SECTION I. OFFICERS IN GENERAL.

168. Branches.- The officers of His Majesty's Navy are divided into the following branches, namely, Military, Engineer, Medical, Accountant, Naval Instructor, Artisan.

169. Military Branch.-The Military Branch is comprised of the undermentioned officers who, with the exception hereinafter mentioned, shall rank and command in the following order:-

170. Commodores.- Commodores, when in the presence of Captains senior to them, shall rank and command according to their seniority as Captains.

171. Command of Ship, Order of.- A ship must always be represented by an officer of the Military Branch in the following order of command:-

172. Order of Command.- All officers of the same denomination in the Military Branch shall rank and command according to the order in which their names stand in the official list of the officers of the Royal Navy, or, when not inserted in the list, according to the dates of their first commissions, warrants, or orders, in their existing rank. If only acting in the rank they shall rank and command after officers holding the corresponding confirmed rank, and in relation to each other shall rank and command according to the order in which their names stand in the official list of the officers of the Royal Navy, unless the Admiralty may otherwise direct. .

Officers of the non-military branches shall rank with each other and with the officers of the Military Branch, the Royal Marines, and the Army in the order given in the table attached to Article 219, and shall command in the same order the officers and men of their own branch as well as those of any other branch or of the Royal Marines who may be appointed or detailed for duty in their respective departments or placed under their orders by superior authority.

173. Officers in command.- Officers in command of His Majesty's ships must take rank and precedence of the officers placed under their command on all occasions, whether on shore or afloat.

2. When Captain absent.- In the absence of the Captain the officer next in command is responsible for everything done on board; as Commanding Officer he is to see that every part of the duty is as. punctually performed as it could be if the Captain were present. He may put under arrest any officer whose conduct he shall think so reprehensible as to require it; and he may confine such men as he shall think deserving of punishment. See 178 (Command in absence of Captain) and 765 (Limit as to Corporal Punishment).

174. Officer of the Watch- Every officer or other person, under the rank of Captain, not being either the Executive Officer or the Commanding Officer of the ship for the time being, shall be subordinate to the Officer of the Watch whatever may be his rank, in regard to the performance of the duties with which he is charged.

175. Officers promoted.- An officer who shall have received from his superior authority official intelligence of his promotion, if he continues to be borne by competent authority in a ship in commission for full pay in the rank to which he has been promoted, shall take rank and command before any officer who has only an acting order for the same rank. If not so borne by competent authority, he will perform the duties of the inferior station he held previous to hearing of his promotion until superseded or discharged; and he is not to assume any superior command, notwithstanding that he may have received official notification of his promotion.

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176. In Tenders or Boats.- An officer absent on service in a tender or boat attached to the ship in which he is borne for full pay, shall have the same command and authority as he would have were he actually on board the ship in which he is borne.

177. When wrecked or lost.-When one of His Majesty's ships shall be wrecked, or otherwise lost or destroyed, or taken by the enemy, the command, power, and authority given to the Captain, and to the other officers and the crew with respect to each other, shall remain and be in full force, as effectually as if such ship were not lost, until a court-martial shall have inquired into the cause of the loss or capture of such ship, or the officers and crew shall be otherwise disposed of and separated, as directed by the Naval Discipline Act. See 616 (In case of Wreck).

178. Officers for Navigating Duties.- When Commanders, Lieutenants, or Sub-Lieutenants, who are senior to the Executive Officer, are appointed for navigating duties, they will succeed to the command of the ship in the absence of the Captain ; but they are not to take upon themselves the routine duties of the Executive Officer except by order of the Captain, or in case of necessity.

179. Navigator of the Fleet.- When it may be deemed expedient to do so, the Admiralty may appoint an officer to do duty as a Navigator of the Fleet in the ship in which the flag of the Commander-in-Chief or Senior Officer of the station or squadron may fly.

180. Navigating Officers.- A Navigating Officer shall be a Commander, Lieutenant, or Sub-Lieutenant duly qualified to perform the navigating duties of the ship and appointed for such duties by the Admiralty or other competent authority.

2. Officers liable for Navigating Duties.- All officers of the Military Branch are liable to be called upon to perform navigating and pilotage duties in His Majesty's ships, but the additional pay to Commanders, Lieutenants, and Sub-Lieutenants for the discharge of such duties is contingent on their having passed the necessary examinations in pilotage. See 323 (Pilotage and Navigating Duties).

