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SECTION I. MESSING - OFFICERS. 837. Designation of Messes.-Messes shall be designated as ward-room, gun-room, and warrant officers' messes respectively. 2. Ward-room Officers.-The following are ward-room officers, except as otherwise provided for in Article 1544 in the case of officers on passage :
3. With the exception of Flag Captains, Captains and Commanders in command are to keep a separate table, unless in special cases Admiralty authority is given for them to mess with the officers. 838. Mess Committee.-Each mess is to be regulated by a mess committee of three or four members, of which the senior member of the Military Branch shall be the president, the other members of the committee being elected. If the mess should fail to elect a committee, the senior officer of the Military Branch and the senior of the officers belonging to the other Branches shall be the committee, and shall be held responsible for the proper management of the mess. 2. Duties.-The internal economy of each mess is to be conducted by the committee; but all irregularities are to be checked by the senior member of the Military Branch present, and, if necessary, reported to the Executive Officer or the Captain. If there are no officers of the Military Branch belonging to a mess, the Captain will give such directions as may be necessary for the conduct of the mess. 839. Officers to join Mess.-All officers belonging to and doing duty in the ship are to join the mess to which by their rank they belong, and to take their meals at the public table, unless prevented from doing so by illness. 2. Supernumeraries.-Supernumerary officers living on board who are doing duty, or waiting or taking passage, are to join their proper mess. 3. Assistant Constructors.-Assistant Constructors of the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors serving temporarily at sea are to have the rank of Engineer Lieutenant, and are to join the ward-room mess. 285 4. Lieutenants formerly Warrant Officers.-Whenever Lieutenants promoted from commissioned warrant or warrant rank for long and zealous service join a ward-room mess, or are in command, they are to be granted an allowance of 1s. 6d. a day under the conditions stated in Article 843, clause 5. 840. Mess Traps for the use of Flag Officers, Commanding Officers and ward-room, gun-room and warrant officers' messes, will be supplied to His Majesty's ships from the victualling yards-under the regulations laid down in Enclosure No. 24 (revised) to the Guard Book of Special Memoranda. 841. Advance to Messes.-Upon the first formation of a ward-room and gun-room mess of a sea-going ship, the Accountant Officer, with the Captain's approval, will make an advance from the public money in his charge to every such mess, not exceeding �3. 10s. for each member. In the case of supernumeraries, the advance is not to exceed the proportion due for the time they will probably remain in the ship. 2. These advances are to be considered as loans to assist the messes in laying in their first supplies, and the Accountant Officer, under the Captain's directions, is to recover them within six months by equal monthly instalments from the respective messes, but not from the individual officers. 842. Gun-room Messes are not to be maintained in ships where no Midshipmen are borne. Cases in which an exception to this rule is considered desirable are to be referred to the Admiralty for decision. When a gun-room mess is closed in accordance with this Article, the mess traps are to be returned into store. 843. Subalterns of Royal Marines, when embarked, will be paid messing allowances at the rate of 6d. a day. 2. Officers obliged to join other Messes.-Gun-room officers in vessels with no gun-room mess are required to mess in the ward-room, and to pay their proper share of mess money as if they were ward-room officers; but to meet the increased expense they will be allowed the difference between 30s. a month and the amount contributed monthly by the officers of the mess, which amount, however, is never to exceed the prescribed limit of �3. This allowance is to be paid also to Sub-Lieutenants when in command of torpedo boats or other small vessels. The maximum amount payable under this Regulation is not to exceed 30s. for each complete calendar month. For broken periods payment is to be made at the rate of 1s. a day. 3. Warrant Officers living on board a gunboat, destroyer, torpedo boat or other small vessel, and obliged to join the mess, which includes all the officers, will be allowed Is. 6d. a day. 4. Warrant Officers in Command, or serving under another warrant officer, in torpedo boats, will be granted a mess allowance of 6d. a day when the commission does not exceed three months. 