Organisation, or the making of good working arrangements, plays a most important part in the administration of His Majesty's Navy. The power of organising varies ill individuals and, even if some are gifted with it instinctively it must be supplemented by a thorough knowledge of the profession and, if possible, by experience when dealing with the technical and practical control of a man-of-war. For those less gifted recourse must be had, in addition, to close observation, study, and the cultivation of a spirit of fore, thought.

An operation that is well organised will run smoothly, work will be evenly and suitably distributed, well supervised, and the best results obtained. Hence the importance, more especially on board ship, of good organisation, which will increase the efficiency and general welfare of a ship's company whereas bad organisation tends to demoralisation, slackness, and discomfort.

Certain principles of organisation, based to a large extent on old customs and which experience has shown to be necessary, have been evolved, whilst modern alterations have led, and are leading, to fresh developments.

It must be recognised, however, that differences of opinion do exist as to the best and most suitable methods to be adopted in individual ships. The personality and opinions of those responsible for organising vary, structural differences, even between ships of the same class, occur, and conditions on various stations differ. Thus only a general description of the many points involved can be attempted.

Nothing, especially at the commencement of a commission must be regarded as too trivial to be included in the executive officer's plan of the routine and organisation'".of the officers and ship's company and the duties they have to perform, Much care and forethought are required in thinking over and settling what the best plan should be, so that on the day of commissioning there will be no confusion or delay. Tile orders and arrangements generally should be clearly made out and given to officers and selected chief or other petty officers, to all of whom definite duties should be assigned, The executive officer will then be left free to deal with any questions which may have been overlooked or may unexpectedly arise. Given good organisation a ship's company will soon settle down.

The executive officer should set his standard as regards carrying out the customs of the Service from the beginning -for example, falling in quickly and smartly, saluting the quarter-deck and officers, men being properly dressed, etc. and should see that the officers assist him in every way. But seeing to these affairs does not of necessity mean his doing them himself ; one of the objects of an executive officer should be not only to teach the officers, chief and other petty officers, but to see, in addition, that the work is done in the way he wishes it. Discretion and tact are necessary, and once his ideas and methods are known, officers, chief and other petty officers should be encouraged to take charge and use their own initiative.

In a big ship, which constantly changes her crew, the knowing of the ship's company by name presents great difficulties. Efforts should, however, be made to acquire this knowledge. The effect, even if only partially carried out, is valuable, and amply repays the labour involved. Officers of divisions should certainly not only know the names of the petty officers and men in their divisions, but keep in close touch with their men, act as their adviser, and bring to the notice of the executive officer and the captain any grievance or other matters which affect the welfare and contentment of these men, individually or collectively.

The appreciation of the right number of men required to perform any particular operation in a certain time is an important factor. Work is often hampered by having too many men detailed to do it. This is worse than having too few, for it not only spoils the particular operation, but has a bad effect on the men, as each one gets into the way of thinking that one of the many others can quite well do the work without his help. This applies equally to such operations as cleaning a part of the ship or hoisting a boat, and therefore the executive officer must be prepared to readjust the stations he made out before commissioning as he gains experience in the ship by actually doing the work.

The executive officer must always remember that the object of his organisation is the efficiency, health, and comfort ,of the ship's company, and the more he can get his subordinates to realise that all his rules and regulations have this end in view, the more he will obtain that whole-hearted and intelligent co-operation from them all by which the desired end can alone be achieved.

Commissioning.-The procedure on commissioning or recommissioning is as follows :

1. New Ships commissioning from dockyard or contractors.



1. About six months (depending on the size of the vessel) before the ship will be ready to commission, certain specialist ratings are drafted to her by Admiralty direction.
2. Shortly before the ship is ready an advance party is sent to, prepare her for steam and gun trials, etc. The number of ratings sent depends on circumstances.
3. The ratings who are to form the crew on commissioning are detailed by the drafting office of the particular manning port of the vessel concerned, about 10 to 20 days prior to date of commissioning. After medical examination (and innoculation and ten days' drafting leave in the case of the ship proceeding on foreign service) they are held in readiness in depot. When they actually join the ship they are accompanied by a " draft note " from the depot. Ratings mentioned in paragraph (1) are invariably men who will remain in the ship on commissioning. Ratings in paragraph (2) are as far as possible men who will commission the ship.


