The leading ship is to engage the enemy's leading ship, and the rearmost the rearmost, while the rest are to select the largest ships they can get at, and leave the weaker ones alone till the stronger are disabled.

It was in effect the adoption of Hoste's fifth rule for engaging a numerically superior fleet instead of his first, and it is a plan which he condemns except in the case of your being individually superior to your enemy, as indeed the English gunnery usually made them.
The curious signal No.

218 of 1782 for attacking the enemy's rear in succession by 'defiling' on the Elizabethan plan was also retained.

In the Signal Book of 1799 it ran, 'to fire in succession upon the sternmost ships of the enemy, then tack or wear and take station in rear of the squadron or division specified (if a part of the fleet is so appointed) until otherwise directed.' It has been already said that the alterations in the edition of 1799 were not of great importance, but one or two additions must be noticed.

The most noteworthy is a new signal for carrying out the important rule of Article IX.