Officers Commanding Vessels.

nicated. No delay will be tolerated, except in cases of palpable necessity.

368....The Commanding Officers of vessels falling in with each other are, whenever practicable, to compare signal books, general orders, and circulars, in order to possess themselves of any changes or alterations that may have been made, and of information to the latest date. They will suggest to the Department any necessary signal or word not to be found in the books.

369....Immediately on arriving in port, the Commander of a vessel is to submit to the Commander-in-Chief, or to the senior officer present, requisitions in triplicate for deficiencies on board the vessel under his command; but he is to be particularly careful that every article embraced is really needed, and that the quantity mentioned is not excessive.

370....On arriving in port or at a naval station, to be refitted or repaired, the Commander of such vessel is not to permit the stores belonging to any department of her to be landed without previous authority from the senior officer present. In the United States this authority is not to be granted without the sanction of the Navy Department.

371.... Every Commander of a vessel of the Navy shall report to the Chief of the Bureau of Construction and Repair, immediately on its occurrence, every instance of the vessel under his command touching on a shoal or rock, or sustaining any injury to the lower masts, hull, or bowsprit, with all the circumstances attending the accident, and his opinion as to the probable injury sustained, and at the termination of his cruise he will send duplicates of all such reports made during the cruise to that bureau.

372....In all cases of collision resulting seriously, Commanding Officers are to report the facts to the Commander-in-Chief of the squadron to which they are attached, or, if acting singly, to the Secretary of the Navy.

373....In the event of a collision between a vessel of the Navy and a merchant vessel, so serious or under such circumstances as not to admit of immediate repair with the resources at hand, and, therefore, likely to involve damages, the Commander of the naval vessel is, if

Officers Commanding Vessels.

possible, at once to order a board of three officers, (one of whom, when practicable, to be a carpenter,) to ascertain all the attending circumstances, injuries received, probable amount of damages, and report to him, in triplicate, accordingly; and he is then, without delay, to forward to the Navy Department one of these triplicates, and to furnish the master of the merchant vessel with one of them. The remaining one he is to retain for any future reference that may be necessary. When repairs have been effected on the spot, a suitable certificate of the fact is to be taken from the master of the merchant vessel, and forwarded to the Navy Department.

374....Commanders of public vessels-of war are not to suffer their vessels to be searched by any foreign power under any pretext, nor any officers nor men to be taken out so long as they have power of resistance. If force be used, resistance must be continued as long as possible. If overcome, they are to yield their vessel, but not their men without the vessel.

375.... When not acting under the orders of a superior officer, they will be governed by the regulations for Commanders-in-Chief, so far as they may be applicable to their situation.

376....Commanders of vessels on foreign stations may receive on board distressed sailors of the United States without reference to the established complement. If, on the usual examination, they be found fit for the service, they may be enlisted for such period as may be judged expedient, not exceeding three years; but if not so found, or if unwilling to enlist, they may be entered as supernumeraries, for passage and rations, provided they bind themselves to be amenable, in all respects, to the Laws and Regulations for the Government of the Navy. Such persons, however, are not to be so received, enlisted, or entered, without the authority of the senior officer present, and Commanders concerned are to keep the Commander-in-Chief of the fleet or squadron fully informed of all transactions with regard to them.

377...They shall take care that no merchant seamen be received on board on a foreign station, as prisoners, under charges preferred against them, unless the witnesses necessary to substantiate such charges accompany them, or some equally certain means are adopted to insure their appearance on the arrival of the prisoners at the place where they will be handed over to the civil authorities.

Officers Commanding Vessels.

378....Commanders of vessels violating or departing from their orders or instructions at the request of a consul, or any other person, must do so on their own responsibility, and will be held to a strict account by their superiors.

379....They shall make to the Honorable Secretary of the Navy, through the Commander-in-Chief, a full report of any action, chase, or important movement in which the vessels they command may be engaged, and will also furnish diagrams illustrating the positions and movements of the vessels, the direction of the wind, the bearing, distance, and outline of land should any be in sight, and all information which may tend to throw light on the occurrence. They will also be

careful to mention all such as may distinguish themselves as defined by the act of December 21, 1861, and recommend them for medals; and will, after an action, require from the Executive Officer and officers commanding divisions, reports of the general conduct of those under their observation. (See paragraphs 291, 318.)