2. Ships re-commissioning at home for further service.



1. Details of ratings already in the ship who will remain, on re-commissioning, are communicated by the depot after consultation with the ship's officers; volunteers are permitted to remain provided there are no drafting objections.
2. Ratings to complete are then detailed by the drafting office 10 to 20 days before date of re-commissioning, the procedure as in paragraph (3) of (a) being followed.


3. Ships re-commissioning abroad for further service.



1. Details of ratings due to re-commission owing to period of service on station, and of volunteers to remain, are communicated to the depot by the Admiralty.
2. Ratings to complete are then detailed by the drafting office, medically examined, innoculated, sent on 10 days' drafting leave, and held in readiness in depot.
3. Passage arrangements are made by the Admiralty.

N.B.-An advance " draft note " is not sent to the commanding officer of the ship for which the ratings are detailed unless specifically asked for. Advance draft notes, where supplied, are liable to be subsequently altered owing to men failing draft from sickness, absence, or other causes.

Assuming the case of a ship re-commissioning, the following arrangements should be made :

Books and Forms required.

1. Watch and Quarter Bill.-Supplied in various sizes according to complement, and obtained from N.S.O., West India Docks.
2. Scheme of Complement.-A form giving the numbers of all ranks and ratings, substantive and non-substantive, allowed to the ship and obtained from the drafting office.
3. Quarter Bill.-A form giving the number, and gunnery and torpedo ratings, of all the men required to be stationed at the various guns, magazines, shell rooms, torpedo tubes, etc., also the allocations of daymen, etc., for " action " purposes. Form obtained from the local Gunnery School.
4. Previous Watch and Station Bill.-Only applicable if the ship has been previously in commission and obtained from the Commander-in-Chief's office.
5. Commissioning Cards.-Small cards, ruled out so as to give an extract from the watch bill, to be given to each man, and showing him his number on the watch bill, mess, part of the ship, and number of kit locker, etc. Obtained from the drafting office.
6. Nominal Lists.-Containing names and ratings of all men to be drafted to the ship on commissioning. Obtained from the drafting office.
7. Plan of Mess Decks.-In the case of a new ship these are supplied by Dockyard officials or contractors. In the case of re-commissioning they are obtained from the old commission.
8. Plan of Hammock and Kit and Gas Mask Locker Stowage.-Same as for No. (7).

If (4) (Previous Watch and Station Bill) is available the completion of a new watch bill is naturally much simplified. Assuming it is not available, the procedure will be as follows :From the nominal draft list, make out separate lists of chief petty officers, petty officers, and leading seamen, with their gunnery or torpedo ratings against their names, another list of all the able seamen, grouping the various similar nonsubstantive ratings together, i.e., gunlayers, seamen gunners, and torpedo men. A list of all the ordinary seamen and boys should also be made.

Before proceeding further it will be necessary to explain the meanings of the " three-watch " and the " two-watch " systems :

• Three-Watch System.-This was developed during the late war, and is now the recognised system used at sea when hostile operations may be expected. It is based on the assumption that a certain proportion of the armament must be instantly available; it allows, in addition, sufficient men to carry out the ordinary navigational duties. It gives the maximum amount of rest to the ship's company compatible with safety. Many ships use it at sea during peace time, and, if considered desirable, it can be the normal organisation in harbour. It is flexible in that, if desired, more of the armament can be readily manned by employing two watches, whilst allowing one watch to stand off. In peace time at sea it provides sufficient men to carry out such duties as closing W.T. doors, manning and lowering seaboats, etc. The different watches are generally designated, red, white, and blue.
• Two-Watch System.-Ship's company are divided into two watches, port and starboard, these being sub-divided into first and second parts. This organisation is used in many ships in harbour as being more suitable for leave purposes. Some ships use it when at sea, keeping watch in four watches, one part at a time.

Engine-room complement are generally in three watches at sea and may be either in two or three watches in harbour.

