I

When the Guard boats upon the Out Guard discover any danger to be apprehended by the Fleet from the Attempts of an Enemy of Force superior to themselves assisted by the Guard boats in waiting, & Guard (or Armed) Vessels to be appointed for the same service united; they are to burn Many false fires & fire musquets without discontinuance untill Answered from the Admiral by one False Fire & one Light at the Ensign Staff they are thereupon to return forthwith to communicate the Particulars to the Admiral & to the Ships of War nearest to them —

II

But upon the approach or expected attempts of an Enemy in Opposition to which the Assistance of the Guard boats in waiting and the Guard (or Armed) Vessel, is deemed sufficient; The Lieutenant of the Guard is to burn two False Fires at the same time & fire single musquets successively 'till the Signal is answered as before; The Guard boats in waiting are there­ upon to be dispatch'd forthwith from the nearest Ships, to the Assistance of that Guard without waiting for further direction from the Admiral, upon their Arrival the Lieutenant of the Guard is to attack the Enemy as he sees Practicable; Having attention to his further security by sending to make his Situation known to the Admiral, or other Commanding Officer nearest to him as Circumstances will admit —   

III

Upon the Appearance of an Enemy giving Cause of Alarm, or discovering strange Ships approaching the Fleet on the side of his Guard, & which he thinks himself already of sufficient force to seize upon & subdue: He is then to burn only one False Fire: But to repeat the same from time to time as he sees Occasion, untill he is Answered by the Admiral or some of the nearest Ships as before, He is thereupon to Advance supported by a proper disposition of the Boats, (some according to his force being appointed to fire into the Stern or other most exposed Part of the Enemy whilst he board with the rest) to examine more particulary into the Cause of Alarm, or to Oppose and Attack the Enemy as he is able And he may be assured that his Endeavours to distinguish himself upon such Occasions will be suitably made known & rewarded.

IV

He is to send upon any cause of Alarm, the earliest Information he is able of his Conjectures on the Subject of it, to the Admiral or the nearest Ship in order that the most timely assistance may be furnished for his support. And if the Admiral would have the Guard boats in waiting to repair to strengthen that Guard — He will signify his Intentions to that effect by the Proper Signal mentioned in the Sixth Article. But it is to be observed that the Out Guard boats of the other Divisions when such are employed, are not to quit their Posts on these and similar Occasions (unless very near at hand or that by the position of the Wind rendering themselves to Leeward of the Fleet, no ill Consequence can happen from their Absence) untill the Signal for the Fleet is cut or Slip or the general Signal for calling in all the Guard-boats is made; Lest the first Alarm given by the Enemy, should have been only meant to divert the Attention of the Fleet from any meditated insult on some other Part, equally Practicable from the direction of the Wind at that time

V

Private Ships seeing any of these Signals made from the Guard boats, and that they are not quickly observed, on board the Admiral are to repeat the same by signal as for seeing strange Ships in such Quarters (distinguishing for these Occasions as in the subsequent Article) & fire a Gun if necessary 

VI

When the Admiral from any appearance of danger or otherwise would have all theout Guard-boats return to their respective Ships: He will shew one Light at the Ensign Staff & one at the Mizen Peek, & fire a Gun—

If he would have the Guard boats in waiting to repair to the Assistance of either of the advanced Divisions he will shew four lights of equal height where they may be most easily seen & fire one Gun—

But if he thinks it necessary at the sametime to mark the Quarter of the Compass on which he would have the Boats particulary to Chace; He will hoist for these Occasions if it be to the North East, one Light at the Mizen Peek, if to the North West two Lights, to the South East, three Lights, and to the South West four Lights at the same place. But if from further Information in any of the foregoing instances, he shoud afterwards think fit to recall these last from the Chace; He will fire one Gun as a preparative to the Signal, and presently afterwards burn two false fires together, And he will repeat this Signal if he deems it necessary some time after.

Given on board his Majesty's Ship Eagle off
New York the 8th June 1777

To The Honble Captain Wm Cornwallis
Commander of his Majs Ship Isis.
By Command of theVice Adml J. Davies.