for word
from the signification of the signal that Hood added. Pigot, it will
be remembered, on succeeding Rodney, added two more on the same
subject, viz. (1) 'For the leading ship to cut through the enemy's
line of battle,' and (2) 'For a particular ship specified to cut
through the enemy's line of battle, and for all the other ships to
follow her in close order to support each other.' Neither of these
later signals is in the code we are considering, and the presumption
is that it was drawn up very soon after Rodney's victory and before
Pigot's signals were known at home.

Finally there is a MS. note added by Sir Charles H. Knowles to his
'Fighting and Sailing Instructions,' to the effect that in the
instructions issued by Howe in 1782 he modified Article XXI. of the
old Fighting Instructions (_i.e._ Article XX. of Russell's).
'His lordship in 1782,' it says, 'directed by his instructions that
the line [_i.e._ his own line] should not be broken until all the
enemy's ships gave way and were beaten.' And this is practically the
effect of Article XIV. of the set we are considering. In the absence
of contrary evidence, therefore, there seems good ground for calling
these folio volumes 'Howe's First Signal Book, 1782,' and with this
tentative attribution the Explanatory Instructions are printed below.

As has been already said, these instructions, divorced as they now
were from the signals, give but a very inadequate idea of the tactics
in vogue. For this we must go to the tactical signals themselves. In
the present case the more important ones (besides those given above)
are as follows:

'No. 218. To attack the enemy's rear in succession by ranging up with
and opening upon the sternmost of their ships; then to tack or veer,
as being to windward or to leeward of the enemy, and form again in the
rear.' This signal, which at first sight looks like a curious
reversion to the primitive Elizabethan method of attack, immediately
follows the signals for engaging at anchor, and may have been the
outcome of Hood's experience with De Grasse in 1782.

'No. 232. In work