When a Com.

transferred.

circumstances permit, and will forward the results to the Bureau of Navigation, with a track-chart of the traverses made, soundings taken, &c., and in general fulfill the conditions indicated by the Hydrographer for making such examinations. In the event of no search being made, he will inform the Department, in a special report, of his reasons for the omission.

117.

Whenever a Commanding Officer is removed from one vessel to another, manding Officer is he may take with him his clerk, cockswain, one officer's steward, one officer's cook, and one person of inferior rating. He will deliver to the officer appointed to succeed him in command all signal-books, and the originals or attested copies of all unexecuted orders which he may have received, for which he must take receipts in duplicate, sending one copy through the proper channel to the Navy Department. He will leave with his successor in command a complete descriptive muster-roll and expense-book, duly audited and signed by him to the time of his resigning his command. He shall leave with his successor a report of the qualities of the vessel, according to such forms as are prescribed, together with every other information which he may deem serviceable to her Commanding Officer, and he will forward a similar report to the Navy Department whenever he is removed from or resigns the command; he will also furnish his successor with a list of the names of such of the crew who enlisted for three years as may be deemed worthy of an honorable discharge.

118.

He will, before a transfer is effected, make a thorough inspection of the ship in company with his successor, and cause the crew to be exercised in his presence. He will point out any defects, and account for them, and will explain fully any peculiarities of construction or arrangement of the vessel. A statement, in triplicate, of the inspection, is to be drawn up, and, if satisfactory, signed by the officer succeeding him. If not satisfactory, he will state in what particular it is not so, and the officer relieved will make such explanations as he may deem necessary, each over his own signature. One copy of this statement is to be forwarded to the Secretary of the Navy, and one will be retained by each of the Commanding Officers.

119.

He will, in forwarding his report of the qualities of the vessel, and at other times, if he deems it important, suggest any alterations which, in his opinion, would render the vessel more efficient, or improve her qualities, together with the probable expense attending such change.

120.

Examination by He will facilitate any examination which it may be the duty of a customcustom-house house officer of the United States to make on board the vessel under his command.

officer.

121.

Acting singly, If acting independently, he can only send persons under his command to can only send per- the United States under the following circumstances: First, expiration of sons to the United their term of service; second, persons sick, wounded, or pronounced unfit for service by a medical board; third, persons charged with crime or delinquency, with the necessary witnesses, when a competent court cannot be called to try them on board the vessel.

States.

122.

When there is occasion to send a boat expedition from the vessel, the Commanding Officer will designate the officer who is to command it, and will give him written orders regarding the duties of the expedition.

123.

In time of war he will never permit the pilot to leave the vessel while on pilot-ground.

124.

Pilot in time of

war.

ing.

When in a fleet, he is to carefully maintain the order of sailing directed by In squadron to the Commander-in-Chief. In case of a dark night or fog, when signals cau- keep order of sailnot be transmitted, he is to act to the best of his ability, but is to preserve the order of sailing, if possible.

125.

In a squadron or division, he will not engage the enemy without an order or signal from his Commanding Officer.

126.

He will not retire from battle to assist a disabled vessel or to take possession of a captured one without permission.

127.

Will not engage without orders.

Will not retire from battle.

Should he be compelled to drop out of battle by reason of the vessel being If compelled to disabled, it will be his duty to bring her again into action under sail or other- drop out of battle. wise, and to make repairs, if possible, without delay.

128.

When an enemy

When a vessel of an enemy strikes her flag in an action, it will be the duty of a Commanding Officer to send an officer on board, if possible, to de- strikes her flag. mand the captain's sword, and to bring that officer with him, as a proof that the vessel has surrendered; and if, under these circumstances, she should again hoist her flag and continue the fight, she may be destroyed.

129.

On taking possession of a captured vessel he will adopt all necessary pre- Taking possescautions to prevent her from being recaptured. He will send all the officers sion of a captured and a number of the crew of the captured vessel on board of the vessel he vessel. commands, and will preserve all journals, signals, written orders, and important papers, particularly those that certify to the validity of the prize.

130.

