emy's rear, so as to
endeavour to cut off a certain number of ships from that part of their
fleet, the same will be made known by signal No. 27, and the numeral
signal which accompanies it will point out the headmost of the enemy's
ships that is to be attacked, counting always from the van, as stated
in page 160, Article 31 (Instructions).[1] The signal will
afterwards be made for the division intended to make the attack, or
the same will be signified by the ship's pennants, and the pennants of
the ship in that division which is to begin the attack, with the
number of the ship to be first attacked in the enemy's line. Should it
be intended that the leading ship in the division is to attack the
rear ship of the enemy, she must bear up, so as to get upon the
weather quarter of that ship; the ships following her in the line will
pass in succession on her weather quarter, giving their fire to the
ship she is engaged with; and so on in succession until they have
closed with the headmost ship intended to be attacked.

The ships in reserve, who have no opponents, will break through the
enemy's line ahead of this ship, so as to cut off the ships engaged
from the rest of the enemy's fleet.

When it is intended that the rear ship of the division shall attack
the rear ship of the enemy's line, that ship's pennants will be shown;
the rest of the ships in the division will invert their order,
shortening sail until they can in succession follow the rear ship,
giving their fire to the enemy's ships in like manner as above stated;
and the reserve ships will cut through the enemy's line as already
mentioned.

When this mode of attack is intended to be put in force, the other
divisions of the fleet, whether in order of sailing or battle, will
keep to windward just out of gun-shot, so as to be ready to support
the rear, and prevent the van and centre of the enemy from doubling
upon them. This manoeuvre, if properly executed, may force the enemy
to abandon the ships on his rear, or submit to be brought to action on
equal terms, which is difficult to be obtained when the attack is made
from to-windward.

When the fleet is to leeward, and the commanding officer intends to
cut through the enemy's line, the number of the ship in their line
where the attempt is to be made will be shown as already stated.

If the ships after passing the enemy's line are to tack, and double
upon the enemy's ships ahead, the same will be made known by a blue