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CHAPTER XII.

OFFICERS OF THE DECK, AND OF GUN, TORPEDO, AND POWDER

DIVISIONS.

SECTION 1.-OFFICER OF THE DECK.

610. (1) The officer of the deck is the officer on watch in charge Definition. of the ship.

(2) When, under the provisions of article 406, the watch officers are not required to stand their regular watch on deck, the officer who is on day's duty shall be ready for duty, and appear on deck the moment he is summoned or notified that his presence there is desired. He shall receive all of the usual reports no matter where he may be.

(3) If, as provided in article 513, paragraph 2, a line officer "junior to the watch officers" be directed to take charge of the deck, he shall have all the authority and responsibility of the officer of the deck as provided in these regulations, and shall, in addition to the duties required of the officer of the deck, report all matters of importance or interest to the "watch officer on duty" under whose direction and orders he is acting.

(4) The watch officer on duty can exercise his authority only through the officer of the deck, whom he is authorized to relieve at any time.

duty.

611. At sea he shall carry a trumpet, and in port wear gloves Insignia of and carry a spyglass or binocular.

612. Every officer or other person in the ship, whatever may be his rank, who is subject to the orders of the captain, except the executive officer, shall be subordinate to the officer of the deck.

Authority.

613. The officer of the deck shall be responsible for the safety of Responsibility. the ship, subject, however, to any special orders he may have received from the captain.

614. (1) He shall, before taking charge, make himself thoroughly General duties acquainted with the position of the ship with reference to vessels before taking in sight, and to any land, shoals, or rocks that may be near; with charge. the general condition of the weather, the course, speed, condition and amount of sail set, all unexecuted orders, and the orders of the captain for the night; with the condition of the running lights, and any other appliances required by law to be in operation or at hand in order to prevent collisions; and with the condition of the force on deck available for duty, and the general condition of the ship.

If out of sta

(2) He shall, before taking charge, when the ship is in squadron, see that she is in her station; if out of her station, he will not take tion. charge until he has reported the fact to the captain and received his orders.

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When he may

(3) He may, when at sea, decline to relieve the deck until there is decline to relieve a watch up ready for duty. If the ship is in a perilous position he

the deck.

Keeping the ship out of dan

ger.

To remain on

may also decline to relieve the deck until he has reported the fact to the captain and received his orders.

(4) When at sea, and especially when approaching land or in pilot waters, he shall keep himself informed of the position of the ship; whether land or lights are in sight, or whether either are likely to be seen, and of all other particulars which may be of use to him in keeping the ship out of danger. If approaching land or shoals, he shall keep leadsmen in the chains, and have the anchors and chains clear and ready for use.

(5) He shall remain in charge until regularly relieved, and shall deck and be at- not engage in any occupation which may distract his attention from duty.

tentive.

Care of the ship (6) He shall see that the junior officers and the watch are at all when under way. times alert, at their stations, attentive and ready for duty; that every necessary precaution is taken to prevent accidents; that a boat is always ready for lowering, and the life buoys ready for letting go; if in a ship with sails, that the spars, sails, and rigging are protected from the heat of the smoke pipe as much as possible; that the lookouts are in place, and vigilant, and that they understand their duties; that the sails are properly set, the yards trimmed, and everything ready for shortening sail, particularly during squally weather; and that the spars and rigging are not unduly strained. He shall exercise great care that the ship is skillfully steered and kept on her course, and shall keep a correct account of the courses, the speed, and leeway made. He shall see that the running lights are kept bright from sunset to sunrise and their condition reported every half hour; that during a fog, when approaching vessels, and at all other times, the precautions required by law to prevent collisions (see appendix) are fully complied with; that when in pilot waters the leads are kept going, or that other means to ascertain the soundings are at hand, and are frequently used; and that nothing is placed near the compass that will change their error.

To keep in station.

To consult the

deck.

Reports to be made to the cap

tain.

(7) When in company with other ships he shall be very careful to keep in station; if unable to do so, he shall report at once to the captain.

