securing, and transportation of anchors and the working of cables with modern appliances; the erection and securing of shears; the handling of purchases; masting ships and securing yards. He must have sufficient education to keep a correct account of stores, and be conversant with the drills and drill regulations of the Navy.

Candidates for

1742. (1) A candidate for appointment as acting gunner, other than such as are provided for in article 915, paragraph 1, must be an gunner. ex-apprentice or a man who has completed the course of instruction in a training ship for landsmen. He must be a seaman gunner, under thirty years of age, who has served continuously in the Navy from his original entry; he must have served one year as a chief gunner's mate, or gunner's mate, first class, and must be serving as such at the time of his examination. He must have had not less than three years' service, in addition to his service as an apprentice. If not an exapprentice, he must have completed six years' service in training or cruising vessels. The average of his marks taken from all records must be not less than eighty-five per cent, enlistment records counting one-third, and "general average" in proficiency reports at Washington Yard and at Torpedo Station, each one-third; and he must have letters of recommendation from his commanding officers. (2) His professional and moral examination shall be conducted by a board of three line officers.

(3) He must be able to read and write with facility; must understand the first four rules of arithmetic, and proportion; and must be able to keep the gunner's accounts correctly.

(4) He must understand the construction, mode of dismounting and assembling, and the methods of remedying difficulties and defects in B. L. rifles, R. F. and machine guns of service types, and the magazine rifles and other small arms in the naval service; the construction, adjustment, care and preservation of mines and torpedoes; and the use of such tools as are supplied for repairing ordnance at sea.

(5) He must be able to put up all kinds of ammunition, to take impressions of vent and bore, to star-gauge guns, to adjust, verify, and use sights, to fit all gun gear, and thoroughly understand and be able to explain all fuses in use in the Navy.

(6) He must understand the manner of fitting magazines, shell rooms, shell houses, and light rooms; the manner of stowing and preserving powder, projectiles, fireworks, and all ordnance stores afloat and on shore, and the manner of handling and securing guns.

(7) He must be fully conversant with all orders and regulations in regard to the care and handling of ordnance material and stores afloat and on shore, and with the charges of powder for guns and projectiles of every caliber; and he must be thoroughly conversant with all drills and drill regulations of the Navy.

Candidates for

1743. (1) A candidate for appointment as acting carpenter, other than such as are provided for in article 915, paragraph 1, must, carpenter. except when an ex-apprentice, be not less than twenty-one nor more than thirty years of age. His professional and moral examination shall be conducted by a board composed of a naval constructor, an assistant naval constructor, and a chief carpenter or carpenter.

(2) He must be a good mechanic, having a general knowledge of practical shipbuilding in wood, iron, and steel, and of the qualities and strength of the materials used therein. He must be able to read plans, make working sketches, furnish estimates of cost of work, and keep accounts of stores; he must understand in general

· Candidates for sailmaker.

Candidates for pharmacist.

ist.

Candidates for

the care and preservation of ships, their equipment and fittings, and the care and operation of such apparatus and machinery as he may be required to look after on board ship; and be familiar with the precautions necessary to be taken in docking and undocking ship.

(3) A newly appointed acting carpenter will, when practicable, be attached to the construction department of a navy yard for at least six months before being ordered to a seagoing vessel, in order that he may become conversant with his duties aboard ship, and be instructed in the care and operation of such auxiliary machinery as may come under the construction officer.

1744. A candidate for the appointment of acting sailmaker, other than such as are provided for in article 915, paragraph 1, must, except when an ex-apprentice, be not less than twenty-one nor more than thirty years of age; he must be a good workman, with a knowledge of drafting, understand thoroughly the cutting and making of sails, awnings, hammock cloths, boom covers, and windsails, and must be able to write sufficiently well to keep an account of stores.

1745. Vacancies in the grade of pharmacist shall be filled by the Secretary of the Navy, by selection from those holding the rate of hospital steward in the Navy; and they are removable in the discretion of the Secretary.

1746. Vacancies in the list of warrant machinists shall be filled warrant machin- by competitive examination before a board ordered by the Secretary of the Navy and open to all machinists by trade who are in the Navy, and machinists of good character, rot above thirty years of age, in civil life, authorized by the Secretary of the Navy to appear before the board. When candidates from civil life and from the naval service possess equal qualifications, preference shall be given to those from the naval service.

Persons not

1747. Any person who shall fail to present himself for examipresenting them- nation after having obtained permission shall be considered as havselves for exami- ing forfeited his right to appear.

nation.

Penalty for giving false certificates, etc.

Acceptance

and oath.

Officers to as

1748. Any candidate who shall give a false certificate of age, time of service, or character, or who shall make a false statement to a board of examiners, shall be regarded as disqualified.