5. These allowances are only to be paid for the period during which mess contributions are actually and properly paid, and not during the whole period of an officer's leave, but they may be continued when the absence does not extend beyond seven days, provided mess contribution is paid. For messing allowance to Lieutenants on the supplementary list, see Appendix I. 6. All the allowances referred to in this Article are to be credited on the ledger. 286 844. Warrant Officers' Accommodation.-In ships which have warrant officers for quarter-deck duties there is to be a warrant officers' mess berth, but the additional officers are not to be provided with cabins. In ships which have no warrant officers appointed for quarter-deck duties a mess berth is not necessary ; but where there is plenty of room it should be fitted. 845. Gangway Wine Book.-All wine, spirits, beer and tobacco (including cigars and cigarettes), of whatever description they may be, and for whatever mess or person, are to be entered in the gangway wine book (form S. 251) when received on board and also if disembarked. This book is to be kept by the chief of police, signed by him weekly, and inspected and initialled by the Captain with the other weekly returns, and is to be produced, on request, to the officers of Customs. 2. Stocks of Wine, &e.-The stock of wine, spirits and beer allowed on board is to be strictly limited to the requirements of each mess. Before any of these articles are ordered by the gun-room mess or obtained by them from other finesses, a list of what is required, signed by the wine caterer, is to be taken, together with the wine book, showing what has already been received or ordered by the mess, to the Captain for his approval and signature, and these permits are afterwards to be pasted into the wine book. 3. Sale or Exchange.-No wine, spirits or beer is to be sold, exchanged or given away (except to guests in the mess room) to any individual in the ship not belonging to the mess for which it has been obtained, unless with the special sanction of the Captain. Issue of Spirits.-Spirits are not to be issued in bottle to any officer or other person on board. 4. Supplies of Wine, &c.-The Captain may sanction supplies of wine, &c., being received for messes at the risk of the wine merchant, provided it is to be paid for as consumed by at least quarterly instalments. Mess Debts.-Before leaving a port, all mess debts, and also all debts for wine not at the risk of the wine merchant, are to be discharged, and, if necessary, monthly subscriptions in advance may be called for ; but when ships are proceeding to a foreign station, or to a more expensive part of a station, the Captain may approve of a reasonable amount of debt being left outstanding on receiving from the mess an undertaking to pay off a certain proportion quarterly, or at other fixed periods, which undertaking the Captain is to see carried out. In such cases it must be understood that the Admiralty, whatever the circumstances, will not be responsible for, nor contribute to satisfy, any claim which may be made for losses which may occur; and officers, for the protection of their interests, should make their own arrangements with the tradesmen. The Admiralty will not be liable in any case for the loss of mess stock which has been taken on board by messmen. 5. Limit of Wine Bills.-The wine bills of gun-room commissioned officers are never to exceed �2. a month ; those of other gun-room officers, over 18 years of age, 15s. a month ; and those of gun-room officers under 18 years of age, 10s. a month. No subordinate officers under the age of 20 are to be allowed spirits. See 849 (Limit to Subscriptions). The above rates apply to supernumeraries as well as to officers of the ship. 6. Warrant Officers.-The Captain is not to allow commissioned warrant officers or warrant officers to receive on board wine, spirits, or beer, but, should he see fit, he may allow them to draw wines, &c., from the ward-room mess. This permission is to be withdrawn at any time if the Captain should think it 287 necessary to do so. Whenever wine or spirits is so drawn requirements are to be written in ink on the chit and counterfoil in the wine chit book (form S. 254) and signed by the officer. Collective demands are not to be made. 7. Commissioned warrant officers and warrant officers allowed to draw wines and spirits are to be considered as coming in all respects under the rule and regulations laid down for gun-room messes, the books, statements, accounts, &c., being kept and inspected accordingly. The counterfoils in the wine chit books are to be compared with the ward-room and warrant officers' wine books monthly. Commissioned warrant officers and warrant officers are only to be allowed to draw wine and spirits by the glass ; bottles are not to be supplied to them ; and the limit of 15s. a month is not to be exceeded. 