Port and Starboard Lights

[Hellion]

Pre electricity were there green and red port and starboard lights? e.g during the Battle of Trafalgar were the port and starboard 'lit up' at night and if so how?

[Hellion]

That's what I thought tonyted but is it did they actually have lamps or did they not bother (if you see what I mean)

[heathfield]

Before electricity, oil lamps were used on ships. There are heaps of them still around and you can buy them, usually in antique shops. They're also far more reliable than electric lamps, and were used for rear lights on trains until very recently.
But port and starboard lights were unknown in Nelson's time, and weren't introduced until the advent of steam vessels. More here.

[Hellion]

Thank you Heathfield - I knew someone would point me in the right direction I didn't know how to start searching in google cos I couldn't think of the right search words!