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| Article I |
| AS soon as one of His Majesty's Ships is ordered to be commissioned, the Gunner is to apply to the Storekeeper of the Ordnance at the Port for the established number of guns, with the proper quantity of ammunition and Stores, which he is carefully to examine before they are put into the hoys, and he is to report to the Storekeeper any imperfection or deficiency he may discover in them.
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On a ship being commissioned the Gunner is apply to ordnance store-keeper for her guns, &c. |
| Article II |
| The Gunner, having received directions for that purpose from the Captain, is to inform the Store-keeper when the Ship will be ready to receive the guns ; he is to attend to receive them on board, and is to see that every gun is put into its proper carriage, and placed in its proper Port ; No. 1 being the foremost gun on the larboard side, and No. 2 the foremost on the starboard side on each deck. |
The Gunner to see that every gun put into its proper carriage and Port. |
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| Article III |
| He is, whenever other duties will admit of it, to employ his Mates and the Men of his crew, in fitting the breechings and tackles, that they may be ready for the guns when they are carried on board. |
To employ Mates and Crew in fitting the breechings and tackles. |
| Article IV |
| He is to examine very carefully into the state of the Magazine, that he may be certain of its being properly fitted and perfectly dry, before the powder is carried on board ; but if he should find any appearance of dampness, he is to report it to the Captain that it may be properly dried.
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To examine that the Magazine be properly fitted and dry. |
| Article V |
| He is to inform the Captain when the powder will be ready to be sent on board, that the fire in the Galley may be put out, before the Vessel which carries it is suffered to go alongside. While the powder is taking into the Ship, no candles are to be kept lighted, except those in the light room ; nor is any man to be allowed to smoke tobacco. As soon as the whole is stowed in the Magazine, the Gunner is to see the doors, the light-room and the scuttle carefully secured, and it to deliver the keys to the Captain, or to such other Officer as he shall appoint to take charge of them.
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To inform the Captain when the powder will be ready to be sent on board ; no candles to be lighted when powder is taking into the Ship, &c. |
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| Article VI |
| The powder is to be taken on board at the following places only, unless ordered otherwise on particular occasions, viz: Plymouth Sound or Cawsand Bay, Spithead, Blackstakes, Longreach, River Thames ; and Ships being ordered into any Port are to take out their powder before they pass either of those places.
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Where powder is to be taken on board. |
| Article VII |
| He is never to go into the Magazine without being ordered to go there. He is never to allow the doors of the Magazine to be opened but by himself ; he is not to open them until the proper Officer is in the light-room ; and he is to be very careful in observing that the men who go into the Magazine have not about them any thing which can strike fire, and he must take care that no Person enters the Magazine without wearing the leather slippers supplied by the Ordnance.
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Gunner not to go into the Magazine without being ordered ; precautions to be observed. |
| Article VIII |
| He is never to keep any quantity of powder in any other part of the Ship than the Magazine, except that which the Captain shall order to be kept in the powder-boxes, or powder-horns on deck ; and when he delivers cartridges from the Magazine, he is to be very particular in observing that they are in cases properly shut. And whenever it may be necessary to remove powder from the Ship, he is to use the utmost caution that all the passages to the Magazine may be wetted, so that accidents may be prevented. |
Not to keep any quantity of powder in any other part of the Ship than the Magazine.
To take care that the cartridges are in cases properly shut. |
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| Article IX |
| He is not to stave, nor to convert to any other use, the empty powder barrels ; but is to keep them and, when the Ship comes into Port, to return them to the store-keeper of the Ordnance, who is directed to pay him one shilling for every empty barrel he shall return in good condition. He is to mark with white paint, in legible characters, those barrels into which powder has been returned from cartridges. |
Not to store the empty powder barrels but to return them to the store-keeper of the Ordnance ; barrels to be marked with white paint into which powder has been returned from cartridges |
| Article X |
| He is to turn the barrels of powder once at least in every three months, to prevent the separation of the nitre from the other ingredients of the powder ; he is also to examine frequently the barrels and, if he find any of them defective, he is to remove the powder into some of the barrels which have been emptied. He is frequently to examine the Cartridges which are filled, that he may remove the powder from any of them that he finds defective.
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To turn the powder barrels once every three months and to examine the cartridges. |
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| Article XI |
| When powder of various qualities shall be sent on board, he is to be very attentive in using them in the order which the Board of Ordnance shall prescribe.
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To use the different qualities of powder as the Ordnance shall direct. |
| Article XII |
| When any extra quantity of Stores or Ammunition is supplied for Foreign Service, he is to be attentive to use those first which have been the longest time on board, unless he shall receive particular directions to the contrary.