8. Day and Wine Books.-Day and wine books (forms S. 252 and S. 253) are to be kept, and, with the warrant officers' wine chit books (form S. 254), and the quarterly mess statement (form S. 256), are to be produced whenever called for by competent authority. Inspection of Books.-In the case of the ward-room mess, they are to be seen by the Captain, with the mess statement, before the 10th of each month, and weekly in the case of the gun-room mess, but all officers' wine books and the warrant officers' wine chit books are to be examined by him as often as he considers desirable. After each inspection the Captain's initials are to be appended as proof of his examination. See 5'78 (Power of Captain to limit or stop Wine Bills). 846. Quarterly Accounts.-At the end of each quarter, after the stocktaking, which is to take place during the last fortnight of the quarter, statements are to be prepared by the committee, on the forms provided in the wine book for wine accounts, and in duplicate on S. 256, for the mess accounts (which accounts are to include all the mess funds for which the members of the mess as a body are liable), showing the whole of the mess and wine accounts and the liabilities of the wine fund, the money in hand to meet those liabilities, the amounts, if any, owing by members of the mess, and the stock in hand. The statements of mess and wine accounts are to be signed by all the members of the committee, and examined and initialled by the Captain, who, in the case of the mess accounts, will retain a duplicate copy, the other being returned to the mess for the information of the members. 2. Audit.-In all cases these accounts are to be audited not later than the 10th of the first month of each quarter, by three officers appointed by the Captain. Subject to the proviso that no officer should ever be selected to audit his own accounts, the Auditing Officers should consist of a Lieutenant, the Accountant Officer, and the Naval Instructor. The auditing officers should examine all the accounts, whether paid or not, within the period over which the audit extends, together with all outstanding orders for which the mess may be liable, although accounts may not have been received. They should also examine the account signed by the wine caterer showing the stock remaining in hand at the last stocktaking ; and they are to certify that, to the best of their belief after full inquiry, all instructions on the subject of the wine accounts have been duly observed during the period under examination. The gangway book is to be produced at this audit, in order that the quantities credited to the messes in the wine books may be compared with those in the gangway book. The warrant officers' wine chit books are also to be produced and the quantities shown on the counterfoils compared with those shown as expended in the wine book. The attention of the Captain is to be called in the report of the auditors to any discrepancies which may appear. 288 3. Change of Wine Caterer.-Stock is to be taken whenever a change takes place in the wine caterership of a mess, and a statement is to be made out and signed by the auditing officers. 847. Settlement of Debts.-The Captain is to see that all mess and wine debts are settled monthly, in cash or Bank of England notes, by each member, as laid down in Article 1609 ; and no private bills or cheques are to be received by, or cashed from, the mess or wine funds. 2. Subordinate Officers.-In the case of subordinate officers, a monthly list (form S. 15) giving the total of the mess, wine and extra accounts incurred by each officer during the previous month, is to be sent by the caterer of the mess to the Accountant Officer each month, in time to enable him to abate from each officer's advance or private allowance the total of these accounts. These sums the Accountant Officer is to pay over to the caterer responsible for each account. 3. Debts on paying off.-The president of the mess is to report to the Captain if an officer should be in debt to the mess on paying off or on discharge, and the Captain is to order the Accountant Officer to pay the amount, or so much of it as does not exceed the balance of pay and allowances due, and charge it on his pay documents. See 578 (Duties of Captain with regard to Messes) ; also 1606, clause 2. 4. Monthly Remittances to Creditors.