A.-A certificate from the Collector of Customs, attesting a state of general good health at the port of departure. If bound to a foreign port this document must be verified by the Consul of the country bound to.

NOTE. If there is no bill of health on board the ship will on arrival probably be placed in quarantine, and much delay and trouble ensue.

Clearing from Home Port.-First ship the crew at the Mercantile Marine Office, and get the Superintendent's certificate that the requirements of the Merchant Shipping Act have been complied with, then pay light and dock dues and clear at the Custom House. Before sailing the master should have the certificate of registry, articles of agreement and copy for posting, officers' certificates, official log book, bill of health, manifest, copies of bill of lading and charter party, mate's receipts, letters of instruction, and the return list. Q. Where do you obtain your bill of health in a foreign port homeward bound?

A. From the British Consul at the port.

Q.-Before your pilot leaves you what is done in connection with the Shipping Office respecting missing seamen?

A.-The crew is mustered. The names of any missing seamen are entered on Form Eng. 2 (late G), which is provided by the Shipping Office. On the same the names of the substitutes engaged, and particulars relating thereto, are also entered. This form, when properly filled in, is sent with the discharges of the missing seamen to the Shipping Office with the pilot. The pilot also takes with him the names of the missing seamen to the owners or their agents.

Q.-For the information of the crew respecting their agreement, what would you place in the forecastle?

A.-An abstract of the Articles (Form U) containing the scale of provisions.

Q.-What precautions must you take concerning the provisions of the crew?

A.-Have proper weights, scales, and measures, to weigh and measure them.

Q. What is meant by the expenditure book, and by whom is it kept?

A. It is a book kept by the master, showing the quantity of stores expended by the vessel.

Q.-You enter a foreign port to land a man sick or disabled, describe how you will proceed.

A. Enter with the quarantine flag flying. The proper officer would board me, and after examining the sick man and the whole of the people on board, should he find nothing infectious, he would permit me to land. I should then go to the British Consul and obtain permission to send the man to the hospital, then land him.

The ship's articles must be taken to the Consul and a proper discharge for the man left, and also whatever sum of money the Consul should demand for the man's keep and expenses; the balance, if any, will be returned to my owners; and if I wish to ship a man to fill the vacancy, he must be shipped before the Consul; afterwards sail at the first opportunity.

Q.-By what route do you proceed on your voyage?

A. By the customary safe route.

Q. What is the consequence if you deviate from that route? A. The underwriters are not liable to pay insurance if the ship be lost.

Q.-Will anything justify you for deviating?

A. Yes: stress of weather; damage; leak; to join convoy; to avoid an enemy, or pirate, and motives of humanity.

Q.-You have to discharge at several ports, in what order will you call at them?

A. In the order named in the charter; if not named, in geographical order.

Q.-In cases of wreck what is the duty of the master?

A. To save as much of the wreck, stores, and cargo as possible, and the crew must assist him. He must communicate with his owners and underwriters before selling either wreck or cargo. He must also have surveys and protests in proper order to send to his owner.

Q.-Suppose the crew complain of the provisions when in port, what should be done?

A.-A survey should be called on the provisions, and the award entered in the Official Log Book.

Q.-If the crew refuse to go to sea through the alleged unseaworthiness of the ship, what should be done? A.-A survey must be called.

Q.-Who pays the cost of the survey?

A. If the ship is found to be unseaworthy the expenses of the survey are to be paid by the owner; but the man or men who complained, if the ship is found not unseaworthy. The money can be deducted from the wages when paid off.

Q.-If scurvy should make its appearance amongst the crew when at sea, what would you do?

A.-Increase the allowance of lime juice to one ounce (two tablespoons-full) per day; give them preserved potatoes or onions, and greens, carrots, turnips, &c., if I had them; a plentiful supply of good water; attention to personal cleanliness, and to

cleanliness, dryness, and ventilation in the quarters of the crew, and give them gentle exercise. If in port, get fresh vegetables, water-cresses especially; also fruits, as oranges, limes, &c.

Q. When are you to commence to serve out the lime juice, and how much to each man?

A. On the eleventh day after leaving port; one ounce to each

man.

Q.-On arriving off your foreign port what would you do? A.-Hoist my ensign, and also jack for pilot, who will take me into port and give me requisite information about the Port Authorities. When these last board me I will answer any questions they may put to me, and produce such of my papers as they may require to see. If I have a clean bill of health they will likely give me pratique, that is, liberty to go ashore.

Q.-Having arrived in port what do you do next?

