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SECTION I. THE GUNNER. 625. General Duties.-On first appointment to a ship being brought forward for commission, he will prepare the warrant for the armament and Gunner's stores (should they not be already onboard), and, if so directed, he will acquaint the Naval Ordnance Officer when they can be received. 2. He is responsible that the proper proportion of spare gear is on board, and has been tried in place. 626. Relations with Gunnery Lieutenant.-He is at all times to communicate directly with, and attend to the directions of, the Gunnery Lieutenant upon the fitting and working of the guns and magazines, and relative to his duties generally, but he is not the less to be responsible that all the stores in his charge are kept in good order and properly expended. 627. Magazines and Shell-rooms.-He is to make himself thoroughly acquainted with the construction, ventilation, and the flooding arrangements of the magazines and shell-rooms, and assure himself that they are properly fitted, and that the magazines are perfectly dry before ammunition is received. He is especially to ascertain, by close inspection at the flooding inlet in the magazine, that the flooding valve is effectually shut after it has been screwed down, locked, and the deck-plate cover put on. 628. Stowage of Ammunition.-He is responsible for the stowage of all ammunition, and when it is stowed he is to see that the battens and stanchions are in place. 2. When receiving ammunition, he will cause the utmost care to be taken of the cases in which it is packed ; and he will take care that the detail of cordite lots is duly received from the issuing magazine. 629. Magazine Precautions.-He is never to allow the magazine to be opened but by himself, a petty officer, or some other trustworthy person. He, or the petty officer in charge, is to be very careful to ascertain that persons who go into the magazine have no matches nor anything else about them which can strike fire. 2. Before the magazine is closed, on each occasion, he will examine and arrange the cases of cartridges which have been opened, and secure all that contain ammunition as before. 3. He will take care to have a sufficient number of keys or spanners near to the cases which require to be opened; and that nothing is stowed in the handing-rooms or magazines except what is actually required for the issue and supply of ammunition. 4. He will immediately report any defects which may exist in the fittings of watertight scuttles, hatches, and doors. Candle lamps are never, in any circumstances, to be allowed in the magazines or handing-rooms of ships. 187 630. Guns, Sights, and Mountings.-The Gunner, or in his absence his representative, is frequently to examine the state of the guns, sights and mountings, so that anything defective may be immediately repaired or exchanged; and he or his representative is to personally ascertain every day that the gun sights are correct, and to report to this effect to the Executive Officer at such time as the Captain may direct; also, he is to take care that all other detachable fittings of guns and mountings in his charge, except those kept in locked store-rooms, are seen daily by himself or his deputy, in order that any loss of such stores may be detected and reported without delay. He is frequently to examine the rifles, and all other small-arms, to see that they are kept clean and in every respect perfectly fit for service. 2. When demanding arms to replace those of any previous issue, he will state the number which had been marked by the Naval Ordnance Department on those originally supplied. 631. Pistols.-The pistols supplied to ships are to be kept together in racks near a sentry's post, in such a position that the absence of one of them could be readily observed. 2. The pistols are not to be removed from the racks, except for action, drill, or cleaning purposes, and at such times an Armourer or other fitting person is to be stationed at each rack to superintend their removal. 3. The pistols, when in the racks, are to be secured from removal by a chain passed through their trigger guards, and locked. 632. Blank Cartridges.-He is to personally supervise the preparation of cartridges for blank firing and saluting, to ensure that the several operations are carried out strictly in accordance with the instructions on the subject. 633. Survey after Action.-After an engagement, he will apply to the Captain for a survey on the ammunition and other stores remaining in his charge, that the quantity expended in the action may be ascertained. 634. Tin Boxes of Combustibles.-He is never to allow the hermetically closed tin boxes, in which tubes, fuses, lights, and other combustibles are issued for service, to be opened until required for use, to guard against deterioration from damp or other causes. 635. Arms of parties detached.-When a detachment of seamen or marines shall at any time be sent from the ship, he will make a list of the arms, ammunition, and stores belonging to his department sent with it, which is to be signed by the officer appointed to command the detachment; on the return of the detachment the Gunner, in the presence of the officer who commanded it, is to examine the arms, &c., brought back, and report any deficiencies to the Captain, who, from the statement of the officer, will determine in what manner the articles shall be expended by the Gunner in his accounts. 636. Armourers.-He is to see that the Armourers discharge their duty properly. 2. Small-arms, &c.