General Instructions.

149...All orders countermanding a written order from a common superior shall be given in writing.

150...No person in the Navy shall, without the authority of his superior or Commanding Officer, exchange with another for the performance of any duty with which he may be charged.

151....When any officer, whether in command of a fleet, squadron, or single vessel, shall meet with his superior or senior officer, also in command, he shall visit him in person, show him his orders or instructions, and consider himself under his command for the time being. I he shall have received confidential orders, he is at once to inform his superior of that fact, and he must not be delayed in the execution o such orders by his superior without an overruling necessity therefor, of which the Department must be informed in detail, at the earliest possible moment; in all cases of such interference, the original instructions must be carried out as soon thereafter as practicabie, and a full report upon the subject forwarded to the authority which issued such confidential orders.

152....Any officer who may be sent on detached duty, and who may arrive within the limits of a port or station commanded by an officer belonging to the same fleet or squadron, shall always communicate with such Commanding Officer, either in person or by letter, according as he may be junior or senior to such officer, before proceeding to execute any part of the duty with which he may be charged within such limits, unless otherwise directed by their common superior, or the position of such Commanding Officer, or other imperative circumstances would cause a delay prejudicial to the service. Such officer will always communicate with the Commanding Officer of the port or station before leaving it, in order that an opportunity may be afforded to send reports or despatches in case there should be no regular means of communication between him and the Commander-in-Chief or Navy Department.

153....Boats shall not be regarded as being on detached duty while engaged in the ordinary service of the ship to which they belong. Une ss specially fitted for an expedition for which a regular detail of officers and men is made, or unless separated from the ship by unavoidable or unforseen circumstances, they shall be regarded as attached to

General Instructions.

her, and no officer in such cases shall assume authority on the ground that he is engaged on detached duty.

154....When two or more vessels are in company, whether belonging to the same squadron or not, the senior officer present will regulate the motions of all.

155....No deviation shall be made from the directions of the Navy Department in relation to the construction, repair, arrangement, armament, or equipment of vessels without its previous sanction, or in cases of absolute necessity occurring abroad, of the Commander-in-Chief, or in his absence, of the senior officer present, and then the nature of the alteration, effects produced, and costs are to be reported to the Depart. ment at the earliest moment practicable. Nor shall any change be made in the fixtures or furniture of officers' apartments without such sanction, and if made for private convenience, no article substituted for that allowed shall be removed, even though it may have been purchased by the officer desiring the change.

156. Every officer is strictly enjoined to avoid all unnecessary expenditures of public money or stores, and as far as may be in his power, to prevent the same in others, and to encourage the strictest economy consistent with the interests of the service. All persons in the Navy are hereby held answerable for any wasteful or improper expense they may direct, authorize, or knowingly permit.

157....No article of public stores is ever to be appropriated to the private use of any person not in distress, without the consent of the Navy Department, or the order of the senior officer present in command, who shall give to the Department early information of every case that may occur, together with the attending circumstances, and he shall, in every instance, be careful to take the best security for future indemnity to the government that the nature of it will admit. 158....In all cases of real distress, gratuitous assistance is to be offered to the fullest extent practicable.

159... Mechanics on board vessels on foreign stations may be allowed to repair vessels of the merchant service of the United States in cases where a refusal to do so would of necessity impose injurious delays or greatly increase expenses. For such services they may receive such compensation as may be properly offered and their Com

General Instructions.

manding Officer may regard as fair and equitable. No officer in the Navy, however, is ever to claim or receive any compensation whatever for such services. Assistance may likewise be rendered to foreign vessels, on similar terms, when not attainable otherwise, by permission of the senior officer.

160----All persons employed in the Navy, or for naval purposes, are strictly prohibited from having any interest whatever in purchases or contracts for supplies of any kind for the Navy, or in any works pertaining to it, nor shall they receive, directly or indirectly, any emolument or gratuity of any kind from any contractor or other person furnishing supplies, nor act as agent or attorney for any such contractor or other person.

161....When the sun sets at or after six o'clock, tattoo shall be beat at nine o'clock in the evening, and the colors be hoisted at eight o'clock in the morning; and when it sets before six o'clock, the tattoo shall be beat at eight o'clock in the evening, and the colors be hoisted at nine o'clock in the morning. The colors shall be kept flying until sunset if the weather will permit, or the senior officer see no objection thereto. Whenever a vessel of the Navy shall get under way, or come to anchor, the colors shall be hoisted, though earlier or later, if there be light enough for them to be seen; also in passing, meeting, joining, or parting from any other of the vessels of the Navy; and unless there should be sufficient reason to the contrary, on falling in with any other vessel at sea, and in passing or approaching forts, castles, batteries, light-houses, or towns.