3. Lieutenants and Sub-Lieutenants appointed for navigating duties are to take a share in the ordinary duties of their ships, such as watch-keeping, acting as divisional officers, &c., but this participation in the ordinary duties is not to interfere with their special navigating duties, and is to be arranged at the discretion of the Captain.

181. Presiding Officer at assemblages.- At courts of inquiry, surveys, and other similar assemblages of officers, the officer who, in virtue of his office, would under the foregoing Regulations take the Military Command, is in all cases to preside, irrespective of the relative rank of the other members, whose precedence on such occasions shall be determined by Article 219.

182. When promoted to Flag Rank abroad.- A Commodore of the Second Class, or a Captain, who receives when abroad official notification from the Admiralty of his promotion to Flag rank is, in the absence of special directions from the Admiralty, to be discharged to the supernumerary list for passage home, and another officer is to be placed in temporary command of the ship, unless the ship is under orders to return to England, in which case the officer promoted is to retain the command until paid off or superseded.

2. If the Senior Officer present should deem it for the benefit of His Majesty's service that the promoted officer should be retained in the temporary command

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of the ship, although not under orders for England, he may be retained, the Senior Officer reporting his reasons to the Admiralty.

3. Promoted Officer, if temporarily retained.- No promoted officer, while retained in temporary command, is to hoist his flag, or assume any rank or command beyond that which he held previous to his promotion.

183. Commodore of First Class promoted.- If the promoted officer is a Commodore of the First Class appointed by the Admiralty, he may at once hoist his flag and take rank and command as a Flag Officer unless ordered by the Admiralty to the contrary; but in the case of a Commodore of the First Class otherwise appointed, he shall not hoist his flag, nor take rank or command as a Flag Officer, on promotion, but shall continue in the capacity of Commodore of the First Class until directed by the Admiralty or by a Flag Officer to be discharged to half-pay, or to revert temporarily to the command of his ship as Captain.

2. Senior Officer promoted.- If the promoted officer is himself the senior officer present, he will act under Article 182 and as above, as he deems best for His Majesty's Service.

184. Promotions generally.- An officer who receives official intelligence of his having been promoted, is to be retained in the inferior rank in the ship in which he is serving, until instructions are received from the Admiralty or the Commander-in-Chief as to his disposal,. and as to the manner in which the vacancy caused by the promotion is to be filled. This information may be requested by telegraph if necessary.

2. In the event of the Commander-in-Chief considering it necessary for the benefit of His Majesty's Service that an officer, although promoted, should continue for a time to perform the duties of the inferior station from which he has been advanced, he may require him to do so ; reporting for the information of the Admiralty the particular circumstances which induced him to retain the promoted officer in the inferior capacity.

3. Placed on Retired List.- If an officer is placed on the retired list he is to be retained in the ship in the rank in which he has been serving, and is to continue to do duty until superseded or discharged by order of the Admiralty, or of the Commander-in-Chief if abroad. See 1562, clause 13 (Officers Superseded or Discharged Abroad).

4. Acting Orders.- In giving acting orders under this Article, attention is to be paid to the provisions in regard thereto contained in Articles 231 and 235.

185. Senior Officer in Ship other than his own.- When it shall be absolutely requisite for the Senior Officer of two or more ships, not being a Flag Officer or a Commodore of the First Class, to be absent from his own ship and to go on board another ship under his orders, for the better conducting any important service on which he may be engaged, he is to direct the officer commanding such ship to bear him in his proper rank, as lent for particular service, and while so borne the said Senior Officer shall have the same command and authority in every respect as he would have had if present in his own ship, and, if a Commodore of the Second Class, he will hoist his broad pendant.

In the event of the ship commanded by the Senior Officer of two or more ships, who is not a Flag Officer, being wrecked or lost, such Senior Officer may direct himself to be borne as additional in his proper rank, in one of the ships under his orders; and while so borne, or until an officer senior to him shall arrive on the spot and otherwise direct, he shall have the same command and authority as he had before his own ship was lost.

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In either of the above cases, the Senior Officer is to relinquish all command and authority on board the ship in which he is temporarily borne by his own order as soon as the exigencies of the Service will admit thereof, and .he is forthwith to report to his superior authority, for the information of the Admiralty, the circumstances which rendered it necessary for him to avail himself of the provisions of this Article.