-To avoid large accumulations of cash in messes, the committees are to take advantage of the facilities afforded by Article 1650 to make remittances home monthly, either to their creditors direct, or to their creditors' home correspondents, when debts may be due abroad, and there are no immediate facilities for paying them direct. The payment of mess and wine debts is to be made by remittance through the Accountant Officer of the ship and not by means of private cheques or bills of exchange, unless such a course is specially sanctioned by the Captain. All such remittances and payments are to be verified by the auditing officers. 5. Balances.-In order further to prevent a surplus of money unduly accumulating in the wine fund, the balance remaining in hand at the end of each quarter is to be placed to the credit of each member in proportion to the amount of his wine account; and when any member leaves after having been a month or more in the ship, he is to have his proportion paid to him, such proportion to be calculated in complete months, odd weeks and days not reckoning. The money placed to the credit of each member will represent the amount of his interest in the working balance of the fund ; but no portion of it is to be paid to him until he leaves the ship, unless there is at any time a surplus over the amount of balance which it is necessary to keep in hand for the efficient working of the fund, in which case it should be divided among the members in proportion to the amount of their individual interests. 6. Inspection of Books.-When a ship is inspected, a statement of the condition of the wine fund is to be produced together with the wine, day, and gangway books, to enable the inspecting officer to ascertain that the foregoing regulations have been complied with. 848. In the case of torpedo-boat destroyers, torpedo boats, and other small tenders, the Captain of the parent ship is responsible for ensuring that the foregoing instructions are duly carried out, subject to such special modifications in regard to details as may be approved by superior authority on account of the small number of officers in any particular mess. 849. Limit to Subscriptions.-In the ward-room the monthly mess subscription is not to exceed �3. a>289 In the gun-room the monthly mess subscription is not to exceed 30s. ; but in addition to this sum 5s. may be charged for replacing mess utensils and other necessary expenses, and the following sums may also be allowed for extras should a member choose to indulge in them, viz. :
SECTION II. CABINS. 850. Proper Cabins.-The Captain is to allow every officer to occupy the proper cabin allotted to his rank in the ship. 2. Special Cabins are appropriated for the Executive Officer, the Navigating Officer, the Chaplain, the Medical Officer, the Accountant Officer, and the Engineer Officer, the particular duties of the officer guiding the selection ; and in ships fitted as flag-ships, for the Secretary and the Flag Lieutenant. A cabin will also be appropriated to the second engineer officer, the position being fixed as near the engine room as is convenient and practicable. The appropriation of these cabins is not to be altered without Admiralty sanction. 3. Cabins will be provided where possible for all warrant officers in a ship's complement except such as are borne for quarter-deck or instructional duties. In ships in which these cabins are marked " Warrant Officer," they are to be occupied according to the seniority of such officers, those responsible for store being given the prior claim. 4. Numbered Cabins.-The remaining cabins will be numbered in accordance with directions given on the drawings of the ship and such numbers are not to be displaced. So far as circumstances permit, numbered cabins will be provided for all ward-room officers not mentioned in clause 2. 5. Occupation of Cabins.-When a ship is commissioned, numbered cabins will be allocated to the ward-room officers. In the event of the number of cabins being insufficient to accommodate all the ward-room officers, the officers belonging to each of the following classes will be allowed cabins in priority to officers of succeeding classes
6. Warrant Officers.-If any cabins remain over when all ward-room officers as defined in Article 837 have been accommodated, the remaining numbered cabins should be allotted to the warrant officers, other than those borne for quarter-deck or instructional duties, who may be without cabins. Any cabins then remaining are to be allotted at the discretion of the Captain. 7. Choice of Cabins.-Officers who have been allowed numbered cabins under clause 5 of this Article will be permitted to choose their particular cabins in the order of their relative seniority. Those who have been allowed numbered cabins under clause 6 will have their actual cabins assigned to them by the Captain, who will take into consideration the particular duties of the officers whose claims he has to weigh. 8. In applying the foregoing rules it is to be understood that :