A.-Deposit the certificate of registry and the articles of agreement at the British Consulate, and note a protest, then enter the ship at the Custom House. The necessary papers are the pratique certificate, Consul's certificate, and the manifest.

Q. What is dead freight?

A.-If the merchant fail to load a full and complete cargo, according to charter, he must pay the owner freight for the deficient cargo. The money so paid is called dead freight.

Q.-Where must dead freight be claimed?

A.-At the port of loading, and if not paid a protest must be made against the merchant, and the amount claimed at the port of discharge.

Q. What documents do you take to the Custom House to enter your vessel inwards?

A. The register, charter party, bill of lading, manifest, bill of health, last light bill, list of stores, spare spars, and dunnage deals, a searching note from the customs' officer who has rummaged my ship, and the post office declaration about letters brought by the ship.

NOTE. The last declaration must be made although you have brought no letters.

Q.-What document do you give to each of your crew twentyfour hours before paying him off?

A. An account of his wages.

Q. What document does the Shipping Master give you after you have paid your crew off, and paid the charges? and what will you do with it?

A.-A document called "B.B," which I must produce to the Customs' Officer when the ship is discharged.

Q. What is a bill of exchange?

A.-It is a written order or request addressed by one person to another, directing the latter to pay, on account of the former, to some third person or to his order, a certain sum of money at a certain date.

NOTE. The person giving the direction to pay is called the drawer of the bill, the person to whom it is addressed the drawee, he in whose favour it is given the payee, and the sender the remitter.

Q.-How is a foreign bill of exchange worded?
A.-f1200.

Calcutta, January 1st, 1884. Three Months after date pay this our first of exchange (second and third of same date and tenor not paid), to the order of JOHN WILSON & CO., one thousand two hundred pounds sterling, for value received, as advised by THOMAS JOHNSON & CO.

To Messrs. WATSON & SON,

London, Great Britain.

NOTE. To send money from one place to another Bank Bills of Exchange should be obtained, if possible, otherwise those of a mercantile house of the best standing. The bills are made out in a set of three, the first, second, and third of exchange; two of these must be sent by different mails, and the other returned; one of them being paid the others are void.

Q-Could Messrs. John Wilson & Co. make use of the above bill before the three months had expired?

A.-Yes; they could pay it away by endorsing it, and the second holder could pay it away again by endorsing it under Messrs. John Wilson & Co.'s endorsement.

Q.-Suppose you drew

would you give them for it?

500 from the agents abroad, what

A.-A draft or bill on my owner.

Q. What clause would you insert in the bill to protect yourself from being liable for the payment of the amount in the event of the owner becoming bankrupt?

A.-I would insert the clause, "On account of ship's disbursements."

Q. What accounts would you give to your owner after paying off your crew?

A.-The disbursement and portage bills, with the balance sheet and vouchers.

Q. What do you mean by vouchers?

A. The receipted accounts of disbursements abroad. They should be produced by the master to verify his expenditure. Q.-What is the portage bill?

A.-A detailed account of the wages paid to the whole crew for the voyage.

BB

MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS.

JURY RUDDER, CONSTRUCTION OF RAFTS, SEA ANCHOR, HEAVING DOWN A SHIP, &c.

Q.-You are lying in dock and want to unship your rudder; you heave away on the tackle and find you cannot get any of it; what is it probably that is holding you?

A.-The wood-lock has not been taken out.

Q. What are the hood-ends?

A. The ends of the planks that fit into the stem and sternpost.

Q.-What do you call that part of the stem and stern-post where the hood-ends fit into?

Q.-What do you call that part of the keel where the gaboard streak fits into?

A.-The first plank below the covering board.

Q. What is a stop-water?

A.-It is a plug driven into the scarf of a keel, or the foot of the stem or stern-post to prevent the water from finding its way into the ship.

Q.-Riding at anchor on a lee shore with no possibility of getting under weigh, what would you do?

A.-Slack both cables out to an end, if sufficient room to do so, and have a good purchase on the cables abaft the windlass, leading well aft. These purchases set well taut would greatly ease the strain on the windlass. Also send down the topgallant-yards and masts.

Vessels when riding in a roadstead frequently have their windlasses torn to pieces through the chain tightening and then slackening, as the vessel is drawn ahead or drops astern. The following plan has strong recommendations as affording support to the windlass:-Reeve a good luff-tackle and hook the single block on to the chain close to the windlass on the fore part, the double block being hooked to a toggle in the hawse-pipe, and hove well taut. Another tackle is then put on the chain abaft the windlass, and hove taut also. The one tackle acting against the other will keep the chain always tight round the windlass, and consequently prevent the great surging so trying to a windlass and a ship.