Nelson, apparently, used the same style for all vessels under his command. In his own words, it was done "to be distinguished with greater certainty in case of falling in with an enemy". After the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) the colour scheme became popular, and most major vessels in the Royal Navy sported this pattern, though it was not mandatory and some captains changed it. The Nelson Chequer fell into general disuse after 1815, when the yellow hue was superseded by white.