162....All lights and fires, except those necessary for the service of the vessel, or specially allowed by the Commanding Officer, or the lights used in the wardroom, steerages and forward officers' apartments, shall be extinguished at tattoo. The wardroom lights shall be extinguished at ten p. m., and all others at nine p. m., unless otherwise allowed in special cases by the Commanding Officer. The greatest caution is to be observed with regard to lights in any part of a vessel. No light shall be left unattended in any apartment, unless it be in a lantern properly secured. No uncovered light shall be used in any store-room or in the hold, nor shall spirit lamps, explosive oils, or friction matches be allowed on board any vessel of the Navy.

General Instructions

163....In the execution of process issued by civil authority, applicable to a person or to persons on board a vessel of the Navy, or in a navy yard, or other naval establishment, Commanding Officers, when legally required, are to afford facilities and active assistance within their respective commands.

164....Gambling is strictly prohibited on board vessels of the Navy and in navy yards, and all places and stations belonging to, or under the control of the Navy Department.

165...Should any officer of the Navy so far forget what is due to his own honor, and to that of the service of which he is a member, as to incur debts, especially upon a foreign station, without a reasonable expectation of discharging them, or should any officer leave any foreign port without paying, or providing for the payment of every debt he may have incurred, his conduct, when brought to the knowledge of his commanding officer, shall be reported by him to the Commander of the squadron, or the Secretary of the Navy, in order that such course may be pursued as the circumstances of the case may require.

166... Officers of the Navy not on duty, are to keep the Department at all times advised of their address.

167... Officers, on being detached from duty, will immediately inform the Department of their intended place of residence, and notice must be given of any contemplated change before it shall have been made.

168... Officers will promptly acknowledge the receipt of orders, and also inform the Department immediately on their having reported in obedience to them.

169.

- All persons belonging to the Navy will conform strictly to such regulations for uniform as may be published from time to time; and every person is strictly forbidden to wear any dress, or decoration, other than that to which his grade clearly entitles him.

170....Officers on serving afloat, or travelling in foreign countries, shall communicate to the Commander-in-Chief of the squadron, or to the Secretary of the Navy, any information they may acquire that will be useful to the government of the United States.

171.... Officers of the Navy, and all others in the employment of the Navy, are forbidden to give publicity to any hydrographical knowledge

General Instructions.

obtained, or discoveries or improvements in ordnance made during their service afloat.

172....In ports, whether home or foreign, and especially in communicating with foreign vessels, every boat is to carry the national ensign, unless otherwise ordered by the Commanding Officer.

173....All important orders to the officer of the deck, to be carried out during the night, whether given by the Commanding or Executive Cfficer, must be in writing.

174.... No person in the Navy will upbraid another person in the Navy for refusing a challenge to fight a duel. Every person is enjoined to assist in the honorable adjustment of any differences that may occur. No disgrace can attach to any one for refusing a challenge, as such a course would be in obedience to law.

175....No person in the Navy shall use any language that may tend to render officers or others dissatisfied with any service in which they may be engaged, or upon which they may be ordered, or to diminish their confidence in, or respect for their superiors in command, or which may in any manner tend to weaken that subordination which is essential to the security and usefulness of the Navy; and it shall be the duty of any officer who may hear any such language to suppress it, and report it immediately to the proper officer.

176. Combinations on the part of officers, or others, for the purpose of remonstrating against a superior, or his orders, or complaining of details of duty, or of service, are strictly forbidden. If an individual believes that he has cause to remonstrate or complain, he is at liberty to do so either in writing or personally; but to combine with any other person to prefer or set forth a complaint against a superior is to be regarded as insubordinate and factious, and may be punished by a courtmartial. No person is to delay obedience to an order for the purpose of remonstrating or complaining.

177.... The practice of presenting swords, plate or other things of value, from inferior officers, or from crews, to their superior or commanding officer, in the way of compliment, and all votes, resolutions or testimonials, whether of praise or censure, from inferiors to superiors, are injurious to discipline, and are therefore strictly forbidden.

178....Written testimonials of the general or particular conduct of