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To use the stores and ammunition in the order they were put on board. |
| Article XIII |
| He is frequently to examine the state of the guns, their locks and carriages that they may he immediately repaired or exchanged if they be defective ; and he is frequently to examine the musketry, and all the other small arms, to see that they are kept clean and in every respect perfectly fit for service.
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To examine the guns, their locks and carriages, and small arms frequently. |
| Article XIV |
| He is to be attentive in keeping the shot-racks full of shot ; the powder horns and boxes of priming tubes full, and a sufficient quantity of match primed and ready for being lighted at the shortest notice.
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To keep the shot-racks full of shot, powder horns &c. full. |
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| Article XV |
| Guns received from the Ordnance Stores shall be scaled before they are loaded for service, and if it shall be necessary to scale them at any other time, the Gunner shall represent it to the Captain who is to give him an order for that purpose, in which the cause of its being done is to be particularly specified.
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Guns to be scaled before loaded for service. |
| Article XVI |
| In filling cartridges, whether for service, or for scaling, be is never to exceed the quantity specified in the table (No. 29) in the Appendix, but he is to fill a sufficient number to be ready for quick firing, with such reduced quantities as the Captain shall direct. |
In filling cartridges he is not to exceed the quantity specified in table (No. 29) |
| Article XVII |
| When a Ship is preparing for battle, he is to be particularly attentive to see that all the quarters are supplied with every thing necessary for the service of the guns, the boarders, firemen, &c. he is to see all the screens thoroughly wetted, and hung round the hatchways, and from them to the Magazine before he opens the Magazine doors. |
When preparing for battle he is to see that every thing necessary for the guns &c. be supplied, that the screens are thoroughly wetted, &c. |
| Article XVIII |
| He is, during an action, to take all opportunities of filling powder, that there may be no cessation of firing for want of ammunition ; and he is to be attentive to send out cartridges with the quantity of powder reduced or increased as the Captain shall, from time to time, send him directions.
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To take all opportunities of filling powder during an action. |
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| Article XIX |
| After an engagement he is to apply to the Captain for a survey on the powder, shot, and other Stores remaining under his charge, that the quantity expended in the engagement may be ascertained.
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To apply for a survey on powder, shot &c. after an engagement. |
| Article XX |
| When he is exercising the men at the guns, he is to see that they perform every part of their exercise with the utmost correctness, particularly explaining to them, and strongly enforcing, the necessity of their pointing the guns carefully before they fire them, and of spunging them well, with the touch-hole close stopped immediately after they have been fired. |
When exercising men at the guns, to direct them to point them carefully and sponge them well. |
| Article XXI |
| He is to supply, at such times as the Captain shall direct, ammunition for the guns and musketry, not exceeding in each month, for six months after the guns are first received on board, one charge of powder and one round shot for one third of the number of the upper deck guns, in Ships of two or three decks ; or one fourth for Ships of one deck : and twelve charges of musket cartridges with ball, and twenty-four without ball, for each man of one third part of the Seamen of the Ship's company, and for all the Marines ; not exceeding, after the first six months, one half that quantity for the guns, or muskets.
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What proportion of ammunition is to be supplied for the guns and musketry. |
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| Article XXII |
| He is to be careful in keeping the boxes of hand-grenades and grape-shot in dry places, and to expose frequently the grapeshot to the Sun and wind, to prevent the bags from being mildewed. He is never to start the hand-grenades ; but is to return those which are not used in the boxes in which he received them. |
To keep the boxes of hand-grenades and grape-shot in dry places. |
| Article XXIII |
| He is never to allow any match to be burnt in the day, nor more than two lengths at the same time in the night, without being ordered so to do by the Captain. When match is burning, it is always to hang over water in tubs, and the Gunner's Mate of the watch, is to attend to it. |
Not to allow match to be burnt in the day, and always to hang over water in tube. |
| Article XXIV |
| If a detachment of Seamen or Marines shall at any time be sent from the Ship, the Gunner is to make out an inventory of the arms, ammunition, and Stores which are sent with it, which is to be signed by the Officer appointed to command the detachment, and to be witnessed by the Captain's Clerk, who is to examine the quantity supplied ; And on the return of the detachment, the Gunner, in presence of the Officer who commanded it, and the Captain's Clerk, is to examine the arms, &c. which are brought back, and to report the deficiency if any, in each article to the Captain ; who, from the manner in which the Officer shall account for such deficiency, will determine whether it be proper to allow the articles to be expended by the Gunner in his accounts, or charged against the pay of the Officer or any person under him, by whose carelessness or misconduct the whole or any part of them was lost or destroyed.