Next consider with the gunnery officer how the manning of the armament is to be effected. In a modern battleship with four turrets the seamen man three turrets, the marines one. Hence only three divisions of seamen or " parts of the ship' (forecastlemen, topmen, and quarterdeckmen) are required. In a light cruiser with five guns the topmen are generally divided up into fore and maintopmen. In a destroyer with four guns, there being no marines, it is usual to divide the seamen into four parts of the ship.

Having consulted the captain and received his instructions on these points, proceed to complete the watch bill; in this case the two-watch system is assumed.

The first two pages on the watch bill contain spaces for

1. Executive chief petty officers.
2. Quartermasters.
3. Petty officers carrying out special duties.

(a) Generally includes the chief gunner's mate, chief torpedo gunner's mate and the remaining executive chief petty officers, who may be given the duties of chief boatswain's mate, boys' instructors. and chief quartermaster. The names of the gunners and torpedo gunners' mates are put down opposite the numbers allotted them, dividing them as equally as possible between the watches.

(b) The quartermasters are generally four petty officers who do not hold a " higher " gunnery or torpedo non-substantive rating. If no chief petty officer is available as chief quartermaster, a fifth petty officer should be detailed, the senior one doing duty as chief. These men have to carry out important duties both at sea and in harbour, and should, if possible, be specially selected, their names being placed in the watch bill in the allotted space.

(c) After selecting the quartermasters and the most likely petty officers for captains of parts of the ship, the remainder are told off for special duties, which should include:-

• Captain's coxswain.
• Coxswains of picket boats.
• Boys' instructors.
• Captain of the side.

For smaller ships, ratings of a lower substantive rating must be employed.

The succeeding pages of the watch bill are made out so that the remaining petty officers, leading seamen, and seamen are allotted into three (or four) parts of the ship, forecastlemen, topmen (if four parts of the ship, fore and maintopmen), and quarterdeckmen, each part being equally divided into port or starboard watches. Each watch is divided into two equal parts, called the first and second parts respectively; each part is further sub-divided into equal parts, called respectively the first and second sub-divisions, and the third and fourth sub-divisions of the watch. Hence the unit is the sub-division, and if using a watch, part of the watch or subdivision, all parts of the ship are represented; thus, for example, the fourth sub-division will contain a certain number of forecastlemen, topmen, and quarterdeckmen.

The petty officers selected as captains of parts of the ship are placed in the watch bill as follows:-The captain of the forecastle in first sub-division, captain of the foretop in third sub-division, captain of the maintop in second subdivision, captain of the quarterdeck in fourth sub-division, one in each watch. This ensures one petty officer being present with each sub-division, and when a part of the watch is being worked there is a petty officer for both the fore and after parts.

Another method, which is suitable when only three parts of ship are organised, is to detail the senior petty officer as captain of top in general charge, next senior petty officer as divisional petty officer in charge of the divisional bags and hammocks, etc., third senior petty officer as instructor petty officer of young able seamen and ordinary seamen, fourth senior petty officer for mess deck and other spaces, and fifth senior petty officer or senior leading seaman assists the divisional petty officer. Then, so as to have one of the senior petty officers in charge of each part, the captain of the side is brought in to reinforce. For example, captain of forecastle is in second part port, captain of topmen is in second part starboard, captain of quarterdeck in first part port, captain of the side in first part starboard. The remaining petty officers and seamen are told off in the ordinary way. During working hours the captain of the side does not fall in with his part of the watch, should they be piped to do so, as me chief boatswain's mate of the upper deck would be there to take charge. After working hours the captain of the side would be available to work with his part of the watch, in addition to the junior petty officers of that particular part.

The leading seamen are divided equally between the parts of the ship in each watch.

The able seamen, ordinary seamen, and boys, are next divided between the parts of the ship, into watches, parts of the watch, and sub-divisions, an equal number of each being given to each part of the ship, taking care that the gunnery and torpedo ratings are so divided as to agree with the intended allocation of their quarters, and also that the subsequent detailing of the torpedo party does not unduly distress any particular part of the ship.

The signalmen, artisans, and excused daymen are divided off equally into watches.

Engine-room complement and marines are, as a rule, detailed by the senior engineer officer and the senior marine officer respectively.

