814. Responsibility for Police.-The Executive Officer or the Officer of the Watch, as the case may be, is responsible that the ship's police carry out the following instructions.

815. Police.-The term police applies to the Master-at-Arms and the Ship's Corporals, and to others performing or assisting in the performance of police duties.

2. Prevention of Crime.-He and all the police are to consider it a most important part of their duty to prevent crime and the committal of offences, but he is to take care that the police carry out their duties with firmness and good temper, and that all altercations with excited or drunken men are avoided.

3. Patrols and Escorts are always to include men below the rank of petty and non-commissioned officer, in order to remove from drunken men the opportunity to strike their superior officers. A petty or non-commissioned officer, or the person in charge of a patrol or escort, should not personally arrest a drunken man, except when his assistance has become actually necessary.

4. Police Armlets are to be worn on the left cuff by men temporarily employed on police or patrol duties while actually on duty.

5. Articles taken out of Ship.-The Master-at-Arms is to be careful that no public stores, provisions or other articles are improperly taken out, of the ship by any person, and is to prevent all traffic in spirits or grog and their introduction into the ship.

6. Disorderly Conduct.-The police are to take special care to check all bad language, quarrelling, gambling, trafficking, and disorderly noise among the ship's company.

7. Visiting the parts of the Ship.-The Master-at-Arms is frequently to visit the various parts of the ship to see that due order prevails, and that his subordinates are doing their duty. He or the police on duty are to report to the Officer of the Watch all offences and irregularities in the ship which may come to their knowledge.

8. Clear Lower Deck.-When the order is given to clear lower deck, he is to see that it is obeyed with alacrity, and that no one remains below unless authorised. When the decks are clear he is to report it to the Executive Officer.

816. Duties of Master-at-Arms.-The Master-at-Arms is to make himself acquainted with all the summary punishment regulations, and he will see that such punishments as are awarded are properly carried out.

2. List of Defaulters.-At 9 a.m. the Master-at-Arms is to furnish the Executive Officer with a list (form S. 241) of all defaulters under punishment and of all men in the report whose cases have not been investigated.

3. Persons under Punishment, &c.-He will have the general charge of all persons under or awaiting punishment, until released to duty or otherwise disposed of.

4. He is to visit the men in cells at least once in each watch.

5. In ease of Fire, or when the ship is otherwise in danger, he is responsible for the release of offenders from cells or irons.

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817. Store-rooms Locked - Lights out.-He is responsible that all the store-rooms are locked at the appointed hours, and that no lights are left in them, also that the keys are returned to the allotted place ; and will report the same to the Executive Officer.

2. Fires and Lights.-He, or the police on duty, are to see that all fires and lights are put out at the proper hours, and that during the night no lights are permitted except those authorised by the Captain. He is to report to the Officer of the Watch when any unauthorised lights are burning.

3. Evening Rounds.-He is to go the evening rounds with the officer performing that duty, taking with him the keys of all the store-rooms.

818. Bumboats.-He and the police are to examine articles brought off in bumboats to see that no unripe fruit, unwholesome vegetables, or other objectionable articles are introduced into the ship, reporting any doubtful case to the Medical Officer. See 1294, clause 2 (Supervision of Food). They are to watch closely the prices charged, and any case of imposition is to be reported to the Executive Officer.

2. Searching Men.-When necessary, the Master-at-Arms is to search all boats and boats' crews or men returning from leave, but not petty officers. See 728 (Privileges of Petty Officers).

3. Effects of Absentees.-He is to secure and take charge of the effects of all absentees and deceased men until they are duly disposed of.

4. Men going on Leave.-He or the police on duty are to pass men going on leave out of the ship, and on their return are to inform the Officer of the Watch when they are ready for inspection.

819. Musters.-He is to attend all general musters and account for absentees.

2. Sales of Effects.-He is to be present at the sale of all dead and run persons' effects at all payments, and at all issues of clothing, tobacco and soap.

3. Descriptions of Men.-He is to be present and assist at the ship's office whenever the descriptions of men or boys are being taken; he will point out any marks, scars or peculiarities on the person which would be useful for purposes of identification, and which should therefore be carefully recorded.

820. Lights - Magazine open.-On the opening of a magazine he is to take care that all fires and lights are out, except such as are allowed at that time to be kept in, under the Captain's special authority.

2. Orders to Sentries.-He is to inform the officer of the guard of the magazine being opened, so that orders may be given to the sentries accordingly.

3. Opening the Spirit-room.-One of the police is always to be present when the spirit-room is opened, and to remain present until it is closed, or until relieved.

821. Leave and Victualling Check Books.-He is to keep the short leave book (form S. 247), and the gangway victualling and check book (form S. 257).

2. He is to take care that the gangway victualling and check book is faithfully kept and that the proper sheets are detached and taken daily to the ship's office in sufficient time to enable the men whose names are recorded therein to be duly victualled or checked.

He is to record in the spirit stoppage book (form S. 76b), each day, the names of all persons (except marines) whose spirit ration is to be stopped for that day on account of short leave or punishment; and he is to take the book daily to the ship's office in time to enable the Accountant Officer to check the

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men accordingly. In the case of marines, the book is to be kept by the senior non-commissioned officer.

3. Record of Offences. -A daily record of offences (form S. 240) is to be kept by the Master-at-Arms, in which are to be entered all offences committed by persons in the ship under the rank of subordinate officer, except marines, as well as the punishments awarded to them.

4. Men off the Sick List.-He is to obtain daily the names of men discharged to duty from the sick list, and he will take care that the petty officers of the part of the ship to which they belong and the police are duly informed thereof.

5. Patients to Hospital.-On a patient, other than an officer or a marine, going to hospital, he is to furnish the Accountant Officer with a list of his clothes and effects for entry in the sick voucher (form S. 47).

6. He is to keep the gangway book for wine and spirits as directed in Article 845, clause 1.

7. He is to distribute letters and to keep a book for noting registered letters as directed in Article 579, clause 3.

822. Master-at-Arms absent.-In the absence of the Master-at-Arms, or when none is borne, his special duties will be performed by the senior Ship's Corporal, or by such other petty or non-commissioned officer as the Captain may appoint.

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