-He is to take care that the small-arm materials and spare parts of arms are constantly inspected, oiled, and kept free from rust, and that the whole of, the seamen's rifles are stripped, examined, the parts cleaned and re-assembled at least once in every six months, but oftener if necessary. 3. On receipt of a requisition in writing from the officer or non-commissioned officer in charge of the detachment of marines, he will give directions to the armourer to strip and examine or repair such of the marines' rifles as are specified on the requisition; and on the completion of the work, he will make 188 a notation to that effect on the requisition, and return it to the marine officer or non-commissioned officer in charge of the detachment. 637. Naval Ordnance Stores in Packages.-Whenever naval ordnance stores are received in packages, he is to verify the contents of the packages with as little delay as possible, reporting any deficiency to the Captain, in order that immediate communication may be made through the proper channel to the Naval Ordnance Depot from which the stores were received. This correspondence is to be attached to the supply note in support of any alteration of figures thereon. 638. Materials to be used.-He is never, unless specially ordered to do so by the Captain, to use or permit the use of other than the proper materials with which he is supplied, for all purposes in connection with the ammunition and the stores in his charge generally. 639. Register of Guns.-He is to insert in the " Memorandum of Examination " of each gun the number of rounds fired, specifying with or without projectiles and the nature of the explosive of which the cartridge was made up; and whenever the gun is returned into store, this form, properly filled up with the number of rounds fired from the gun previous to being supplied to the ship, as well as when on board, is to be delivered, with notes of all accidents or exceptional occurrences to the gun, to the local naval ordnance officer. 2. These registers or " Memoranda of Examination " are to be kept on board the ship until the guns are finally landed, so that each succeeding Gunner may at all times be perfectly competent to furnish a complete history of every gun in his charge. 640. Manual of Gunnery.-The Gunner will conform with the rules and the system of teaching laid down in the Manual of Gunnery and Drill Books. 641. Lifebuoys and Sea-boats.-The directions respecting the lifebuoys and sea-boats, as laid down in the Handbook on Ammunition, are to be strictly observed. 2. On proceeding to sea and each evening at sea, the Gunner will take care that Very's lights and a pistol, signal lights, &c., are placed in each sea-boat, and will report to the Captain that this has been done. 642. Torpedo Gunner.-If a Torpedo Gunner not doing duty as Gunner of the ship should be borne, the instructions relating to Gunners' duties are to apply to him in so far as they relate to torpedo armament and fittings, to magazines, and to store-rooms for torpedo gear and stores in his charge, including explosives supplied for torpedo purposes. SECTION II. THE BOATSWAIN. 643. General Duties.-He is to be frequently on deck in the day and at all times day and night when the hands are employed. Assisted by his mates, he is to see that the men severally go quickly on deck when called and do their work well and with alacrity. 2. Rigging, &c.-He is responsible that the standing and running rigging, boats' falls and derrick purchases are in a thoroughly serviceable condition, taking care that they are refitted as necessary, and acquainting himself of their state by frequent examination, reporting the result to the Executive and Navigating Officers, so that immediate steps may be taken to refit or replace whatever may require to be so dealt with. 189 When the ship proceeds to sea he is to see that the anchors are secure, and again on returning to harbour to see that the anchors and cables are ready for immediate use ; he is to keep a sufficient supply of anchor strops for clearing foul anchors and to see on commissioning that the necessary strops for laying out Bower anchor are fitted and ready for use. He is to report at morning and evening quarters when at sea that the sea-boat is properly secured and ready for immediate service, and to see that all booms and gear on deck are secured for sea, also that the boats and appliances for getting them out are ready for immediate use, and that their sails and rigging are in good order, also that all gear used for coaling is in good condition and so stowed as to be readily provided when required. 3. Stores.-He will be guided by the instructions relative to the accounts of the stores in his charge, and keep the necessary books and documents for accounting for their receipt and expenditure, exercising at all times a proper economy in their consumption and care in their safe stowage. 4. Canvas Gear.-He is to examine any sails and all canvas gear received on board which are on his charge, and is to take the proper steps to keep all such stores repaired and fit for use, or, replaced if necessary by the dockyard ; he is responsible that none of them may suffer from damp or vermin, and that they are properly tallied and conveniently stowed in the appointed places so as to be at hand when wanted. He is to keep the Navigating Officer informed of these particulars. 5. On Paying off.-When the ship is ordered to be paid off, he is to see that none of the rigging is damaged or cut, that all rigging for returning into store is properly tallied, and that the necessary documents relative to the return of stores or their retention on board, as may be ordered, are duly rendered into office. SECTION 111. THE CARPENTER. 