The remaining columns in the watch bill to be filled in are arms, boat, quarters, special duty, and mess:

• Arms.-In the absence of any special orders issued by the Commander-in-Chief of the fleet or station to which the ship belongs relative to the numbers, organisation, etc., of forces to be landed, the arms are detailed as follows. Allot the rifles equally between the parts of the ship so as to equalise platoons. Depending on the size of the ship, 1 and 2 platoons are formed from forecastlemen, 3 and 4 from topmen, and 5 and 6 from quarterdeckmen. Detail crews for Lewis guns. Detail pistols for officers, gunners' mates, signalmen, and other men who may be landed under certain circumstances, and who are otherwise unarmed.

• Boats.-The crew for each boat is taken equally from each watch and, as far as possible, from each part of the watch, in such a manner that when any particular boats are duty boats none of the parts of the ship are unduly short-handed. As regards steamboats and motor boats, it is generally necessary to have relief crews told off. In large ships the cutters, and in small ships the whalers, are used as sea boats at sea, and as far as possible able seamen should be detailed for them ; these ratings should not hold " higher " gunnery or torpedo non-substantive rates, as in that case they would constantly have to be relieved for drills.

The coxswains of the two cutters or the two whalers should be in opposite watches, in order that when one watch is on leave one coxswain is available, the crew being formed by amalgamating the crews of both cutters or whalers on board. They are available as a night boat's crew when in harbour. The remaining boats' crews can then be told off, remembering that the full crew of the launch or pinnace are seldom required, and therefore they can be detailed from sweepers and other special dutymen.

Endeavour to select such petty officers as have had previous experience as coxswains of steam and motor boats. It is most annoying to have steamboats disabled through incompetent coxswains at any time, but specially so on commissioning. Having found a good coxswain, who can really handle a boat, start at once training others by sending them away under the good coxswain, rejecting anyone who is evidently unsuitable, and when trained, the executive officer can face the fact of the coxswain of the picket boat going on the sick list or on leave with equanimity.

• Quarters.-It is usual to allocate the different portions of the armament to different parts of the ship. The quarter bill gives the number and the non-substantive ratings required for each turret, gun, magazine, torpedo flat, etc., and hence indirectly shows what quarters are to be manned by seamen, and what by marines.

In a modern battleship with four turrets the seamen man three turrets and marines one ; by manning is meant, not only the turret guns' crews, but the magazine and shell-room complete of that turret. The usual method is for the forecastlemen, topmen, and quarterdeckmen to man A, B and Y turrets respectively, whilst the marines man X turret. Each turret therefore becomes a divisional unit. The secondary armament is also divided, as per quarter bill, between the seamen and marines.

As a rule each gun's crew is made up as far as possible from equal numbers from each watch, so as to allow for cleaning quarters, etc., when giving leave. Detail the torpedo ratings, as per quarter bill, for torpedo tubes' crews, electrical, switchboard, and other parties. Also searchlight burners for night action and night defence stations; searchlight manipulators are generally taken from H.A. control personnel or concentration crews.

Care is necessary in selecting suitable men and boys for transmitting stations and all control positions. Much depends on these ratings carrying out their duties efficiently, and, moreover, they are constantly required for drill. It may be possible by looking at the gunnery history sheets to deduce the right type of man or boy, but almost invariably it is found necessary, after trial, to make some alterations. Should a band be supplied, they may be used for fire control purposes and also certain other ratings.

• Special Duty.-Includes sweepers, side party, torpedo party, petty officers' messmen, messengers, side boys, warrant shipwright's party, gunner's party, painting party, captain of the heads, incinerator (war time) party, double bottom party, and telephone exchange party, etc. The assigned duty should be placed against each man's name in the proper column in the watch bill.
• Messing.-Special messes are assigned for the various branches of chief petty officers and petty officers ; the plan of messing will show this. Certain regulations are laid down in article 626 K.R. and A.I. in connection with messing.

All chief petty officers not otherwise provided for mess together in one or more enclosed mess spaces, according to the accommodation available ; similar arrangements are made for all petty officers not otherwise provided for.

