"JAMES, Duke of York and Albany, Earl of Ulster, Lord High Admiral of England, Scotland, and Ireland; Constable of Dover Castle, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and Governor of Portsmouth, &c.:

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR

The better ordering His Majesty's Fleet in Sailing.

INSTRUCTION I.

"As soon as the admiral shall loose his fore-topsail, and fire a gun, every ship in the fleet is to make ready and weigh; and being come to sail, to follow the chief of their squadron.

INSTRUCTION II.

"If the admiral shall weigh in the night, he will fire one gun, and hang a light on the main-topmast shrouds, above the common light in the main-top, which is to be answered by the chief of every squadron, and the respective ships to answer by a light on their main-tops; which they are to take in, when the admiral takes in his from the main-topmast shrouds, and not before.

INSTRUCTION III.

"For the better knowing and distinguishing each squadron, and keeping company in the night, notice is to be taken, that,

“1. The admiral hath three lights on his poop, and one on his

main-top.

"2. The vice-admiral (or he who commands in chief in the second place), two on his poop, and one on his maintop.

"3. The rear-admiral (or he who commands in chief in the third place), one on his main-top, and one on his poop. "4. The vice-admiral of each squadron, two on his poop. "5. The rear-admiral of each squadron, one on his poop; but when the whole fleet carry their lights, then the rear

admiral of each squadron is to carry two lights, the one hoisted a yard above the other on the ensign-staff. "6. In case of foul weather and a dark night, each ship is to carry a light.

INSTRUCTION IV.

"In case the admiral would have the fleet to cut or slip in the day, he will fire two guns, and loose his fore-topsail.

And if he would have the fleet to cut or slip in the night, he will fire two guns, and hang a light in the main-topmast shrouds, above the constant light.

INSTRUCTION V.

“That all ships endeavour to sail in their own squadrons; and if they happen to be astern of their chiefs, they are to make what sail they can, and come up by them; and if any one shall take in any sail, and not do his utmost to come up with the chief of his squadron, as aforesaid; or shall not endeavour to sail and anchor in his own squadron; he shall be tried at a council of war, as a neglecter of his duty. And the flag-officers of each squadron are to take notice of such neglect, and to give an account thereof at their next meeting.

"Provided always,

"1. That in case of springing a leak by day, under sail, or any disaster, whereby any ship is disabled for keeping company in the day, such a ship is to make a sign thereof by firing two guns distinctly one after another, and to haul up his low sails.

2. That in case of springing a leak, or other disaster, by night, such a ship is to hang out two lights of equal height in the shrouds, and to fire guns.

INSTRUCTION VI.

"In sailing or tacking, every ship is to keep good order, and not to strive for the wind or place one of another, upon any pretext whatsoever, whereby the least prejudice or damage may come to any ship or ships of the fleet: that is to say, every captain, lieutenant, master, master's mate, or pilot of a ship of lesser rank, is to give place to one of a greater; and if they be of one rank, then the younger captain is to give place to the elder. However, no captain, lieutenant, master, master's mate, or pilot, is to stand or endeavour to take the place or wind of another ship (though of a lesser rank), so as damage may ensue to either ship, upon pain of cashiering and losing their pay; as well the elder captain, or captain of a better ship, as the younger captain, or captain of a less ship.

"But in case any commander of a less ship, or younger captain, shall offer to go to windward of his senior or better ship, when it comes to the necessity that one must give way or place to the other, then the captain or commander of a better ship complaining, the captain, lieutenant, master, master's mate, or pilot, so offending, shall, for every such first offence, forfeit three months' wages, to be paid unto such persons as the admiral or council of war shall appoint, to be disposed of for the relief of wounded men, widows, and orphans of the slain: and for every such second offence, shall forfeit four months' pay: and for every such third offence, be cashiered, and lose his or their whole wages.

INSTRUCTION VII.

"In sailing at any time, no ships are to presume to go to windward of the chief of their squadron, unless in chase or in fight; but to give due respect, to come to speak with him, as often as they can conveniently and if the chief of their squadron come by the lee, and make a weft with his jack, then every ship of his squadron is to bear under his stern, and speak with him.

INSTRUCTION VIII.