Prisoners

of

He will see that prisoners of war are treated with humanity, that their personal property is carefully protected, and that they have the use of such war. of their effects as are necessary to their comfort, and that they are duly supplied with rations, but he will take care that prisoners of war are guarded and deprived of all means of escape or revolt.

131.

After action, re

When an action is over, it is the duty of the Commanding Officer of a vessel to repair all damages and put the vessel under his command in good pairs, &c. fighting order without delay; to have reported to him the exact amount of munitions of war remaining on board, and to transmit to the Commander-inChief an account of the battle, including a statement of the conduct of the officers and crew under his command, with a list of killed and wounded.

132.

Should he be compelled to strike the flag, he is to take special care to de- If compelled to stroy all signals and papers, the possession of which by an enemy might be strike the flag. injurious to the United States, and he will keep them so prepared, with weights attached, that they will sink immediately on being thrown overboard.

Liability of los 3 of vessel.

In case of shipwreck.

Loss or capture of vessel.

Loss of accounts.

tive lists.

133.

In case the ship is likely to be lost or destroyed, or where it is necessary to abandon her, the Commanding Officer shall be the last person to leave the vessel.

134.

In case of shipwreck, or any other disaster whereby the ship may be lost, the Commanding Officer, with the officers and men, will remain by her as long as practicable and save everything possible; particularly the log, muster, pay, and receipt books, and valuable papers.

135.

In every case of the loss or capture of a vessel of the Navy, it is the duty of her Commanding Officer to cause the officers of divisions to ascertain carefully the loss of clothing and bedding sustained by the men, and to report to him, in writing, the result. These reports, drawn up in a uniform manner, and signed by himself and the officers of the divisions, he is to submit, without delay, to the Navy Department.

136.

In the event of the loss of accounts, occurring from the loss or capture of a vessel of the Navy, he will order the Pay Officer to open others with the survivors, commencing them from the date of the disaster, and giving to each person the rate he held at the time the accounts were lost; and the accounts, so made out, are to accompany the survivors on their being transferred to a vessel or station, the Paymaster of which is to govern himself by them in making payments or issues until he receives further instructions from the Navy Department or from the Fourth Auditor of the Treasury.

137.

Loss of descrip- When, from any cause, the descriptive lists of the crew are lost, it shall be the duty of the Commanding Officer to make application for copies of the descriptive lists, to the Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting, forwarding, with his letter of application a list containing the names and rating of the crew at the time of their enlistment.

If wrecked

138.

If shipwrecked within the United States, he will, after doing all in his within the United power to save the public property, repair, as soon as practicable, to the nearest navy-yard or station, and, in all cases, make the earliest possible report to the Navy Department.

States.

If wrecked

States.

139.

He will, in case of shipwreck without the United States, lose no time in without the United returning with the officers and crew to the fleet or squadron to which he may belong, or, if acting alone, to the United States, to effect which he may dispose of the property saved, or draw bills, as he may deem most advantageous to the public interests.

Not to give leave

140.

A Commanding Officer, on entering a port of the United States, will never take a vessel to a navy-yard without first discharging the powder.

141.

When under the orders of a commandant of a navy-yard or station, he will when at a navy not give liberty to officers or men without the authority of the cominandant. yard without.

Arriving to go

142.

On arriving, for the purpose of going out of commission, at any port in the out of commission. United States, he will see that a requisition is forwarded the day of his arrival for money to pay off such of the crew as may be ordered to be discharged, or whose terms of service have expired.

143.

During a cruise he is to keep the Midshipmen employed in the practical Instruction of exercise of navigation and the other branches of their profession, and will Midshipmen. require them to keep full journals, which are to be sent to him for his inspection and approval on the first of every month.

144.

He will, when acting singly, hold a semi-annual inspection of the ship Inspection when under his command according to the form given in the Ordnance Instructions, acting singly. and forward the report to the Ordnance Bureau on the first opportunity.

145.

land,

On approaching land or anchorage of any kind he will have the cables Approaching bent. When going into a port or harbor, or approaching shoals or rocks, whether with or without a pilot, he will cause soundings to be taken; and will when on soundings have casts of the lead taken frequently and noted on the charts. When anchoring he is to select a safe berth, and in places which are but partially surveyed he will have the depth of water and quality of the ground examined for at least three cable-lengths around the ship, and will also have such bearings and angles taken, and noted in taken. the log-book, as will enable him to recover an anchor in case of loss.