The following categories of ratings mess together in an enclosed mess space:-

1. The Master at Arms.
2. All engine room artificers.
3. Mechanicians and chief stokers.
4. Colour -sergeants and sergeants R.M., bandmasters 1st and 2nd class R.M.B. and boy buglers R.M. When a band is borne Boy buglers mess with the band.
5. Regulating petty officers./li>
6. Stoker petty officers.
7. All officers' stewards and cooks.

Electrical and ordnance artificers mess together in an enclosed space, if space permits. If not, they join the chief petty officers' and petty officers' messes according to the rating held, those of the 5th class joining the petty officers' mess.

Leading rates and below of the writer, supply and cook branches will together form one or more broadside messes.

Shipwrights, 5th class, will join the petty officers' mess.

Of the remainder of the seamen class, the leading seamen are divided amongst the messes, the senior being the leading hand of the mess.

The able seamen and ordinary seamen are divided amongst the messes, each mess being formed as nearly as possible from an equal number in each watch and each part of the watch. It is a convenient custom for the several parts of the ship to mess together, for example, the forecastlemen occupying the foremost messes, then the topmen and quarterdeckmen. If space permits, and-the organisation provides for four parts of the ship, the foretopmen and quarterdeckmen occupy port messes, and the forecastlemen and maintopmen starboard messes.

The stokers and marines are detailed by their own officers. Boys are formed into messes by themselves, and kept as separate as possible. Able seamen, and stokers for engine-room staff only, are allowed to chief and other petty officers' messes as messmen ; boys and ordinary seamen should not be detailed for this purpose.

The stokers are generally given the messes which are convenient to their bathrooms, whilst marines, according to the custom of the Service, occupy the messes furthest aft. In some ships, in addition to the watchkeeping petty officers' mess, a similar mess is used for such ratings as picket boats' crews, switchboard watchkeepers, and telephone exchange operators.

Sleeping Accommodation.-In most ships there is more difficulty in arranging quarters for this than for the messing accommodation. As a rule the men's sleeping billets should be in the vicinity of their messes. All boys sleep in a place set apart for them under the charge of their own petty officers. If possible, arrange for a special place for watchkeepers, boats' crews, and other men who are entitled to " lie in " until " guard and steerage hammocks " ; it not only prevents these men being disturbed when the hands are called, but it makes it easier to keep control over the numbers who have this privilege. A suitable place with easy access to the upper deck should be set apart for the night boats' crew and fire party and, if conditions require it, for men told off as a stand-by for anchor watch and emergency searchlights' crews in harbour.

Kit Locker and Hammock Stowage.-Modern ships are now supplied with kit lockers. If these are provided in the vicinity -of the messes the men belonging to those messes should use them, but if, as is sometimes the case, the kit lockers are provided on a different deck, it is preferable to allot them, if possible, according to the parts of the ship who clean that particular flat. Each man who is allotted a kit locker should, if no padlock be supplied, provide one. Kit lockers are all numbered. Engine-room ratings are in some ships provided with a small locker in addition in which to stow their dirty suits, overalls, etc. These lockers should be fitted adjacent to the engine-room ratings' bathrooms. A bag is supplied to each rating as part of his kit, but in modern ships is only used to hold his kit whilst travelling to or from his ship.

Provision should also be made for the stowage of gasmasks in the lockers provided for them. These should be arranged so as to be handy to the man's mess or working place.

Hammock bins are supplied as necessary for the stowage of hammocks, and are usually allotted as far as possible in a similar manner to kit lockers. All men who work with guard and steerage hammocks should stow their hammocks in properly assigned places. When giving night leave, men returning to the ship late at night should understand that they must make their own arrangements for someone to sling their hammocks as, certainly in battleships, with hammock stowage below the mess deck in separate compartments, it is undesirable to have these spaces left open all night. Before going on long leave the hammocks of all men affected should be stowed apart in special places, and these latter, if possible, locked up.

Bags and hammocks are marked with the owner's name.