380....In case of the death, desertion, or capture by an enemy of any person belonging to the Navy, it shall be the duty of the Commander of the vessel, upon the books of which the name of such person may be borne, to cause his effects to be collected and delivered to the Paymaster for safe-keeping, together with an inventory of the same, to be signed by two mess mates, if they belonged to an officer, or if they belonged to any other person, by the officer of his division. He shall, also, in addition to the usual official report of the death of any person, on board the vessel under his command, cause information of the same to be forwarded to the nearest relative, or friend of the deceased, if the address of such relative or friend can be obtained.

381.... Whenever an officer may be relieved from command, he shall, before the transfer be effected, make a thorough inspection of the ship in company with his successor, and cause the crew to be exercised in his presence. He shall point out any defects, and account for them, and explain fully any peculiarities of construction or arrangements. A statement, in triplicate, of the inspection shall be drawn up, and if satisfactory, shall be signed by the officer succeeding to the command. If not satisfactory, the latter shall state in what particular 'it is not so, and the officer relieved shall make such explanations as he

Officers Commanding Steam- Vessels.

may deem necessary, each over his own signature. One copy of this statement shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Navy, and one shall be retained by each of the Commanding Officers.

SECTION 6.

Officers Commanding Steam- Vessels.

382....When an officer shall be appointed to the command of a steam-vessel, he is to observe carefully the following directions, in addition to those prescribed in the next preceding section, relating to "Officers Commanding Vessels."

383....He is to use all possible diligence to make himself acquainted with the principles and construction of the engines, the intention and effect of the various parts of the machinery, the time the engines were constructed, the repairs they may have undergone, the period when the last repairs were made, and when the vessel last received new boilers.

384....As a material saving in the consumption of fuel may be produced by reducing the engine power, without reducing essentially the speed, and as occasions for this exercise of economy may frequently occur, he is to make himself acquainted with the principle and effect of the expansion of steam, and to require that the expansion gear should at all times be brought into play when the engines are not worked up to their full power.

385....In order to ascertain the capabilities of the ship under his command, he is, as soon as he proceeds to sea, to make careful and repeated trials by using the steam expansively, under every variety of wind and weather, draught of water, and other circumstances, so as to be able at all times to apply the principle of expansion, according to the nature of the service on which he may be engaged, and to calculate with accuracy the number of days the ship can be under steam without being obliged to put into port for fuel.

386.. Except for experiments ordered, (and which will be necessary only when the information cannot be obtained from reports of the performances and capabilities of the ship on former occasions,) he is

Officers Commanding Steam- Vessels.

most carefully to avoid getting up, or keeping up the steam, in any case where the use of the sails alone would enable him to perform, in a satisfactory manner, the duty on which he is engaged. For the slightest neglect of this part of his instructions he will be held rigidly responsible.

387....As to the use of sails, either with or without the use of steam, or as to moderating the steam when running head to wind and sea, each Commanding Officer must be guided by his own judgment, but with the understanding that he must be prepared to justify every • expenditure of fuel for steaming purposes, if cal ed upon to do so. His judgment will necessarily be based upon a consideration of the urgency and nature of the service to be performed, of the wind and weather, and upon the difficulties of the navigation, and the qualities of the vessel; but he is to take care, first, that steam is not used at all when the service can be equally, or nearly, as well performed without it; secondly, that sail is never dispensed with when it can be employed to advantage to assist the steam; and, thirdly, that full steam power is never employed, unless in chase, or absolutely necessary, the cause for which must be reported to the Department in writing.

388... He is carefully to inform himself of the usual daily consumption of coals, and to obtain all information in regard to the most economical and efficient use of the engines and their appendages.

389. To prevent accidents by spontaneous combustion, he is to order the greatest care to be observed that the coals are not taken on board when wet, and that when on board they are kept as dry as possible. When a fresh supply is received, he is to direct that those remaining in the coal-bunkers be, as far as practicable, so stowed as to be used first.

390...He is, before leaving the port where the vessel was fitted, to cause all the spare gear belonging to the engines and machinery to be taken on board, and he is to land no part of it at any port where he may touch, without the written authority of the Commanding Officer of the station, or of the Commander of the squadron to which he belongs.

391...Whenever he joins his Commanding Officer after separation, or when he arrives at any port where there is a superior officer in com