(8) When the captain is on deck, the officer of the deck shall not captain when on change the course, make any different disposition of sails, alter the speed, nor perform any important evolution without consulting him. (9) He shall promptly report to the captain all land, shoals, rocks, lighthouses, beacons, buoys, discolored water, vessels, or wrecks discovered; all changes in the weather or shifts of wind; all signals made; all changes of sail, speed, or course by the senior officer present, or the ships in company; any change in course, speed, or disposition of sails, made by himself; any marked change in the barometer, force of the wind, state of the sea, or marked indications of bad weather; the display of storm signals on shore; all serious accidents; the winding of the chronometers; the hours at 8 a. m., meridian, and 8 p. m.; when at sea, the latitude at meridian, if obtained; the movements of men-of-war, mail steamers, and other large vessels; and, in general, all occurrences worthy of notice.

Changing the

course.

(10) He shall not, unless to avoid immediate danger, change the course without directions from the captain, and then he will report the change to him as soon as possible. When on soundings, he shall regard advice from the navigator as sufficient authority to change the course, but he shall at once report the change to the captain.

Precautions in

(11) In time of war, or when hostilities may be expected, he shall not make any dispositions that will interfere with the immediate time of war. use of the armament. If at any time he sights a suspicious ship or other object that may, by any possibility, have a hostile purpose, he shall instantly make preparations for battle, and inform the captain.

(12) He shall not make any official signal, either by day or by Signals. night, without authority from the captain, except to warn ships of immediate danger. He shall see that a good lookout is kept for signals; that none are answered until understood; and that the authorized appliances for making signals of all kinds are at hand and ready for use, by night as well as by day.

(13) When there is danger of a collision he shall at once sound the signal for closing the water-tight doors.

(14) At sea he shall always cause the watch to be mustered as soon as the former watch is relieved, and as frequently thereafter as may be necessary in order to keep all present alert and ready for duty. (15) He shall require the coxswains of both lifeboats to report to him at sunset, of each day, the condition of the boats in respect to readiness for service; and at sea he shall require the coxswain of the lifeboat's crew of the watch to make the same report at the beginning of each watch.

Closing watertight doors. Mustering the

watch.

Lifeboats.

Inspections

(16) He shall see that the corporal of the guard, or other person detailed for the purpose, makes the rounds of the ship, visiting all during the night. accessible parts below the spar deck every half hour after 10 p. m., and until all hands or the idlers are called in the morning. During these rounds the corporal is to inspect the lights and the prisoners, and see if irregularities of any kind are taking place, reporting the result to the officer of the deck. The latter shall also require a junior officer of the watch, if there is one, to make these rounds every two hours, or oftener if necessary, when his services on deck can be dispensed with for the time being.

615. The officer of the deck shall carry out the instructions laid down in the routine book, the weather and other circumstances permitting, modifying them as may be necessary to comply with the orders of the captain and executive officer.

The routine.

Stores and sup

616. (1) When stores or supplies for the ship come alongside, he shall report the fact to the executive officer and notify the officer in plies. whose charge they belong.

(2) When boats, tenders, or lighters come alongside with stores, he shall have them cleared, and at the same time exercise due diligence to see that no prohibited articles are introduced on board.

(3) He shall take care that all articles which are to be sent away from the ship are hoisted out, and stowed in the boats or vessels that are to receive them, in such a manner as to prevent injury.

617. (1) He shall keep himself informed concerning all boats that come alongside of, or depart from, the ship.

(2) He shall report to the executive officer any contemplated movements of the ship's boats of which the latter is presumably not cognizant.

(3) When the boats of the ship are manned. he shall inspect them and see that they are in good order, that they have their regular crews, and that the latter are suitably clothed in the uniform of the day.

(4) He shall see that the keepers of the boats riding at the booms and astern unship the ensigns, except on prescribed occasions, that they lay in the oars, are generally attentive, do not lounge about or

Boats.

Boarding

books.

Ship's boats under sail.

Salutes, hon

leave their boats, and give the proper salutes as hereinbefore laid down.

(5) He shall take care that boats alongside do not lie at the gangway while waiting, but off the boom or quarter, out of the way of approaching boats, unless permission is given to haul out to the boom. 618. (1) He shall see that, when a boat is sent to board the ship of the senior officer, a notebook is carried in which verbal orders received must be immediately entered.

(2) The information derived from merchant vessels boarded shall be recorded permanently in a book kept for the purpose.

619. (1) He shall see that a lookout is kept on the ship's boats that are in sight and under sail, that aid may be promptly sent in case of accident.

(2) He shall direct the junior officers, or coxswains in charge of boats, to use sails when it can be done with propriety and without loss of time.

