Circular No. 04.-N.

Admiralty, 27th September 1873

Her Majesty having been pleased, by Her Order in Council of the 9th August, 1872, to sanction the establishment of a new class of Ships' Cooks and Cooks' Mates to be trained in the School of Cookery on board the Flag Ship at Portsmouth; the following are to be the Regulations for the entry of such men:

Regulations.

1. No Ships' Cooks or Cooks' Mates are to be entered in future unless they have passed through the Training School and obtained a Certificate of Proficiency.
2. All are to enter for Continuous Service
3. Age on entry to be, for Cooks' Mates 18 to 23.

Age on entry to be, for Cooks 28 to 35.

4. Qualifications
1. 1st Class Cooks must be competent to cook for 300 men and upwards, and understand Baking.
2. 2nd Class Cooks must be competent to cook for any number of men under 300, and understand Baking
3. Cooks' Mates must have an aptitude for Cooking, and be competent to art as Assistants
5. Period of Training
1. To be 6 months for Cooks.
2. 3 months Cooks' Mates.
6. Pay




	s.	d.
Cooks, 1st Class, on appointment	3	0	per diem.
Cooks, 1st Class, after 3 years	3	3	per diem.
Cooks, 1st Class, after 6 years	3	6	per diem.
Cooks, 2nd Class on appointment	2	9	per diem.
Cooks' Mates, 1st Class	1	7	per diem.
Cooks' Mates, 2nd Class	1	3	per diem.

No extra allowance to be granted either to Cooks or Cooks' Mates.

7. Pensions.- Cooks and Cooks' Mates entered under these Regulations will not be eligible for pensions, unless disabled, until they are 50 years of age, and they will be compusorily retired at 55 ; their Pension in no case exceeding three-fourths of their pay.
8. Promotion.- Cooks' Mates maybe promoted to the rating of Ships' Cook of the 2nd Class as Acting, after 3 years' service if eligible, on vacancies occurring; but no man is to be confirmed until he has passed in the School.
9. Ships' Cooks under the old system are to be allowed to enter under the new system, irrespective of age, provided they have passed in the School and obtained a Certificate; likewise Cooks' Mates, provided they are not above 30 years of age.
10. When Cooks and Cooks' Mates have passed, they are to be sent to the Depot Ship at Portsmouth for disposal ; and that Ship is to supply newly-commissioned Ships with Cooks, &c., from the School.
11. No Pensioners will be allowed to enter.
12. The proportion of Cooks' Mates to be allowed to Ships will be 1 for every 250 men of the Complement.

By Command of their Lordships,
Robert Hall.
To all Commanders-in-Chief, &c.

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