186. Officers lent.- Officers on full pay, lent by competent authority to do duty on board any other ship, although borne as supernumeraries, shall take the same rank and command, and be considered in every respect for the time they are so employed, as if they actually belonged to the complement. See. 21 (Military Command).

187. Officers taking passage.- Any officer on full pay, taking a passage in one of His Majesty's ships, may, though borne as a supernumerary, be ordered to do duty if of inferior rank or junior to the Executive Officer of the ship in which he is embarked; and while so employed he shall take the same rank and command, and shall be considered in every respect as if he actually belonged to the complement ; but if the Captain of the ship shall die, the acting command thereof is vested in the officers mentioned in Article 232, and in no case shall it be assumed by a supernumerary officer, except he shall have received the express authority mentioned in the following Article, or be in the position of the Senior Officer described in Article 185.

188. "Additional for Special Service."- Captains and other officers of the Military Branch, borne on the books of any of His Majesty's ships as " Additional, for special or particular service," are never to assume the charge and command of the ships in which they are so borne, nor any other charge or command, except that which may appertain to the. special or particular service for which they are borne, unless they receive from the Admiralty, or from the officer in command of a foreign station, express authority to the contrary.

NOTE. This Regulation is not to affect the powers given by Article 752, clause 4, to the Captain of a ship or establishment to which tenders are attached.

189. "Additional" not for Special Service.- Captains and other officers of the Military Branch who are borne on the books of any of His Majesty's ships as "Additional," but not for any special or particular service, are to take rank and command in the ships in which they axe so borne, and be considered generally, to all intents and purposes, as if they belonged to the complements of such ships.

190. Other Officers " Additional."- Officers of branches other than the Military Branch and all persons not included in the two previous Articles who are borne on the books of any of His Majesty's ships as " Additional," are to perform the duties for which they are appointed, are to be considered as belonging to the ships in which they are borne, and are to take rank and precedence according to their several positions in the Royal Navy.

191. Retired Officers required to serve.- Whenever His Majesty may be pleased, by his Order in Council, to call officers from the Reserved, Retired, Pensioned or Emergency Lists into active service in case of war or emergency, such officers shall be entitled to the pay and emoluments of their corresponding ranks on the Active List, together with a bonus of twenty-five per cent. for

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every pound of the full pay earned by them, exclusive of allowances, except as mentioned in clause 3.

2. All steps in rank given on or after retirement while conferring the title, uniform, and other advantages of the higher rank, will not give the right of command amongst naval officers, which is always to be governed by the date of commission in the rank held on the Active List at the date of retirement.

3. If recalled to active service in case of war or emergency, Lieutenants, Carpenter Lieutenants, or Engineer Lieutenants, who were given such rank on being pensioned from the List of Commissioned Warrant Officers, will receive the rates of pay and allowances of the rank last held by them on the Active List, together with a bonus of twenty-five per cent. for every pound of the full pay earned by them exclusive of allowances.

SECTION II.-FLAG OFFICERS, CAPTAINS OF THE FLEET, AND COMMODORES.

192. Flag Officers.- Flag Officers shall be classed, and shall rank and command, in the order and manner following

• Admirals of the Fleet.
• Admirals.
• Vice-Admirals.
• Rear-Admirals.

2. Officers on whom a step of temporary or local rank has been conferred under the provisions of Order in Council of 21st November, 1855, shall, subject to the provisions of Article 172, be entitled to take command and precedence and to enjoy all the privileges and emoluments of the rank in which they are acting.

193. Captain of the Fleet.- When the Admiralty shall deem it expedient to appoint a Captain of the Fleet, he shall be a Flag Officer or Captain of such seniority as the Admiralty may consider desirable; if a Captain, he shall be constituted a Commodore of the First Class, and be given an appointment as additional Captain of the ship in which the Flag Officer or Commodore with whom he is serving is borne.

2. When he is not a Flag Officer he shall take precedence, and shall command according to his .proper rank as a Commodore; but should he meet with a senior Captain, who is not a First Class Commodore, he shall, while present with such senior Captain, rank only as additional Captain of the ship in which he is borne for the time being.