Commissioning Cards.-These are made out from the watch bill, giving an extract for each man and showing his name, number on the watch bill, watch, part and subdivision of the watch, quarters, arms, boat, division, special duty (if any), mess, kit locker, and hammock stowage. Each man receives his card when he joins, and should keep his card on him until he becomes known to his officers and petty officers. It is useful to have small books prepared in watch bill form suitable for captains of parts, captains of guns, and coxswains of boats, etc., giving the necessary information about the men who are to be under them. It must be remembered that if the names of the ship's company are obtained in advance through the receipt of a draft note from the drafting office, a number of alterations, averaging 10 to 20 per cent., may be expected when the ship's company joins. The watch bill can be ,made out in skeleton form on the principle already described and the names inserted when the ratings join.

Arrangements before Commissioning.-Orders and arrangements for the following should be made:-

1. Stations for commissioned, warrant, and subordinate officers for divisions, quarters, clean ship, evolutions and other duties. The captain as a rule issues certain orders, i.e., duties of officers both at sea and in harbour, and the number of officers always on board in harbour, etc.
2. Detail cabin accommodation.
3. Stations for ship's company at all evolutions.
4. Orders for and duties of midshipmen.
5. Stowage of chests of chief petty officers (if applicable).
6. Allocate store rooms for officers' empty baggage.
7. Settle where suit-cases allowed to certain ratings are to be stowed.
8. Make out routines for Sunday and weekdays, both at sea and in harbour, war and peace. Generally each station has its own routine; this is usually found in the station or fleet orders.
9. Mess deck regulations (these are not supplied as a Service article).
10. List of men excused falling in with the watch, etc., also those excused divisions and evening quarters, etc.
11. Orders for cleaning ship.
12. Smoking arrangements, orders for spitkids, etc.
13. Orders for drying room, and washing clothes generally.
14. Detail the parts of the ship to look after hawsers, boats' falls, derricks, guys, etc.
15. Orders for coaling the various galleys, also coaling, or oiling, and watering steamboats.
16. Weekly routine for the cinema.
17. Orders for use of bathrooms and supply of water.
18. Orders for canteen.
19. Orders for and composition of special parties, sweepers, mess men, side boys, double bottom and gunner's party, general mess and central store parties, etc.

20. Routine and orders for men under punishment.
21. Orders relative to drawing keys and for complying with naval magazine regulations.

22. Orders for the postman.
23. Orders for regulating petty officers and petty officer of the day.
24. Instructions for falling in by divisions, mustering by the ledger.
25. Orders for payment of ship's company.
26. Boat routine (if not berthed alongside).
27. Orders for general messing.

Routine on Day of Commissioning.-As has been previously stated, either an advance party or a certain number of the old commission are usually available on the day of commissioning, so that arrangements for cooking the ships company's dinner on that day can be made. If no one is available arrange with depot for cook ratings and victualling staff to go on board overnight, and for fresh provisions for that day. Forethought is wanted here. A hot meal served out the first day encourages the ship's company, and is recommended.

The ship's company may be expected to arrive any time after 09.00, accompanied by their bags and hammocks. Draft notes are sent with them and also transfer lists for the ledger.

The officers and regulating petty officers should be ready with commissioning cards at various tables, according to the men's ratings. Fall the ship's company in, march the various ratings to their tables, turning over the stokers and marines to their own officers. A lieutenant, with a regulating petty officer, should be on the mess deck with a plan showing the positions of the different messes. Another officer, with assistants, should be detailed to show where the kit lockers are and where the hammocks should be stowed. Much time is saved by posting up notices showing the number of each mess, and labelling each group of lockers and hammock bins. Each man having received his commissioning card, takes his hammock down below, stows it, gets his bag and stows his kit, and sits down in his mess. If the ship's company are in white working rig so much the better, if not, and assuming stores are on board, it is advisable to defer shifting the rig until the dinner hour. As soon as the kits are stowed, inspect the mess deck, then fall in the hands by watches, divisional officers and captains of tops muster their men. Artisans fall out after being detailed by their officers for their various duties. Then practice falling in by parts and sub-divisions. Muster boats crews and men told off for special duties. Arrange for cooks of the messes to be told off and send them below if mess gear is ready for issue. The remainder should then fall in by divisions, be mustered, and any absentees reported. Divisions are formed from each part of the ship, i.e., forecastle division, topmen division, etc., hence the " divisional system," which is explained later. After this pass the word " stations only " and sound off " exercise action." As the object is to muster the men at their quarters, guns and torpedo tubes, etc., should not be cleared way. The officers of quarters should go around, muster their men, and report to the executive officer. If time permits, then " every one aft," and read the stations for fire and collision ; the former should be exercised, but before exercising collision stations the men should be taken around and shown the watertight doors for which each part of the ship is responsible, and also what valves, scuttles, etc., are included. It is important that collision stations should be dealt with most carefully ; it means spending some time over it, and therefore should it clash with the dinner-hour, postpone it until the afternoon. It is advisable to detail a small working party as soon as circumstances will allow, since officers' baggage, ward room and other messes' stores, canteen stores, etc., are almost certain to arrive and require to be stowed away. After dinner finish off with what has been left undone, then let the captains of tops and petty officers of mess decks draw their cleaning gear and have a general look around. Coxswains of boats, with their crews, to muster and overhaul their boats' gear, send the torpedomen and other special dutymen to their particular duties, and try and get everyone settled before evening quarters.

