SIGNALS. 



would haTe them wear, and bring to the other tack, he 

 hoirts a pendant on the enfign-ftafF, and fires a gun ; and 

 then the leeward-moft and ftern-molt (hips are to wear firft, 

 and bring on the other tack, and he by, or go on with an 

 eafy fail, till he comes a-head : every flag is to anfwer with 

 the iame fignal. If they are lying by, or failing by a wind, 

 and the admiral would have them bear up and fail before the 

 wind, he hoifts his enfign, and fires a gun, which the flags 

 are to anfwer ; and then the leeward-moil fhips are to bear 

 up firft, and to give room for the weather-moft to wear, 

 and fail before the wind, with an eafy tail, tiU the admiral 

 comes a-head. But if it flionld happen, when the admiral 

 hath occafion to wear and fail before the wind, that both 

 jack and enfign be abroad, he will haul down the jack, be- 

 fore he fires the gun to wear, and keep it down till the fleet 

 is before the wind. When they are failing before the wind, 

 and he would have them bring-to, with the llarboard tacks 

 aboard, he hoifts a red flag at the flag-ftaff, on the mizen- 

 topmall-head, and fires a gun. But if they are to bring-to, 

 with the larboard tack, he hoifts a blue flag at the iame 

 place, and fire? a gun, and every fliip is to anfwer the gun. 

 When any fhip discovers land, he is to hoift his jack and 

 enfign, and keep it abroad, till the admiral or commander- 

 in-chief anfwer him, by hoifting his ; on fight of which, he 

 is to haul down his enfign. If any difcovers danger, he is 

 to tack and bear up from it, and to hang his jack abroad 

 from the main-topmaft crofs-trees, and to lire two guns ; 

 but if he fliould ftrike or ftick faft, then, befides the fame 

 fignal with his jack, he is to keep finng, till he fees all the 

 fleet obferve him, and endeavour to avoid the danger. 