290 9. Changes in Cabins.-On cabins subsequently becoming vacant no changes are to be made except such as may be optional on the part of officers, such option being taken by seniority on the complement being completed. No officer in occupation of a cabin to which he has been entitled is to be compelled to change it against his will on a senior officer joining. 851. Ships fitted as Flag-Ships.-In all ships fitted as flag-ships, whether flying a flag or not, the cabins intended for the Flag Officer and his staff will be supplied with furniture in the usual way. 2. When Flag Officer not borne.-With regard to the occupation of these cabins when a Flag Officer is not borne, the Captain will occupy the Admiral's accommodation, the Executive Officer the Flag Captain's cabins except his watch cabin, and the cabins of the Executive Officer, Secretary, and Flag Lieutenant may then be occupied by officers to whom other special cabins are appropriated, or by officers who are entitled to numbered cabins, if they desire to do so, the choice being given strictly according to seniority. The labels on the cabins are not to be altered, and in the event of a Flag Officer embarking with his staff all the cabins appropriated for their use are to be vacated. 3. It is to be understood, however, that when a ship is commissioned by a Captain to proceed to a foreign station for the purpose of receiving a Flag Officer, none of the cabins intended for his use and that of his retinue are to be occupied by the officers of the ship. SECTION III. MESSING - SHIP'S COMPANY. 852. C.P.O.s, P.O.s, and Writers: The Master-at-Arms, the Naval Schoolmaster, and the Writers, including the Boy Writers, are to mess together. 2. The other chief petty officers are either to mess together or with the petty officers, as may be convenient. 3. Cooks of Messes.-At the Captain's discretion, a sufficient number of Ordinary Seamen of each watch are to be attached to these messes to do the work of cooks of the messes. 4. Ship's Steward and Cooper Ratings.-The Ship's Steward, Cooper, Second Ship's Steward, Ship's Steward's Assistant, and Ship's Steward's Boy are not to be allowed to form a mess together, but are to mess with the Chief Petty Officers or Petty Officers (Seaman Class). On no account is the bread room, or any other part of the ship, except where the men by the customs and regulations of the Service are permitted to live, to be used as a mess place. 5. E.R.A. and Electrician Ratings.-If there are two or more Chief or other Engine-Room Artificers in a ship, they are to be allowed to form a separate mess in the place which will be set apart for the purpose; and a Stoker is to be allowed to attend upon them as cook of the mess, and to keep the place clean and in order; the man so employed is to be relieved from ordinary duties in the engine-room. Chief Electricians and Electricians, when borne in His Majesty's ships, are to mess with the Seaman Class Chief Petty Officers, and not with the Engine-Room Artificers. 6. The Mechanicians and Chief Stokers are to mess separately from the other chief petty officers in ships where separate messes are provided ; in other cases they are to mess with the Seaman Class Chief Petty Officers, and not with the Engine-Room Artificers. 7. Hammock-men.-While it is to be clearly understood that all chief petty officers are responsible for their own hammocks, Chief Engine-Room Artificers and Engine-Room Artificers, Chief Electricians and Electricians may have the option of employing hammock-men as provided by Article 1483. 291 853. Meal Hours.-The recognised meal hours are to be five in number, and the aggregate time allowed for them 3 hours 35 minutes. The routine of meals is, as far as possible, to be as follows :
At sea, the ration of cocoa is to be issued to the morning watch after mustering, and to the remainder of the ship's company after hammocks have been stowed. 2. The Captain is to detail a Lieutenant to go round the mess decks daily when the dinners are served. This officer is to ask if there are any complaints as to dinners, and he is to see that the messes are aware of any men being away on duty, on watch, in boats, &c. Care is to be taken that his visit does not interfere with the general comfort of the men during the dinner hour. 854. Meals for Guards and Duty Men.-To enable the reliefs for guards and duty men to obtain their meals without inconvenience, the following routine is to be observed, so far as possible. Reliefs to take their meals as follows.