Stations.-A book called the " Station Bill " for H.M. ships (S. 250a) can be drawn from the naval store officer. This book contains an index and suitable blank spaces for the most likely evolutions. The quarter bill is included. If recommissioning, the station bill of the former commission should be available. The principal stations which should be

made out are :-

For the Hands.	For both Watches or the Watch.	For the part of the Watch.
Prepare for war.	Aft and out lower and quarter booms.
Day action.
Night action.		Close W.T. doors.
Fire stations.	Close W.T. doors.
Collision stations.	Prepare for sea.	Anchor watch.
Entering or leaving harbour.	Work main derrick.	Land fire engines.
Fall in for drill.	Watch night defence. Out and in P.V.'s.	Out fire engines.
Abandon ship.	Darken ship. On lights (i.e., negative darken ship).
Land every available man.		Out and in fog buoy.
Pull round the fleet.		Provide submersible pump.
Out bower or sheet anchor.	Provision ship.
Out all wire hawsers.	Prepare for coaling (coal ships).	Out kedge anchors.
Man ship.
Air bedding.	Out collision mat.	Dress ship.
Air night clothing.	Prepare for towing.
Muster by the ledger, and for payment.	Prepare to be towed.
	Ammunition ship.
	Out stern anchor.
	Rig and unrig church.
	Weigh by hand.

In addition, if applicable, a special station should be arranged for flying off aeroplanes.

The following principles are generally adhered to when making out stations. If organised in four parts of the ship, forecastlemen and maintopmen work the starboard side, foretopmen and quarterdeckmen the port side, forecastlemen and foretopmen working forward, the remainder aft. If organised in three parts of the ship one system is forecastlemen work each side forward according to watches, quarterdeckmen work each side aft, the topmen working between these two. Marines and artisans work each watch their own side, and are generally given special stations. It is advisable to exercise the stations for the watches and part of the watches before exercising those for the hands, as a large number of the former are included in the latter. Although each watch and part of the watch should be exercised at all the stations, when the same operations have to be performed as part of the general hands evolutions, it is customary for the same watch, or part of the watch, to perform them, it being thus easier for both officers and men to remember their stations.

Owing to the different classes of ships and difference in fittings found, even amongst ships of the same class, it is not possible to give stations in detail for any particular exercise ; it must be learnt by studying the stations that have been used in a large number of ships. As the time of an evolution is the time taken to perform that part of it which is completed last, the natural desire to keep the parts of the ships, or parts of the watch, quite distinct from each other, should not interfere with the proper apportioning of the right number of men for each detail of the evolution, so that all operations comprising the evolution are, as far as possible, completed at the same moment. Certain operations, such as working cables, mooring and unmooring, ammunitioning and getting out ammunition, are not to be regarded as competitive evolutions. With the majority of the stations (W.T. doors excepted) it is better that they should not be in too great detail at first ; they should be elaborated as the officers and men learn to do the operations, and after experience has been gained in finding out where the number of hands detailed is either excessive or the reverse.

^ back to top ^