146.

Soundings to be

Should a cable be slipped or parted, the Commanding Officer of the vessel or the senior officer present will use every means to recover it.

147.

If a cable is slipped.

When men are paid off at the end of a cruise, he will be present in person Paying o a crew. and deliver the honorable discharges of such men as he may deem worthy of them.

148.

Unauthorized

If unauthorized changes in the vessel under his command have been made which he cannot justify to the Secretary of the Navy, the expense of such changes in vessel. alterations may be charged to him.

149.

He will not leave the vessel until satisfied that all returns have been made and every article turned over to the proper authority.

150.

Will be satisfied that all returns have been made.

Sign Midship.

Before relinquishing command he is to sign the Midshipmen's journals, and give to each one the duplicate of such a letter as he may deem proper men's journals. for presentation to the Board of Examiners, forwarding the original to the Bureau of Navigation and Detail, Navy Department.

151.

When the ship is paid off or placed in ordinary, he will require from Abstract statethe officers and yeoman charged with stores an abstract statement of the ment of receipts and expenditures receipts and expenditures during each fiscal year and the total quantity when. during the cruise, and will, under this abstract, have entered the quantities remaining on hand, as shown by the general abstract expense-book. If the Commander should be detached and the ship turned over before the stores are landed or surveyed, he will sign and transmit to the Commandant of the yard the required abstract of receipts and expenditures during the cruise, and the quantities on hand as shown by the expense-books.

Conduct-book

and muster-roll.

152.

The conduct-book and descriptive muster-roll are to be kept under the descriptive immediate superintendence of the Commanding Officer, who will cause the officers in charge of divisions to report to him in writing, quarterly, the character of every one belonging to his division, and he will also require a speIcial report of the conduct and character of the crew to be made to him Quarterly report, quarterly by his Executive Officer. He will forward to the Commander-innumber and rating Chief a quarterly return, as per prescribed form, of the number and rating of the crew, with a list of those in each rating whose term of service expires during the year.

of crew.

cer

abroad.

153.

Clerk, when a If a Commanding Officer of a vessel of war is relieved on a foreign station, Commanding Offi- he will transfer his clerk to the officer relieving him, when desired by his is relieved relief and agreeable to the clerk. Should such transfer on these conditions not be effected, the clerk of the officer relieved will be ordered to his home, but in no case will transportation be furnished or paid for to any one going abroad to take his place. The Commanding Officer entitled to a clerk may appoint one present on the station, if a fit person to perform the duties can be found.

154.

Descriptive lists

Descriptive lists attached to certificates of death, certificates of ordinary attached to certifi disability, and certificates of pensions, are to be signed by the Commanding cates of death, &c. Officer.

Attention to the

155.

Special attention is to be given by Commanding Officers to the training education of boys. and instruction of the boys enlisted to serve until they are 21 years of age. They are to be allowed such privileges as their conduct may merit, and they are to be thoroughly drilled in all duties pertaining to a seaman and to a manof-war. Separate reports of their progress, in accordance with the prescribed form, are to be forwarded quarterly, and a report at the end of the cruise, to the Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting.

The Executive Officer.

In absence of his senior.

Transmit orders and see them executed.

SECTION V. -Aid or Executive of the Commanding Officer. His duties as Equip·
ment Officer.
1.

The Aid or Executive of the Commanding Officer, in addition to his authority as a senior Line Officer, is, under the Commanding Officer, charged with the general detail of duty, with the administration of the police of the vessel, with her good order, discipline, neat and seaman-like appearance, and with the faithful execution of all orders and the enforcing of regulations. For the strict performance of these duties he is responsible to his Commanding Officer.

2.

He is the Commanding Officer in the absence of his senior and in event of his death succeeds him in command, until relieved by competent authority. In the absence of the Commanding Officer, he is not to alter any of his regulations.

3.

He will receive the orders for the general management of the vessel directly from the Commanding Officer, transmitting them to the other officers of the vessel; he will be responsible to the Commanding Officer for the execution of all orders thus transmitted, and will report to him if the orders are not complied with.