194. On Vacancy in Chief Command.- If the Commander-in-Chief should die, or give up his command, the Captain of the Fleet is to preserve his office under the officer who succeeds to the chief command, if there should be an officer senior to him in the fleet ; but should the Captain of the Fleet be himself next in rank to the Commander-in-Chief, and consequently hoist his flag or broad pendant, and assume the command, he may appoint such officer as he may think proper to act as Captain of the Fleet, until the pleasure of the Admiralty, or of his superior officer, be known ; but the officer appointed must be one of the senior Captains in the fleet, who shall be willing to accept the appointment.

2. In the event of the command having devolved on a Commodore of the First Class, the Captain of the Fleet appointed by him under the provisions of this Article must be nominated additional Captain of the ship in which such Commodore of the First Class is borne.

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195. Chief of the Staff.- When the Admiralty shall deem it expedient to appoint a Chief of the Staff he shall be a Captain of such seniority as the Admiralty may consider desirable, and he shall be given an appointment as additional Captain of the ship in which the Flag Officer or Commodore with whom he is serving is borne.

2. When Senior Officer present, he shall take precedence and shall command according to his proper rank and seniority, and shall act in all ways as Senior Officer; but he is not to be required to keep any accounts as Captain, nor to ,sign any books or papers, nor to do any other duty than is required of him as Senior Officer and Chief of the Staff ; and the Captain under him in the same ship is to continue to execute all the duties of Captain of the ship, in the same manner as the Captain of a flag-ship.

3. On Vacancy in Chief Command.- If the Commander-in-Chief, or Commodore, with whom he is serving shall die or give up his command, the Chief of the Staff is to continue in his appointment under the officer who succeeds to the chief command; but should the Chief of the Staff succeed to the chief command, he may appoint a Captain to be acting Chief of the Staff pending instructions from the Admiralty, which are to be asked for immediately.

196. Commodores.- A Captain, when authorised to wear a broad pendant, shall have the temporary title and rank of Commodore, of which there shall be two classes :---

1. A Commodore of the First Class, when he shall have a Captain of the same ship under him;
2. A Commodore of the Second Class, when without a Captain of .the same ship under him.

197. Commodore, First Class.- A Commodore of the First Class shall be constituted as such by order of the Admiralty, and shall receive an appointment as First Captain of the ship on board of which his broad pendant shall be hoisted.

2. He shall rank and command next below a Rear-Admiral, and shall wear his broad pendant in presence of all Flag Officers and Commodores, provided there be no senior Captain present. Commodores shall take rank and command of each other according to their seniority as Captains.

3. When transferred to another ship for merely a temporary object it shall not be necessary for him to have an appointment to such ship as First Captain, but should it be found necessary for him to remain on board such latter ship more permanently, an appointment is then to be made to the ship in which he is borne in order to meet the case of his broad pendant being struck under the provisions of clause 4.

4. Meeting a Senior Captain.- If a Commodore of the First Class shall meet with a Captain senior to him, who is not a First Class Commodore, he shall immediately strike his broad pendant, and shall rank and command, while it is so struck, only as First Captain of the ship in which he is borne, and according to his seniority as Captain; but on his separating from such senior Captain, he shall re-hoist his broad pendant and resume his rank and command as a Commodore.

5. During the time that his broad pendant is temporarily struck, he is not to be required to keep any accounts as Captain, nor to sign any books or papers, nor to do any other duty than would have been required of him as First Class Commodore; but the Captain under him in the same ship is to continue to execute all the duties of Captain of the ship, in the same manner as the Captain of a flag-ship.

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198. Commodore, Second Class.- A Commodore of the Second Class is a. Captain of one of His Majesty's ships authorised to hoist a distinguishing broad pendant on board such ship; but it is only in such ship, her tenders and boats, that his Second Class broad pendant is to fly, except in the circumstances provided for in Article 185.

2. A Second Class Commodore shall wear his broad pendant in the presence of all Flag Officers and Commodores, provided there be no senior Captain present; but he is to be considered only as a Captain, except as to honours and emoluments.

3. Meeting a Senior Captain.- If a Commodore of the Second Class should meet with a senior Captain, not a Commodore, he shall immediately strike his broad pendant, and shall wear only the ordinary pendant during the time he is in the presence of such senior Captain ; but on separating from him, his broad pendant is to be re-hoisted. See 1'70 (Commodores).