"As soon as the admiral shall put abroad the union-flag in the mizen-shrouds, and fire one gun, all the captains in the fleet are to repair on board the admiral.

"If an ensign be put abroad in the same place, all the masters of ships are to repair on board, as aforesaid.

"If the standard be put in the same place, then the flag-officers only are to repair on board, as aforesaid.

"If a red flag, then all the captains of the admiral's squadron are to repair aboard, as aforesaid.

"If a white flag, then the vice-admiral, and all the captains of his squadron, are to go on board, as aforesaid.

"If a blue flag, then the rear-admiral, and all the captains of his squadron, are to go on board, as aforesaid.

"If a standard be put on the ensign-staff, the vice-admiral and rear-admiral of the fleet only are to go on board.

"If a white flag be put on the ensign-staff, all the captains of the frigates, that carry thirty guns and upwards, are to go on board. "If a blue flag be put there, all the captains of the frigates, and good sailers, that carry under thirty guns, are to go on board.

"If a red flag be put there, all the captains of frigates, both small and great, are to go on board.

"If the jack, coloured with colours, be put there, all the captains of ships that are not frigates shall go on board.

"If they are not in capacity to go on board themselves, they are to send their lieutenants, or next officers, to give an account thereof; and none are to fail, upon forfeiture of one day's pay, to be paid presently.

INSTRUCTION IX.

"Whoever has a desire to speak with the admiral, shall spread a flag from the head of his topmast down the shrouds, lowering his topsail, (that it may be the better discovered), and fire one gun.

INSTRUCTION X.

"When the admiral would have the sternmost ships to tack before him, in the day, he will fire one gun, and take in his ensign, and put out a pendant on the staff: and if he would have any particular ship to tack, he will fire one gun, and take in his ensign, and put up the signal for speaking with that ship.

INSTRUCTION XI.

"If the fleet chance to tack in the night, the admiral will fire one gun, and put out two lights more than he had before, at equal distance, one over another, on the poop; and each ship is to answer with one light more than ordinary; which light is to be kept out, till the admiral's lights be taken in.

"And when the signals are thus given for tacking in the night, by the admiral's and flag-ships, the sternmost and leewardmost ships must tack first, and so keep on with an easy sail, till the admiral comes a-head again; and every ship is to keep in order, in their own squadron.

INSTRUCTION XII.

"If any shall chance to lose company in the day-time, and meet again, those to windward shall (left blank

and those to leeward shall (

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"And if the same thing shall happen by night, that they may the better know one another, he who hails shall ask, What ship is

that? and he who is hailed shall answer (

and the other who first hailed shall reply (

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INSTRUCTION XIII.

'If, in case of sailing in the night, it overblows, so that the admiral shall think fit to shorten sail, he will put out one light over the other on the poop; and each ship is to answer with another light, beside what they had before; it being understood, that in foul weather, and a dark night, each ship is to carry a light.

INSTRUCTION XIV.

"If, by reason of foul weather, it be thought fit by the admiral to hand the foresails, and lie a-trey, he will shew four lights of equal height, and the rest are to answer with the like.

"And if the admiral shall, at any time, think fit to lie short, or a-hull, in regard of foul weather, then will he shew three lights, one over another, on the main-shrouds, or where they may be most conveniently seen.

"And it is to be noted, that if any of the fleet have occasion to trey or hull, when the rest of the fleet bear away, he is to fire one gun, and shew the same number of lights, after the manner here before expressed.

"When the admiral shall see cause to make sail in the night, after blowing weather, he will shoot off two guns; which are to be answered by the vice and rear-admirals of his own squadron with one gun; the vice and rear-admirals of the fleet, are each of them to shoot off two guns; and each of their vice and rear-admirals, one gun and the admiral will put out three lights, one over the other, in the main-shrouds, according to the signal for shortening sail; which being answered from every ship, he will take in.

INSTRUCTION XV.

"If the admiral shall alter his course in the night, he will fire one gun, without alteration of lights; which is to be answered by the chief of every squadron.

INSTRUCTION XVI.

"If, in the night, the admiral should not see the fleet, and yet would know where each ship is, he will put out two lights of equal height, besides what he had before: and each ship is to answer with the like, and to get as near as conveniently they can, to the chief of their squadron's lights.