644. On first appointment to a ship he will inspect very minutely the state of her hull, masts, yards, and all derricks. He will also at all times report at once any defect or deficiency he may discover. 2. Masts, Derricks, &c.-He is responsible that the masts, yards, davits, guard rails and ridge ropes are in a thoroughly serviceable condition, and is to make frequent inspections of them for the purpose of informing himself of their state, reporting the result of his inspection to the Executive Officer. 3: Water Ballast.-Whenever water ballast is admitted into a ballast compartment of a ship fitted with them, he is to attend when they are being filled or emptied, and to report any sign of stress or weakness in the bulkheads that he may observe. He will examine and report to the Officer of the Watch the state of the water at 8.0 a.m. and in the 6 to 8 watch. 4. Ports, Scuttles, &c.-He is to take care that all the ports, scuttles, and their fittings are kept efficient and in good order, and, when barred in, he and his mates are frequently to see to their being properly secured, reporting their condition during each watch to the Officer of the Watch. Also that all upper deck, battening-down fittings to hatchways, sky-lights, &c., are in a thoroughly serviceable condition. 5. Pumps.-He is to attend to the rigging of the pumps, care of the hoses, and to the sounding of the well and of the different compartments. He will take care to have always at hand such Carpenter's stores as may be required for their repair. He is to keep all lift pumps where fitted in a serviceable condition. 6. Wings and Passages.-He is frequently to examine all wings and passages to see that they are kept properly clear, so that all parts of the ship accessible 190 through them can be got at instantly if required. He is to assist at all inspections of the double bottoms, wings and spaces, made by the Engineer Officer, and to sign the quarterly report of their condition in conjunction with that officer. 7. Preservation of Ship.-He is to take care, so far as in him lies, to keep every part of the structure of the ship and all her fittings in the highest possible state of efficiency, being guided in regard to this by the instructions for the Captain contained in Chapter XXXII. He will report at once to the Captain whenever he is of opinion that any particular repairs or other work should be taken in hand, whether for preservation or to arrest further deterioration. He will take care that all the seams are frequently examined, and when caulking is required, that it is done well. 8. Fire Precautions.-He is to be careful to keep the sheathing of the holes through which any funnels pass, in good order, to guard against fire. Also that all special fire appliances supplied to the ship in his charge are ready for immediate use. 9. Docking Ship.-He is to be most careful, should the ship be docked for any purpose, to see, himself, that every proper precaution is taken to guard against accidents. 10. Pumping Systems.-He is to be thoroughly acquainted with the ventilating, draining, and pumping systems of the ship he is serving in. 11. Defects.-He is to keep an accurate account of all defects to hull and boats, as they may be developed, and record the steps taken for their repair either by the ship's staff, or by the dockyard when the ship is taken in hand for refit, taking care that the services of his mates and crew are devoted to maintaining the ship, boats, and fittings in the highest possible state of efficiency. When ordered to prepare lists of defects he is to be guided by the instructions for the Captain contained in Article 1092. Defect lists should be prepared from the information contained in the record of defects. 645. Steamboats with Air Cases.-The Carpenter is, under the Captain, to carry out the following regulations for preserving the non-sinking properties of any steamboats which are fitted with air cases, viz. :
191 646. Keys.-He is responsible for the keys of all cabins and fittings in his charge until they are delivered to the officers who require them. Each officer will then be responsible for his key or keys until returned to the Carpenter; the particulars of each delivery and return are to be entered in a key book, which is to be kept by the Carpenter, and occasionally inspected and approved by the Captain, who will take the necessary steps to ensure the return of all keys to the Carpenter before officers leave the ship. 2. On paying off, the whole of the keys of the cabins and fittings, after they have been proved to belong to the locks, are to be delivered, properly tallied and free from rust, to the Captain of the Dockyard, who will give a receipt for them, which is to be inserted in the Guard Book, with the final accounts. See 1642 (Keys of Money Chests, &c.). 647. Artisan Ratings.-Unless otherwise directed, he is to have charge of all artisan ratings, including those lent from other ships, to execute repairs to his own ship, and is to supervise their work. He will report any that are negligent or unskilful, so that their extra pay may be abated. He will also exercise the same supervision over all hired artisans. 648. Stores and Store Accounts.-He will attend to the instructions relative to stores and store accounts, and will exercise proper economy in the consumption of those in his charge. 2. Inflammable Liquids.-He is to be specially careful to comply with the regulations respecting the storage and use of inflammable liquids. See 690, clauses 9 to 17 (Inflammable Liquids). 192 ^ back to top ^ |