199. Shifting Flags or Broad Pendants.- Flag Officers and Commodores of the First Class, subject to the special provisions for action in the signal manual, may shift their flags or broad pendants to, and may remove on board of, any other ship, as the circumstances at the moment may induce them to deem proper for the good of the Service.

2. The case of a Senior Officer who is not a Flag Officer or Commodore of the First Class is provided for by Article 185.

200. Officer Commanding disabled.- If an Officer Commanding a fleet or squadron be from any cause rendered incapable of directing the operations of the fleet or squadron in battle, or in the presence of an enemy, he may send for the officer next in command to come on board his (the Senior Officer's) ship and to direct from thence all operations whilst the enemy continue in sight; and such Second in Command, if he be a Flag Officer or a Commodore, is to leave his flag or broad pendant flying on board his own ship, notwithstanding his absence from her on such duty.

201. Killed in Action.- If a Flag Officer or a Commodore, commanding a fleet or a squadron, should be killed in battle, his flag or broad pendant is to be continued flying until the battle is ended, or the enemy is no longer in sight; but the officer next in command is to be immediately informed of the event by private signal previously concerted, or otherwise, as may, at the time, be most advisable; and he is forthwith to assume the chief command, repairing to, and managing the fleet or squadron from the ship of the former Commander-in-Chief, should he judge it expedient to remove to her; iii which case, if he be a Flag Officer or a Commodore, he is to leave his own flag or broad pendant flying on board the ship he quits until the battle is ended.

202. Junior Flag Officer Killed in Battle.- If any other Flag Officer or Commodore, not commanding a fleet or squadron, should be killed in battle, his flag or broad pendant is to be continued flying until the battle is ended ; but the Commander-in-Chief is to be immediately informed of the event, by signal or otherwise, as may be most advisable.

203. Death, &c., of Commander-in-Chief at Home.- In the event of the death, or of the absence on leave of a Commander-in-Chief of a home port or of the Home Fleets, the officer on whom the command may devolve, if a Flag Officer or a Commodore of the First Class, shall be considered in all respects as Commander-in-Chief, subject to the regulations as to table money; but if he be a Captain he shall hoist a broad pendant as a Commodore of the Second Class only. See 513 (Commander-in-Chief at Home Ports).

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204. Commander-in-Chief dying on Foreign Service.- If a Flag Officer or a Commodore of the First Class, on foreign service, having a commission as Commander-in-Chief, should die, or if the state of his health should make it absolutely necessary for him to quit his command without waiting for permission from the Admiralty, the officer next in command, if he be a Flag Officer, or a Commodore of the First Class with an Admiralty commission as such, shall be considered as Commander-in-Chief in all respects until the pleasure of the Admiralty shall be known; but should the officer on whom the command may devolve be a Commodore of the Second Class, or a Captain, he shall hoist the broad pendant and assume the rank of a Commodore of the First Class, giving an order to some other officer to act as Captain of the same ship until the pleasure of the Admiralty be known; and during the time that he or a Commodore of the First Class not holding an Admiralty commission as such, may remain in such command, he shall be considered as a Commander-in-Chief in all respects, except that he is not to assume the title of Commander-in-Chief, but only that of Commodore Commanding on the station; and every officer who may have hoisted a broad pendant of the First Class, and assumed a command under this authority, shall, on hearing officially of the arrival of an officer senior to him on the station, immediately strike such broad pendant, and revert to the position he filled previous to his hoisting it, without waiting to be superseded by the personal presence of such Senior Officer, or to receive an order direct from him to do so, unless some order for the continuance of his broad pendant, notwithstanding the arrival of such Senior Officer, shall have been received by him from competent authority.

2. Should such Senior Officer arriving on the station be a Captain, or Commodore of the Second Class, he shall be authorised to hoist a broad pendant of the First Class, according to the restrictions and directions above stated, and the same course is to be observed should other senior Captains arrive, until the pleasure of the Admiralty relative to the command of the station has been made known.

205. Temporary absence of Commander-in-Chief.- The foregoing Article, authorising the assumption of temporary command as Commodore, is not to be understood to apply to an officer becoming the Senior Officer on a station or of a squadron abroad, in consequence of a Commander-in-Chief going beyond the limits of his station, or quitting his squadron upon any temporary duty, or in any other circumstances than those specified in the preceding Article, unless the Commander-in-Chief so quitting his station or squadron abroad should deem it necessary to order the officer entrusted with the command during his absence to act as temporary Commodore Commanding on the station in the manner prescribed in the preceding Article; under which order an officer left with the command, in cases coming under this Article, is to be entitled to assume similar distinction and enjoy the same advantages as if succeeding to it in consequence of the death or resignation of a Commander-in-Chief, always observing the same exception.