 When any fees a fhip or (hips more than the fleet, he is to 

 put abroad his enfign, and there keep it, till the admiral's 

 is out, and then to lower it, as often as he fees fhips, and 

 ftand in with them, that fo the admiral may know which 

 way they are, and how many ; but if he be at fuch a dif- 

 tance, that the enfign cannot well be difcovered, he is then 

 to lay his head toward the flup or (hips fo defcried, and to 

 brail up his low fails, and continue hoifting and lowering 

 his topfails, and making a waft with his top-gallant fails, 

 till hCjjis perceived by the admiral. When the admiral 

 would have the vice-admiral, or him that commands in the 

 fecond poft of the fleet, to fend out fhips to chafe, he hoifts 

 a flag, ftriped white and red on the flag-ftaff, at the fore- 

 topmaft-head, and fires a gun. But if he would have the 

 rear-admiral do fo, he then hoifts the fame fignal on the flag- 

 ftaff at the mizen-topmaft-head, and fires a gun. When the 

 admiral would have any (hip to chafe to windward, he makes 

 a fignal for fpeaking with the captain, and he hoifts a red 

 flag in the mizen (hrouds, and fires a gun ; but if to chafe 

 to leeward, a blue flag ; and the fame fignal is made by the 

 flag, in whofe divifion that fliip is. When he would have them 

 give over chafe, he hoills a white flag on his flag-ftaff at the 

 fore-topmaft-head, and fires a gun ; which fignal is to be 

 made alfo by that flag-fliip which is neareft the ftiip that 

 gives chafe, till the cliafing ftiip fees the fignal. In cafe 

 of fpringing a leak, or any other difafter, that difables their 

 fliip from keeping company, they are to haul up their 

 courfcs, and fire two guns. When any ftiip would fpeak 

 with the admiral, he muft fpread an Engliib enfign, from 

 the head of his main or fore-topmaft, downwards on the 

 flirouds, lowering his main or fore-topfail, and continue 

 firing guns, till the admiral obferve him ; and if any fliip 

 perceive this, and judgeth the admiral doth not, that fliip 

 rauft make the fame fignal, and make the beft of his way to 

 acquaint the admiral therewith, who fhall anfwer by firing 

 one gun. When the admiral would have the fleet to pre- 

 pare to anchor, he hoifts an enfign, ftriped red, blue, and 



white, on the enfign-ftaff, and fire* a gun ; and cTery flag- 

 fliip makes the fame fignal. If he would have the fleet 

 moor, he hoifts his mizen-topfail, with the clew-lines hauled 

 up, and fires a gun. If he would have the fleet cut or flip, 

 he loofes both his topfails, and fires two guns ; and theu the 

 leeward fhips are to cut or flip firft, to give room to the 

 weather-moft to come to fail. So if he would have any 

 particular ftiip to cut or flip, and to chafe to windwird, he 

 makes the fignal for fpeaking with that fliip, hoifts a red 

 flag in the mizen-(hrouds, and fires a gun ; but if a fhip is 

 to chafe to leeward, he hoifts a blue flag as before. If he 

 would have the fleet exercife their fmall arms, he hoifts a 

 red flag on the enfign-ftafF, and fires a gun ; but if the great 

 guns, then he puts up the pendant over the red flag. 



Signals by Night, to be obferved at an anchor, weighing 

 anchor, and (ailing, are as follow. When the admiral 

 would have the fleet to unmoor, and ride fliort, he han js 

 out three lights, over one another in the main-topmaft- 

 flirouds, over the conllant light in the main-top, and fires 

 two guns, which are to be anfwered by the flag-lhips ; and 

 each private (hip hangs out a light in the mizen- flirouds. 

 Note, that all guns, fired for fignals in the night, muft be 

 fired on the fame fide, that they may make no alteration in 

 the found. When he would have them weigh, he hangs a 

 light in the main-topmaft-ftirouds, and fires a gun, which is 

 to be anfwered by all the flags ; and every private ftiip muft 

 hang out a light in his mizen-(hroud. When he would have 

 them tack, he hoifts two flags on the cnfign-ftafF, over one 

 another, above the conftant light in his poop, and fires a 

 gun, which is to be anfwered by all the flags ; and every 

 private fliip is to hang out a light extraordinary, which is 

 not to be taken in, till the admiral takes in his. After the 

 fignal is made, the leeward-moft and llern-moft (hips mull 

 tack as faft as they can ; and the ftern-moil flag-ftiip, after 

 he is about on the other tack, is to lead the fleet, and him 

 they are to follow, to avoid running through one another in 

 the dark. When he is upon a wind, and would have the 

 fleet veer, and bring-to on the other tack, he hoifts up one 

 light at the mizen-peek, and fires three guns ; which is to 

 be anfwered by all the flag-lhips ; and every private (hip 

 muft anfwer, with one light at the mizen-peek. The ftern- 

 moft and leeward-moft ftiips are to bear up fo foon as the 

 fignal is made. When he would hare them, in blowing 

 weather, to lie a-try, (hort, or a-huU, or with the head- 

 fails braced to the maft, he will form lights of equal height, 

 and fire five guns, which are to be anfwered by the flag- 

 fhips, and then every private (hip muil (hew four lights; 

 and after this, if he would have them to make fail, he then 

 fires ten guns, which are to be anfwered by all the flags, 

 and then the head-moft and weather-moft (hips are to make 

 fail firft. When the fleet is failing large, or before the 

 wind, and the admiral would have them bring-to, and lie 

 by, with their ftarboard tacks aboard, he puts out four 

 lights in the fore-flirouds, and fires fix guns ; b.ut if with 

 the larboard tacks aboard, he fires eight guns, which are 

 to be anfwered by the flag-(hips ; and every private (hip 

 muft fhew four lights. The wind-molt (hips mull bring-to 

 firft. Whenever the admiral alters his courfe, he fires one 

 gtin, without altering his lights, which is to be anfwered 

 by all the fiag-fhips. If any (hip hath occafion to he (hort, 

 or by, after the ileet hath made fail, he is to fire one gun, 

 and (hew three lights in his mizen-(hrouds. When any one 

 firft difcovers land, or danger, he is to (hew as many lights 

 as he can, to fire one gun, and to tack, or bear away from 

 it ; and if any one happen to fpring a leak, or any be dif- 

 abled from keeping company with the fleet, he hangs out 

 two lights of equal height, and fires guns till he is relieved 



by 



