It was the admiral’s choice, to tack about or wear round, and with the Neverfail shoal waiting ahead and the same unforgiving rocks under their lee that had claimed Tribune so recently. Tack or wear – put the helm down or up – it all depended on the signal that would be thrown out to the fleet in the next few minutes.
Captain Houghton stumped up and down the quarterdeck, nervous midshipmen scuttling along behind him, the master keeping a respectful distance to his lee. It was impossible to send the men to their stations until it was known the action to be taken, and they stood about the decks in uneasy groups.
Devil’s Island, the most seaward part of Halifax, lay abeam: now there was no reason why they could not bear up – and then there was a tiny flutter of bunting on Resolution’s poop.
Kydd concentrated with his glass. A quick refresh from his pocket book had shown him that there was only one flag in the two hoists that differentiated ‘tack’ and ‘wear’ – a yellow diagonal on a blue background – and this was number three, ‘tack’. If he just glimpsed that flag, he could ignore the rest and they would gain a vital edge. Houghton stopped pacing and faced Kydd. Around the ship men followed suit, every face turning towards him.
There! A cluster of flags mounted swiftly in Resolution’s rigging, their fluttering edges making the hoist nearly impossible to read – but Kydd’s straining eyes had spotted the distinctive number three as the flagship’s signal crew bent it on as part of the hoist. Before the flags had reached the peak he roared triumphantly, ‘It’s tack!’
Men raced to their stations; running gear was thumped on the deck and faked for running, afteryards manned by the starboard watch and headyards the larboard, double manning for the greatest speed. The signal jerked down aboard the flagship – execute!
The wheel spun as the quartermaster at the wheel and his mate threw themselves at the task and Tenacious’s bluff bow began to move. At the waist, ropes’ ends were out as the petty officers ensured the foresheet was let go smartly and the lee brace checked away. In growing excitement Kydd saw that of the file of ships only Tenacious herself at the rear and the flagship at the head had begun a swing round into the wind. His pride swelled at the evidence of his enterprise – they were well into their tacking about while in front, Andromeda, was still in line ahead.
‘Helm’s a-lee!’ Big driving sails began shaking, the yards bracing round while the foreyards took the wind aback to lever her round. ‘Mainsail haul!’ The ship passed slowly through the eye of the wind and all hands heaved and hauled with all their might to make the sails belly out comfortably on to the new tack. It was neatly done.
‘Sir!’ It was Rawson, tugging on his sleeve urgently. Kydd turned irritably. The midshipman pointed mutely at the line of ships: Resolution had tacked about as fast as they, but all the rest were still thrashing along on the old tack, not one even attempting to go about.
A feeling of growing apprehension crept over Kydd. Something was wrong. Resolution was now in plain view to weather, her entire beam to Tenacious instead of her stern – and as they watched, a flutter of bunting mounted at her main, the original signal. But ominously, there for the whole fleet to see was Tenacious’s pennant climbing brazenly aloft. A gun thudded out peremptorily for attention.
‘What, in the name of God?’ Houghton roared at Kydd. The admiral was telling the world that HMS Tenacious had blundered and should conform to his signal.
‘It’s tack, but in succession, sir,’ Rawson whispered urgently, pointing to an entry in the signal book. It was the order to tack, sure enough, but the maddening additional flag at the end indicated that instead of turning into line like a file of soldiers, the admiral wanted the column of ships to reach a fixed point, then wheel round to follow him, thereby preserving their line ahead formation.
‘Sir, the signal is “tack in succession”. I – I’m sorry, sir . . .’ Kydd’s voice seemed thin and weak.
Houghton’s chest swelled and his face reddened, but before the explosion another gun sounded impatiently from the flagship. There was nothing for it but public ignominy.
‘Haaands to stations for staying!’ Tenacious must obey the last order and come back to her original tack; her ship’s company, feeling the shame and the entire fleet’s eyes on them, took up their ropes again while Kydd stood mortified, face burning. Tenacious came ponderously about and tried to assume her old place at the end of the line – but by now the line itself was all but gone, preceding ships now having reached the fixed point and tacked round on to the new course.