be attended to.

IX. If the signal to make more or less sail is made when the fleet is
in line of battle, the frigate appointed to repeat signals will set
the same sails as are carried by the admiral's ship; the ships are
then in succession (from the rear if to shorten, or the van, if to
make more, sail) to put themselves under a proportion of sail
correspondent to their comparative rate of sailing with the admiral's
ship.

To enable captains to do this it will be necessary that they acquire a
perfect knowledge of the proportion of sail required for suiting their
rate of sailing to that of the admiral, under the various changes in
the quantity of sail, and state of the weather; which will enable
them, not only to keep their stations in the line of battle, but also
to keep company with the fleet on all other occasions.

When the signal to make more sail is made, if the admiral is under his
topsails he will probably set the Foresail.

If the signal is repeated, or if the foresail is set he will probably
set Jib and staysails.

If the foresail, jib, and staysails are set, he will set the
Topgallant-sails.

Or in equally weather Mainsail.

When the signal to shorten sail is made, he will probably take in sail
in a gradation the reverse of the preceding.

X. Ships which are ordered by signal to withdraw from the line are to
place themselves to windward of the fleet if it has the weather-gage
of the enemy, or to leeward and ahead if the contrary; and are to be
ready to assist any ship which may want their assistance, or to act in
any other manner as directed by signal.

If the ships so withdrawn, or any others which may have been detached,
should be unable to resume their stations in the line when ordered by
signal to do so, they are to attack the enemy's ships in any part of
the line on which they may hope to make the greatest impression.[5]

XI. If the fleet should engage an enemy inferior to it in number, or
which, by the flight of some of their ships, becomes inferior, the
ships which, at either extremity of the line, are thereby left without
opponents may, after the action is begun, quit the line without
waiting for a signal to do so; and they are to distress the enemy, or
assist the ships of the fleet, in the best manner that circumstances
will allow.

XII. When any number of ships, not having a flag officer with them,
are detached from the fleet to act together, they are to obey all
signals which are ac