SECTION IV. CANTEENS. 855. Establishment of Canteens.-As a general rule a dry canteen is �o be established in each of His Majesty's ships and naval establishments, and accommodation is to be set apart for this purpose. Should the Captain for any reason consider it inadvisable to establish a canteen, he is to make a full report of the circumstances to the Commander-in-Chief or Officer Commanding the squadron, who is to transmit it to the Admiralty with an expression of his opinion thereon. This regulation does not apply to small vessels such as torpedo boat destroyers and torpedo boats, in which suitable space for a canteen is not available. (See 859.) 2. System.-The canteen is to be conducted on the revised tenant system (see 856) except in the special cases provided for in Article 856. 3. Selection of Tenant.-The tenants will in all cases be selected by the Admiralty, except on the China station, where they will be selected by the Commander-in-Chief. Due regard will be paid by the Admiralty, whenever possible, to any expressed wishes of the Commanding Officer as to the selection or non-selection of a particular tenant. Commanding Officers desiring to express any wishes of this kind should communicate with the Admiralty (Director of Victualling) when the occasion arises. The name of the selected tenant will in all cases be communicated to the Commanding Officer, in sufficient time, if possible, for the necessary arrangements to be made before a ship commissions or recommissions, or before a change of tenancy takes place for any reason. The actual parties to the contract are in all cases to by the Commanding Officer and the selected firm. 292 4. Forms of Contract.-The contract between the Captain and the tenant shall be in the approved forms drawn up for this purpose (forms C.P. 227 and C.P. 228). These forms will be issued only direct from the Admiralty. 5. Adherence to Contract.-The various clauses of the contract are to be strictly adhered to, especially those in regard to money-lending, and the nonpayment by the tenant, either to individuals, messes, or the general ship's fund, of any moneys or discounts beyond the authorised capitation grant, which is intended to be the tenant's only pecuniary liability in respect of his tenancy. 6. Administration.-The Captain shall cause proper rules to be drawn up for the administration of the canteen, and, in order to ensure uniformity, he is to submit them, on arrival on the station, for the approval of the Commander-in-Chief. 7. Termination of Contract.-In the event of the Commanding Officer deciding to terminate a contract, the circumstances should be reported to the Admiralty (Director of Victualling) as soon as possible, in order that steps may be taken to select another tenant. 856. Revised Tenant System.-The administration of canteens conducted on the revised tenant system is to be carried out on the following general lines : 1. Committee.-The affairs of the canteen are to be administered by a finance and scrutiny committee, composed of
The connection of the Executive Officer with the administration of the canteen as ex-officio president of the committee is always to be maintained, any assistance that he requires on account of his executive duties being given to him by the vice-president of the committee. 2. Ratings excused from Committee.-The ship's police and the senior non-commissioned officer of marines, as also Messmen, Officers' Stewards and Cooks, and Ship's Stewards and their assistants, are to be excused from duty in connection with the finance and scrutiny committee. 3. Duties of Committee.-The duties of this committee will be to decide upon the administration of the ship's fund, to inspect and examine canteen goods, to test weights and measures, to investigate prices, and generally to supervise the working of the canteen. 4. Ship's Fund.-The ship's fund, which is formed by the payments in the nature of rental received from the canteen tenant, &c., is primarily intended to meet the cost of recreations for the ship's company, and also for benevolent purposes connected with the ship, and the Captain is to satisfy himself that a sufficient allowance is made for these objects, due regard being had to the proportion of the ship's company who are able to take part in any particular form of recreation. In all other respects the committee are to have full discretion as regards expenditure. The accumulation of large surpluses is not to be permitted, and any balance remaining after making allowance for probable current expenses should be returned to the messes periodically in proportion to their canteen bills. 5. Prices.-The prices charged by the tenant, except for fresh provisions &c., purchased locally, are to be those stated in the approved price list forwarded to the ship by the Director of Navy Contracts at the time the agreement is 293 made, amended when necessary by any subsequent notifications by the Director of Contracts of alterations thereto. The tenant will have the opportunity of revising his prices quarterly, and during the first week of the last month of each quarter will submit the prices he proposes to charge during the next quarter to the Director of Contracts, who will scrutinise them and communicate to the Captain the approved alterations. The tenant is not at liberty to submit to the Captain any higher prices, nor is he at liberty to charge in the canteen any higher prices than those approved by the Admiralty. 6. Reductions in Prices.