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Regulations & Instructions - 1808
Relating to His majesty's service at sea.
Section XII - Chapter I
Convoys.
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| Page 398 |
| Article I |
| WHEN a Captain is ordered to Convoy Ships from one Port to another, he is to apply to the Commissioners of the Navy, or to the Commissioner at the port, if there be one, for a sufficient number of printed Convoy Instructions if he has them not on board, and after filling up the blanks, appointing proper rendezvous, and adding such further Signals and Instructions as circumstances may require, he is to deliver one, signed by himself, to each of the Masters of Ships or Vessels put under his protection; strictly charging him to keep it in his own possession; and not to inform any person whatever of the rendezvous, or secret signals appointed in it. |
Captains ordered to convoy Ships to apply to Commissioners of the Navy or at the Port for printed Convoy Instructions. |
| Page 399 |
| Article II |
| He is to make a list according to the form (No. 41) of the names of the Vessels, their Masters, &c. which are to sail with him; and before he sails from any port in the United Kingdom, he is to transmit a copy of such list to the Secretary of the Admiralty ; and on his arrival in port with any Convoy from abroad, he is to send to the Secretary of the Admiralty a copy of such list, in which he is to specify the Vessels that arrive with him, and the time and cause of separation of these which do not. |
To send to the Admiralty a list of Ships to which he gives Convoy Instructions. |
| Article III |
| He is strictly enjoined not to suffer any person in the Ship to receive, on any pretence whatever, any fee, reward, or gratuity, from any Master or Owner of any Ship or Vessel, or from any person on board, for the protection afforded them. |
Not to suffer an fee, &c., to be taken by any person on board. |
| Article IV |
| The Officer who, shall have the charge of a Convoy entrusted to him is to consider the protecting of it as his most particular duty, in the execution. of which he is to be very watchful to prevent its being surprised, and very alert in defending it if attacked. He is never to chase himself, nor to suffer any other Ship which forms a part of the Convoy to chase so far from the Fleet as to run any .risk of being separated from it ; but if by chasing, or by any other cause, any Ship of War shall separate from the Fleet, he is to inform the Secretary of the Admiralty, or the Commander in Chief of any Squadron on whose Station he may arrive, that the cause of such separation may be particularly enquired into. |
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| Page 400 |
| Article V |
| He is to be careful in keeping the Merchant Ships well collected, and he is to be attentive, while he endeavours to proceed with all possible expedition, not to carry more sail than will admit of the heaviest sailing Ships keeping company with him, without risk of springing their Masts or straining the Ships; and if any of them shall be in distress, either from badness of weather, or any other cause, he is to afford them every necessary assistance. But if he shall find such distress to be the consequence of the Vessel not having been properly fitted or stored for the voyage she was intended to make, he is to report such neglect to the Secretary of the Admiralty. |
To be careful in keeping the Merchant Ships well collected &c. |
| Article VI |
| If the Master of any Merchant Ship or other Vessel under convoy shall disobey the directions given him for his conduct; or shall, by inattention to Signals, by neglecting to carry a proper quantity of sail or by any other means retard the progress of the Fleet; or, being censured for his conduct, shall behave himself disrespectfully to any Officer of His Majesty's Ships, the Officer commanding the Convoy is to send by the first opportunity a particular account of the misconduct of such Master to the Secretary of the Admiralty, specifying the name of the Ship he commands, the name of her owner, and the place to which she belongs. |
To send to the Secretary of the Admiralty an account any mis-conduct of the Masters of Merchant Ships. |
| Page 401 |
| Article VII |
| If any Ship under Convoy shall separate from the Fleet without having express permission so to do, the Officer commanding the Convoy is to send, by the first opportunity, to the Secretary of the Admiralty, the name of the Ship, her Master and Owner, with a particular sad circumstantial account of the time and manner of her leaving the Fleet, attested by the Lieutenant who had the watch at that time, and one other Officer; that, if she be captured after having separated, the Underwriters may be enabled to judge whether they ought to pay her insurance. |
To report to the Admiralty if any Ship under Convoy shall separate from the Fleet. |
| Article VIII |
| All the Ships of War are to repeat the Signals made by the Commanding Officer in the day; but those only whom he shall direct are to repeat the Signals made in the night. |
All Ships of War are to repeat the Signals of the Commanding Officer made in the day. |
| Page 402 |
| Article IX |
| The Officer commanding a convoy may carry a light in the main-top, or in the stern, or in both, during the night as from circumstances he shall think proper. |
Commanding Officer may carry a light in the main-top, &c. |
| Article X |
| When convoys bound to different ports sail at the same time, or when they meet at sea, they are, for the better protection of the whole, to keep company together as long as their respective courses shall allow them; during their continuing together the Ships of War are to carry the pendants distinguishing the convoys they belong to ; and the Merchant Ships of one convoy are to be kept from mixing with those of another, to prevent as much as possible all mistakes and confusion when the convoys separate. |
Convoys sailing together or meeting at sea to keep company together., and to carry distinguishing pendants. |
| Article XI |
| While two or more convoys continue together, the senior Officer is to command the whole, and in the night he is to carry the lights of a Commander in Chief ; the Officer next seniority, who has the command of a convoy, is to carry the lights of, and to repeat all signals as, the second in command ,and, although there be present an Officer who is senior to him, but who has not the command of a convoy; the third in seniority who has the command of a convoy is to act as the third in command, and so on for all the convoys which may happen to he together. |
Senior Officer to Command the whole ; directions for each Officer respecting the carrying of lights. |
| Page 403 |
| Article XII |
| All Officers who have the command of convoys are to take under their protection the Vessels of His Majesty's allies, which shall be ready to sail, and the Masters of which shall request it ; and he is to protect such Ships as effectually, to all intents and purposes, as those of His Majesty's subjects. |
Officers having command of Convoys to give protection to Vessels of His Majesty�s allies. |
| Article XIII |
| His Majesty's Ships are not to take under their protection the Ships of any power which is at war with any other power, with which His Majesty is not at war, nor the Ships of a neutral power, unless their Captains shall be ordered so to do, or some very particular circumstances shall occur to render it necessary, of which they are to send the earliest possible information to the Secretary of the Admiralty. |
Not to take under protection the Ships of any power at war with any other power. |
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