620. So far as his authority extends, he shall see that the reguors, and distinc- lations concerning salutes, honors, and distinctions are carefully observed.

tions.

Etiquette of

the side.

Leaving and

621. (1) He shall see that all officials who come on board or leave the ship receive the side honors to which they are entitled. (2) He shall see that all persons coming alongside or visiting the ship are courteously treated.

(3) Unless prevented by urgent duty, he shall be at the gangway to receive, and shall accompany to the side, all commissioned officers or distinguished visitors. When so prevented, he shall send a junior officer of the watch to represent him.

622. (1) He shall require all persons over whom he has authority returning to the to report to him or his representative upon leaving the ship, stating that they have permission to do so; and also to report their return on board.

ship.

Turning over

not under way.

(2) The absence from the gangway of an officer of the watch at the time of the departure or return of any officer, is not to be construed by the latter as a sufficient reason for omitting this report. (3) The officer of the deck shall report to the executive the departure and return of all officers senior to the executive.

623. Whenever it may be necessary to turn over the engines by the engines when steam when the ship is not under way, the officer of the deck shall first obtain permission to do so from the commanding officer, and shall station a junior officer of the watch or other competent person at the engine-room bell to give the necessary signals, taking every precaution against accident.

When in dan

624. When at anchor in a strong tideway, or with a strong wind ger of dragging. blowing, he shall keep a drift lead over the side, and, if possible, observe a range on shore, and take all other precautions necessary to ascertain at once if the ship drags.

Hath tarpanlius.

Pets.

When washing decks.

625. He shall not, without permission from superior authority, permit the hatch tarpaulins to be used for any purpose except covering the hatches.

626. He shall not, without permission from superior authority, permit birds or animals to be brought on board to be kept as pets.

627. When washing decks, and the temperature permits, he shall require the crew to take off their shoes or boots and stockings. except those who are excused by proper authority.

628. (1) In addition to the entries in the log book required by the established forms, and by special instructions, he shall see that every circumstance of importance or interest occurring during his watch is noted in the deck log. Upon being relieved, he shall sign his name at the conclusion of his remarks.

(2) He shall exercise particular care that the meteorological observations are carefully taken and entered in the deck log, in accordance with instructions, and that the signs of approaching bad weather are noted and recorded.

(3) He shall enter the following particulars in the deck 'og:

(a) The name and rank, or rating, of all persons who may join or be detached from the ship; all transfers, discharges, deaths, and desertions; the names of all persons made prisoners by an enemy, and of all absent without leave; the names of all passengers, with times of coming aboard and leaving; the direction of the wind, state of the weather, courses steered, and distances sailed; the time when any particular evolution, exercise, or any other service was performed; the signal number or other record of all signals made, the time when, and by what ships, and to what ships, they were made; the nature and extent of all punishments inflicted, with the name of the offender and his offense; all ratings and disratings; the sighting of all vessels, land, lighthouses, light-ships, and of all dangers to navigation.

(b) Any accident to the ship, including all cases of grounding, and the loss or injury of boats, spars, sails, rigging, and stores, with all the attendant circumstances and the extent of the injury.

(c) An itemized statement of all stores received, of the source from which, and the department for which, they have been received, and the amount and character of all public moneys received on board.

(d) An account of all stores condemned, or converted to any purpose other than that for which they were intended.

(e) An account of all stores loaned or otherwise sent out of the ship, and the authority therefor.

(f) The marks and numbers of each package which, on being opened, is found to contain less than is specified by the invoice, with a statement of the deficiency.

(g) All alterations made in the allowance of provisions, with the authority therefor.

(h) A mention of the employment of any hired vessel, with a statement of her tonnage, the name of her master or owner, the number of her crew, for what purpose she is employed, and the authority therefor.

(i) Every occasion upon which fires in the furnaces are lighted, banked, or hauled, with the hour of each change and its object. If the engines are in operation, the average revolutions made per minute and the average pressure of steam.

(j) The reading of all draft marks before leaving and after entering a port.

629. When at sea he shall require

(a) The chief boatswain or boatswain, during the morning watch, to examine the condition of the rigging, and report the result.

(b) The chief carpenter or carpenter at the same time, to make a similar examination and report concerning the spars.

(c) The chief sailmaker or sailmaker to make a similar examination and report concerning the sails.

The log.

Examinations

and reports.

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