206. Transfer of Command at Home.- During the day on which a Commander-in-Chief or an Admiral Superintendent at home transfers the command to his successor the flags of both officers in each case will remain flying. Set 1386 (Flag Allowances).

SECTION III.- CAPTAINS AND COMMANDERS.

207. Captain.- A Captain shall be a duly qualified officer, appointed to a ship as such, by the Admiralty, or other competent authority.

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208. Commander.- A Commander shall be a duly qualified .officer, appointed to a ship as such, by the Admiralty, or other competent authority.

209. Commander, acting as Captain.- A Commander who shall be appointed by a Commander-in-Chief, or by other competent authority, to act as Captain of a ship, shall not be entitled to any permanent advance of rank by such appointment; but until removed from such acting command by the Admiralty, or by any officer authorised by these Regulations to supersede such acting appointment, he shall be considered in all respects as Captain of the ship, and, while so acting, he shall take command of all Commanders and other inferior officers, except at courts-martial, where he shall be called upon to sit according to his confirmed rank only.

210. Lieutenant acting as Captain.- If a Lieutenant should from necessity be appointed by a Commander-in-Chief to act as Captain of a ship, he shall receive an acting order as Commander, and be appointed to act as Captain of such ship , and being so appointed, he shall be considered, while he continues under the said appointment, to act in the command of such ship, as a Captain, subject, however, to the orders of all Captains, though the date of his acting order may be prior to the dates of their commissions, for all purposes except sitting as such at courts-martial, with reference to which he is to be considered as a Lieutenant, only, and is to sit according to his seniority as a Lieutenant.

211. Acting Commander.- Any inferior officer who shall be appointed to act as Commander of any ship, shall rank and command, and be considered to all intents and purposes; as a Commander during the period he so acts, except with regard to sitting at courts-martial.

SECTION IV.-LIEUTENANTS AND OTHER OFFICERS OF THE MILITARY BRANCH.

212. Lieutenant.- A Lieutenant shall be a duly qualified officer, appointed to command as such or to be Lieutenant of any ship, by the Admiralty, or other competent authority.

213. Sub-Lieutenant.- A Midshipman will receive a commission as Sub Lieutenant in accordance with Article 268.

214. Subordinate Officers.- Midshipmen shall take command according to seniority, after Boatswains, and naval Cadets after Midshipmen; they shall respectively rank as laid down in Article 169, and if two or more are of the same standing, they shall take rank and command according to the order of their names on the list of the officers of the Navy.

SECTION V.-OFFICERS OTHER THAN THE MILITARY BRANCH.

215. Chaplain of the Fleet and Chaplains.- Chaplains shall not hold any naval rank, but shall retain when afloat the position to which their office would entitle them on shore. The Chaplain of the Fleet shall be considered the head of the Chaplains.

216. Command of Non-military Branch by Senior Officer of Military Branch.- Notwithstanding the relative rank and authority conferred by the Regulations on officers of branches other than the Military Branch, they are, whatever their rank, to be under the command of the Captain and the Executive Officer of the ship in which they may be and of the Officer of the Watch for the time

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being, and in all matters outside their own departments they are to be subject to the authority of the Senior Officer of the Military Branch present or in charge of the service on which they are employed.

In no case shall officers of the non-military branches be deemed to be superior in rank to, or take precedence of, the officer appointed to command the ship or establishment in which they are employed, or the officer or other person on whom the command of such ship or establishment may properly devolve in the absence of the officer appointed to the command thereof.

217. Officer of Military Branch Present.- If two officers not of the Military Branch are in the presence of an officer of the Military Branch under whose command the senior of the two is serving, the junior, whatever his rank and standing may be, cannot take precedence of the officer of the Military Branch.

SECTION VI.-SHIP'S COMPANY.