-The Captain may require reductions in prices in any instances where he considers that local conditions justify the granting of more favourable terms by the tenant, and will signify his written approval of the prices in accordance with Article 6 of the canteen tenancy agreement. Special Articles and Local Produce.-The Captain will also approve the prices for all articles sold, which are not included in the price list approved by the Admiralty, i.e., special articles and local market produce obtainable at home and foreign ports and supplied at fair market prices agreed with the captain periodically for particular ports as necessary. The Captain is to have the proposed prices checked as necessary by the finance and scrutiny committee to ensure only fair market prices being charged. 7. Complaints.-All complaints by individuals as to goods sold by the tenant, whether in respect of quality, weight, price, or any other particular, are to be made to the Petty Officer of the day, and are to be forwarded by him in the usual manner. 8. Payment of Canteen Bills.-The Accountant Officer at the end of each month, after deducting from the messing allowances the amount due from each mess, for provisions taken up on repayment, or for losses, &c., under Article 1754, is to pay their canteen bill as far as possible with the balance. The Captain is to see that any balance remaining due to the canteen is paid by the messes as soon afterwards as possible. 9. Credit.-The tenant is not to be permitted to give credit to individuals, and the private bills of individuals when included in the mess bills are not to be officially recognised as such, but the mess is to be held responsible for all debts contracted in its name. 10. Accommodation for Canteen Stores.-The maximum quantity of stores which a tenant, in ordinary circumstances, is to be allowed to embark, and the maximum amount of stowage to be allotted for the same, is laid down in the official contract. The Captain may, however, at his discretion grant, in exceptional cases, a further reasonable amount of accommodation, if available. 11. Tenant's Money.-The tenant is to be allowed, at his own risk, to deposit (at convenient times) with the Accountant Officer for remittance or safe custody, sums of money which he has received in payment for goods sold in the canteen. 12. Certain Articles forbidden.-In order to avoid duplication of stores on board ship, the tenant is not to be allowed to stock or sell articles forming part of the ship's official supply of stores and available for purchase by the officers and men under Article 1700. 13. Dress of Canteen Staff.-The tenant's staff on board ship are to be dressed neatly and suitably, and in conformity with any instructions on the subject laid down by the Commander-in-Chief or Officer Commanding the squadron. 14. Half-yearly Reports.-In order that a complete record may be established with regard to the various firms on the Admiralty list of canteen contractors, and also that any new developments likely to promote the usefulness of these institutions may be communicated to the Fleet generally, the 294 Accountant Officer of each ship, establishment, or yacht having a canteen established on board, is to forward half-yearly reports to the Director of Victualling through the Captain with regard to the working of the canteen, stating whether the tenant is giving satisfaction, and indicating briefly the action taken to remedy any complaints that may have occurred, and the results of any inspections and tests of goods, or weights and measures, &c., which may have taken place : these reports are to be rendered so as to reach the Admiralty by the 1st April and 1st October. 857. Ordinary Service System.-In cases in which it is impossible or inadvisable to conduct a canteen on the revised tenant system, a canteen is to be established on the ordinary Service system i.e., that under which goods are obtained by direct purchase from tradesmen, and the general administration of the canteen is undertaken by a committee and the Captain is to direct the Accountant Officer to act as business manager, and is to hold him responsible for all purchases, sale prices, custody of cash, and cash transactions in connection with the canteen. 2. In all such cases, however, the circumstances which lead the Captain to consider the establishment of a canteen on the revised tenant system impossible or inadvisable are to be fully reported to the Commander-in-Chief or Officer Commanding the squadron, who is to transmit the report to the Admiralty with an expression of his opinion thereon. 3. Administration.-In all other respects the administration of the canteen is to be assimilated as closely as possible to that laid down for canteens on the revised tenant system. In particular, the practice of paying a discount on the canteen mess bills is not to be permitted, and periodical reports similar to those provided for in Article 856, clause 14, are to be rendered. 4. Shore Establishments and H.M. Yachts.-The canteen systems at present in existence in the Royal Naval Barracks, the training establishments, and other shore establishments, and His Majesty's yachts are, at the option of the Captain, to continue in force, subject to the following modifications :