1749. Every person, on receiving an appointment from the Navy Department to any office in the Navy, shall immediately forward a letter of acceptance, together with the oath of office duly signed and certified.

1750. (1) An officer holding an acting appointment shall wear sume rank and the uniform of the grade to which he is appointed, and shall affix higher grade up- the title of his acting rank to his official signature; when such duty on appointment. ceases, he shall resume the uniform and title of his actual rank.

uniform of a

Assumption of (2) A commander in chief may issue an order to any officer to new rank and assume the rank and uniform of a grade to which he has been prouniform upon moted, upon receiving satisfactory evidence of such promotion.

promotion.

Pay clerks.

1751. (1) Clerks to pay officers of ships, and principal clerks to pay officers at shore stations, will be appointed by the Secretary of the Navy upon the nomination of pay officers.

(2) In accepting appointments they shall be required to bind themselves to be subject to such laws and regulations for the government and discipline of the Navy as have been or may be enacted by Congress, or established by other competent authority. The accept

ance must be accompanied by the oath of office prescribed by law. (See secs. 1386, 1387, 1388, R. S.)

(3) The acceptance of an appointment as clerk shall be considered as binding such person to serve with the officer who nominated him until regularly discharged by the Department.

(4) Pay officers shall be responsible for the character and fitness of the clerks they nominate, and with such nominations must submit certificates showing the character and fitness of the persons nominated.

SECTION 2.-PROMOTION.

Officers of the

1752. All officers of the Navy, to be eligible for promotion, shall pass such professional, moral, mental, and physical examination as Navy. the Secretary of the Navy may from time to time prescribe. (See secs. 1493-1510, R. S.)

Officers of the

1753. (1) Promotions to every grade of commissioned officers in the Marine Corps below the grade of commandant shall be made in Marine Corps. the same manner and under the same conditions as now are or may hereafter be prescribed, in pursuance of law, for commissioned officers of the Army.

(2) Officers of the Marine Corps above the grade of captain, except brigadier general, shall, before being promoted, be subject to such physical, mental, and moral examination as is now or may hereafter be prescribed by law for other officers of the Marine Corps. (Act of March 3, 1899.)

(3) Vacancies in the grade of brigadier general shall be filled by selection from officers on the active list of the Marine Corps not below the grade of field officer.

1754. When a vacancy occurs which will entitle to promotion Examination an officer who is abroad on duty, he may, by direction of the Secre- on foreign statary of the Navy, be examined on a foreign station.

tion.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

BOARDS.

SECTION 1.-ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL PROCEDURE.

1755. Officers on boards will take their seats in the same order of rank or seniority as on courts-martial.

Precedence of

members.

Duties of sen

1756. (1) The senior member or president of a board shall preserve order, decide upon matters relating to the routine of business, ior member. such as a recess, and may adjourn the board from day to day, at and to such hours as, in his judgment, will be most convenient and proper for the transaction of the business before it.

(2) Should an objection be made by any other member of the board to a recess or adjournment announced by the senior officer, a vote shall be taken with regard to it, and the decision of the majority shall govern.

1757. No board shall transact any other business than an adjournment unless at least two-thirds of the members be present.

Equality of members.

Quorum.

Unauthorized forbid

den.

1758. (1) No member of a board shall fail in his attendance at the appointed times, unless he be prevented by illness or by some absence insuperable difficulty, or be ordered away by competent authority, or be excused by the officer ordering the board, except that a short temporary absence may be allowed by the senior member of the board.

(2) In case of such failure, the senior officer present of the board Report to conis to inform the officer ordering the board of the fact, and also of vening authorthe reasons for the failure, if known to him, in order that the ity. vacancy may be filled, if necessary.

1759. A member absent during the investigation of any matter Members not or case shall not vote upon a decision with regard to it; but, if to vote after abnecessary to arrive at a conclusion, a reinvestigation may take sence, unless. place in the presence of that member and of the interested parties. 1760. Members shall not leave the vicinity of the place at which a board is assembled, unless authorized to do so by the officer who convened it, or by his superior.

Leaving vicinity forbidden,

unless.

Recorder, ap

duties of.

1761. (1) A competent person shall be appointed by the officer who orders the board, to record its transactions and, under its direc- pointment and tion, to draw up the final report, which shall be based upon the opinion of the majority. Such report shall be signed by all the concurring members.

(2) Those who do not concur shall append their reasons for dissent, and subscribe their names thereto.

Authentication

of report.

Junior mem

1762. On boards of survey and on other boards when a recorder shall not have been named in the convening order the junior mem- ber to act as reber shall act as recorder; but the reports, based upon the opinion corder when of the majority, shall be drawn up by the senior member and shall ed. be signed as provided for in the preceding article.

none is appoint