218. Ship's Company.- The crews of His Majesty's ships shall consist of the classes and ratings specified in column 1 of Part 1, Appendix XV. ; they shall rank after subordinate officers, and take command after naval Cadets in the order in which they therein stand; men of the same rating, according to the dates on which they were so rated, but if rated on the same day, then according to the order in which they stand on the ship's books for the time being. Men who may have been disrated and restored to the same rating shall only reckon their seniority from the date of their restoration, and men who have any break in their service, from the date of their last re-entry.

2. Non-military Branch Ratings.- Men and boys holding ratings printed in italics are not to assume military command, but they shall have all necessary authority to enable them to carry on the duties appertaining to their. particular ratings.

SECTION VII. RELATIVE RANK OF THE OFFICERS OF THE NAVY AND ARMY.

219. Navy and Army Officers.- The relative rank of officers of the Navy with each other and with the officers of the Army, shall, subject to the exceptions provided for in this chapter, be as laid down in the following table, and shah in every case take effect according to the dates of their respective commissions or appointments, unless the relative rank is granted at the discretion of the Admiralty or is dependent on the attainment of seniority, or completion of service. In the latter case it shall take effect from such attainment of seniority or completion of service, in the particular rank.

The rank of retired officers holding honorary rank is, when they are called into active service, governed by Article 191.

� The Medical Director-General may be granted, at the discretion of the Admiralty, the relative rank of Vice-Admiral if Surgeon-General and of Rear-Admiral if a Deputy Surgeon-General.

� existing Staff Captains rank with Captains of three years' seniority from the date of attaining four years' seniority.

Q Royal Marine Gunners rank with Naval Warrant Officers.

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RELATIVE RANK OF OFFICERS-NAVY AND, ARMY. 219

� * Officers who had attained eight and four years' seniority as Paymaster before 17th February, 1888, will take rank from dates of attaining such seniority instead of from dates of commissions as Fleet and Staff Paymaster."

The relative precedence is not affected by a General Officer happening to be Lieutenant-Governor of a Fortress at home.

� Take rank from date of appointment as Paymaster, instead of from date of appointment as Staff Paymaster.

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220. Joint Service with Land Forces.- When officers of the Navy are employed on shore, on joint service with His Majesty's land forces, their relative rank shall carry with it all the precedence and advantages, except command, attaching to the rank with which it corresponds, and shall regulate the choice of quarters, rates of lodging money, servants, forage, fuel, and lights, or allowances in their stead. See 25 (No Naval Officer to command Land Forces).

221. Naval Commander-in-Chief in India.- The precedence of the naval Commander-in-Chief in .the East Indies is regulated by the Royal Warrant of precedence in India.

222. Precedence in Colonies.- It is His Majesty's pleasure that the following rules be observed in the colonies in regard to the precedency of members of the Royal Family. and of naval and military officers in command of His Majesty's forces :-

1. Royal Family.- Any member of the Royal Family present in a colony shall rank therein next after the Governor thereof.
2. Flag Officers and General Officers.- The officer in command of His Majesty's naval forces on the station, if of the rank of a Flag Officer, and the Senior Officer in command of the troops, if of the rank of a General Officer, are to have precedence next after the Governor and any member of the Royal Family present, their own relative rank and precedence being determined by the King's Regulations on that subject; Governors of other colonies shall rank next after such naval and military officers.
3. Captains, Commanders, Colonels, and Lieutenant-Colonels.- The officer in command of His Majesty's naval forces on the station, if of the rank of Captain or Commander, and the Senior Officer in command of the troops, if of the rank of Colonel or Lieutenant-Colonel, their own relative rank and precedence being determined by the King's Regulations on that subject, are to have precedence next after the Chief Justice. The Bishop is granted precedence of an honorary nature immediately before the Chief justice, and this rank is to be accorded to him by courtesy.
4. The officer in command of His Majesty's naval forces on the station, if below the rank of Captain or Commander, and the Senior Officer in command of the troops, if below the rank of Colonel or Lieutenant-Colonel, are to take precedence next after the Solicitor-General, their own relative rank and precedence being determined by the King's Regulations on that subject.

2. Special Rules in some Colonies.- Whilst, however, these rules will take effect in every place in which His Majesty's Instructions, communicated through the Secretary of State, avail for the purpose, they will not override the precedence which in a few colonies is conferred on certain officers, either by law or by the terms of Letters Patent from the Crown; which instruments cannot be set aside or altered except by the issue of others having the same form and equal authority.

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