858. Quarterly Audit.-All accounts in connection with canteens, including all subsidiary funds (e.g., cricket clubs, rifle clubs &c.) in connection with the general ship's fund, are to be audited quarterly by officers nominated by the Captain, who are to be independent of those serving on the canteen committee, and after each audit a statement of accounts is to be prepared, and, after approval and signature by the Captain, is to be publicly exhibited. At inspections, the accounts are to be submitted for the approval of the inspecting officer. 2. Quarterly Stocktaking.-Where a canteen on the Service system is in force, stock is also to be taken on the last day of each quarter by the officers detailed by the Captain to conduct the audit, and the result of the stocktaking is to be included in the statement of accounts. 3. Loss, &e., of Stores.-The State is not liable for any loss or damage to canteen stores owing to fire, shipwreck, deterioration, or any other cause. 295 4. Inspection of Balance.-When the balance of money is inspected in accordance with Article 588, a statement is to be produced by the Accountant Officer showing the amount of ship's fund or canteen money which should be in his possession, and in the case of a ship with a Service canteen, the amount received by him from the public chest during the month for goods sold to the messes. This statement, which is to be signed by the vice-president and another commissioned officer of the canteen committee, is to be forwarded into office with the summary of cash account (form S. 452). 859. Torpedo Craft, &e.-The following regulations are to be observed in torpedo craft and other small vessels which do not possess accommodation or facilities for the establishment of a canteen on board : l. Supplies.-The detailed arrangements for the supply of canteen stores to torpedo craft are to remain under the general supervision of the Captains of the depot ships, who, while adhering generally to the foregoing regulations, should endeavour to develop the system on the lines they consider best suited to the requirements of the individual vessels under their orders. 2. Selected Firm.-Indiscriminate bumboating is not to be permitted. The Captain of the depot ship may enter into a " Flotilla agreement " with one selected firm to supply the wants of any group of vessels which can be conveniently treated as a separate unit for canteen purposes, or, in cases in which " Flotilla agreements " are not considered desirable, the Commanding Officer of each vessel is to enter into an agreement with one selected firm to supply the wants of that vessel, the selection being subject to the approval of the Captain of the depot ship. Approval of Captain (D).-The Commanding Officer of the vessel is to submit the name of the proposed firm to the Captain of the depot ship for approval, and apply to him at the same time for supply of an approved form of agreement ; the Captain of the depot ship is to report the name of the selected firm to the Admiralty, as provided in clause 3. In the case of torpedo craft cruising, a representative of the selected firm may be taken on board (at the firm's expense) to make arrangements for the supply of goods at the ports visited. 3. Form of Agreement.-The agreement with the selected firm is to be in the approved form (C.P. form 230), to be obtained by the Commanding Officer from the Captain of the depot ship ; and the latter is to inform the Admiralty of his having approved the selection by completing and forwarding to the Director of Navy Contracts the detachable sheet provided with the form for this purpose. This agreement provides for the payment of a small rent, fixed at 5 per cent. on the turnover (as shown by the receipted mess accounts) which is to be used for the purposes of a flotilla or ship's fund, under such local regulations as may be drawn up by the Captain of the depot ship. A small committee is to be detailed to deal with the administration of this fund, and is to be guided in its distribution by Article 856, clause 4. 4. Firms allowed to supply.-In ordinary circumstances, no firms other than the selected firm, are to be allowed to supply, or to send representatives on board for the purpose of supplying, canteen goods to messes. In exceptional cases, e.g., when a vessel is making a short stay at a port where her ordinary contractor is unable to make supplies, ordinary bumboating may be permitted, subject to strict supervision, and on the distinct understanding that no discount or gratuities are to be paid to individuals or messes. 5. Information as to Tenants, &c.-Owing to the varying conditions of service, no Admiralty list of contractors for these small vessels is kept, but 296 the information compiled at the Admiralty with regard to tenants, prices, facilities for supplying ships, &c., is available for the assistance of any officer in making his canteen arrangements, on application to the Admiralty. 6. Arrangements in other Small Vessels.-The arrangements in other small vessels are to conform generally to the above regulations, the entire supervision in such cases remaining in the hands of the Commanding Officer. In vessels in which an Accountant Officer is borne, the canteen mess bills are to be paid by him as laid down in Article 856, clause 8. 7. Half-yearly Reports.-In order that the Admiralty may be kept informed of the working of this system, and may be in a position to revise the above regulations,. if necessary, the officers charged with the supervision of the arrangements are to forward half-yearly reports on their working to the Director of Victualling, as laid down in Article 856, clause 14. 8. Loss of Stores.-The directions contained in Article 858, clause 3, apply to canteen stores in torpedo craft and other small vessels. 297 ^ back to top ^ |