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Inventory of arms, ammunition and Stores to be sent with every detachment of seamen or marines going from the Ship.
To be examined on the return of the detachment, in order to determine whether the expenditure shall be allowed in the Gunner�s accounts or charged against the pay of any one. |
| Page 222 |
| Article XXV |
| When a salute is to be fired, the Gunner is to be very attentive to take such precautions in drawing the guns as may insure there not being a shot in any of them ; and if Vessels of any description be so near as to risk the[ir] being damaged by the wads, he is to draw them also ; and he is to lay up and point the guns so as to prevent their doing mischief, although a wad or shot, notwithstanding the precautions he has taken, may have been left in one of them.
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Precautions to be taken when a salute is to be fired. |
| Article XXVI |
| He is to take every possible precaution to prevent any ball cartridges being given to the men, among the blank cartridges issued to exercise. |
To be careful that no ball cartridges are given to the men. |
| Page 223 |
| Article XXVII |
| Whenever he shall be directed to strike any guns into the hold, he is to pay them all over with a thick coat of warm tar and tallow mixed together ; and after having washed the bore of the gun with fresh water and very carefully spunged and dried the inside, he is to put a good full wad, dipped in the same mixture, about a foot within the muzzle, and to see that the tompion is well driven in and surrounded with putty, and he is to drive a cork tight into the touch-hole and to secure it there. |
Precautions to be taken when guns are to be put down into the hold. |
| Article XXVIII |
| He is to be extremely attentive in examining all the guns, in seeing them carefully drawn and thoroughly sponged before they are returned into store. He is also to examine very carefully the Magazine, to see that no loose powder remains in any part of it after the powder has been returned into store ; and is to be very careful that there are not any cartridges left in the cartouch-boxes, when they are sent on shore.
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To carefully examine and clean the guns before returning them into store ; and the Magazine and cartouch-boxes. |
| Article XXIX |
| He is to be very careful of the tools he receives from the store-keeper of the Ordnance for the use of the armourer, whom he is to furnish with such only as he may want for immediate use ; and he is to require him to account particularly for all those with which he shall be furnished.
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To be careful of the tools for the use of the armourer. |
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| Article XXX |
| He is to be very attentive to the conduct of the armourer, and his mates, to see that they discharge their duty properly ; that they keep the muskets, and other small arms clean and in good order, always repairing them, when they are defective, and not suffering them through neglect to become too bad to be repaired. At the end of the voyage, or at any other time that the Ship's company is paid, he is to give the armourer and his mates certificates of their good conduct, if they shall have so performed their duty as to deserve them ; but not otherwise.
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To attend to the conduct of the armourer.
To give certificates to the armourer and his mates [of their good conduct, if they shall have so performed their duty as to deserve them ; but not otherwise.] |
| Article XXXI |
| If, from any extraordinary circumstances, when a Ship is on a Foreign station, the small arms should be so damaged that they cannot be cleaned or repaired by the armourer ; the Gunner is to represent their Condition to the Captain, who is to direct a Lieutenant and the Master to survey them, and if their report shall confirm the representation of the Gunner, he is to apply to the Commander in Chief to give orders for their being repaired ; but if the Commander in Chief be not present, the Captain is himself to get them repaired by workmen on shore, being very careful not to pay more for their repairs than the established price of the country ; the Gunner is to attend frequently, and the armourer constantly, to see that the work is properly done ; but if there be an Officer of the Ordnance at the place, the Captain is to direct him to get them repaired.
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When small arms are damaged in a Foreign station, how he is to proceed to get them repaired. |
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| Article XXXII |
| As the Brass Sheaves and Iron Pins of Blocks for Gun-tackles, from being much exposed to Salt Water, are frequently set fast with rust, he is to be particularly attentive when this is the case, to cause the iron pins to be knocked out and to be oiled or greased. |
The iron pins of blocks for gun-tackles to be frequently oiled and greased. |
| Article XXXIII |
| He is to be very careful not to suffer the bare Gun metal Adzes, which are supplied by the Ordnance for the use of the Magazine, to be struck against the Copper hoops of the Powder barrels ; but always to have the Wooden setters applied to then, to convey the stroke from the Adze, there being several instances of strong sparks of fire having been produced from the Collision of a Metal adze against a Metal setter, or a Copper hoop.
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Gun-metal adzes not to be struck against the copper hoops of the powder barrels. |
