ody of the enemy be broken or disabled, unless by
signal, or particular instruction, they should be directed to act
otherwise.

XVII. If any ship should be so disabled as to be in great danger of
being destroyed or taken by the enemy, and should make a signal
expressive of such extremity, the ships nearest to her, and which are
the least engaged with the enemy, are strictly enjoined to give her
immediately all possible aid and protection; and any fireship, in a
situation which admits of its being done, is to endeavour to burn the
enemy's ship opposed to her; and any frigate that may be near is to
use every possible exertion for her relief, either by towing her off,
or by joining in the attack on the enemy, or by covering the fireship,
or, if necessity requires it, by taking out the crew of the disabled
ship, or by any other means which circumstances at the time will
admit.

XVIII. Though a ship be disabled and hard pressed by the enemy in
battle, she is not to quit her station in the line if it can possibly
be avoided, till the captain shall have obtained permission so to do
from the commander of the division or squadron to which he belongs, or
from some other flag officer. But if he should be ordered out of the
line, or should be obliged to quit it before assistance can be sent to
him, the nearest ships are immediately to occupy the space become
vacant to prevent the enemy from taking advantage of it.

XIX. If there should be a captain so lost to all sense of honour and
the great duty he owes his country as not to exert himself to the
utmost to get into action with the enemy, or to take or destroy them
when engaged, the commander of the squadron or division to which he
belongs, or the nearest flag officer, is to suspend him from the
command, and is to appoint some other officer to command the ship till
the admiral's pleasure shall be known.

APPENDIX

_FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE TRAFALGAR FIGHT_

[+Sir Charles Ekin's Naval Battles, pp. 271 et seq. Extract+.]

The intelligent officer to whom the writer is indebted for this
important manuscript was an eye-witness of what he has so ably
related, and upon which he has reasoned with so much judgment.[1]

'The combined fleet, after veering from the starboard to the larboard
tack, gradually fell into the form of an irregular crescent; in which
they remained to the moment of attack. Many have considered that the
French admiral intended this formation of the lin