Appointments and Promotions.

machinery, superintending its construction, and determining its adaptation for the use intended; and that they have a general knowledge of the theory, laws, and construction of the various kinds of paddlewheels and screw propellers in use.

264....Candidates for promotion to the grade of Chief Engineer, must have served at least two years at sea as First Assistant Engineer on board of a naval steamer; favorable testimonials must have been received by the Department from the Commanding Officers and senior Engineers under whom they may have served. They must also pass, before the board appointed to examine them, a thorough examination upon the subjects prescribed for First Assistant Engineers, and in addition thereto, they must satisfy it that they are well versed in mechanical philosophy, the physical laws of steam, applied mechanics, the theory of the steam-engine, and likewise in the construction, principles, and the laws of action of various types of marine governors, paddle-wheels, and screw propellers, and in all the necessary calculations relating to these. Furthermore, they must satisfy the board that thay are thoroughly acquainted with the various kinds of paddlewheel and screw propeller engines, able to point out their respective advantages and disadvantages, to design and erect the same, and to proportion them to a given vessel, for a given speed, with a given propelling instrument; that they are thoroughly versed in the strength of materials, in the theoretical laws governing form, the limits and modifications imposed by practice, and the reasons connected therewith; that they are familiar with the different kinds of boilers, their respective advantages and disadvantages, and able to properly proportion and construct the same for supplying a given power under given conditions; and that they do understand so much of chemistry as is involved in the laws of combustion and corrosion, and the metallurgic operations connected with steam-engineering.

265....When, in the opinion of the Department, the wants of the service require a greater number of Engineers of any grade above that of Third Assistant than can be obtained by regular promotion, candidates presenting themselves for admission will have to undergo the the same examination as that prescribed for the grade to which they may aspire; and with regard to subsequent promotion, the same

Appointments and Promotions.

length of sea-service prescribed as necessary to advancement from one grade to another will be required. But all persons so appointed to the grade of Second Assistant Engineer must be between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-eight; all to the grade of First Assistant Engineer, between twenty-five and thirty-two; and all to that of Chief Engineer, between twenty-eight and thirty-five.

266....Assistant Surgeons, after five years' service in the Navy, at least two years of which shall have been passed on board a public vessel of the United States at sea, shall be entitled to an examination for promotion. Testimonials of correct deportment and habits of industry from the Surgeons with whom they have been associated on duty must have been received by the Department, and they shall present to the board a journal of practice, or case-book, in their own handwriting. They are expected to be familiar with all the details of duty specified in the "Instructions for the Government of Medical Officers."

267........Candidates for promotion to the grade of Paymaster must satisfy the examining board of their competency to perform the various duties of Paymaster. They must be well acquainted with all laws and regulations relating to the duties and responsibilities of the position they aspire to. They must have a good theoretical and practical knowledge of book-keeping, and the law and practice of exchange, the value of foreign coins as compared with those of the United States, and the weights and measures of foreign countries; and they must have a sufficient knowledge of the Spanish and French languages to enable them to transact the business of their departments in those languages. But the acquaintance of these languages is not to be exacted until two years after the promulgation of this regulation. They must produce satisfactory testimonials from the Bureau of Provisions and Clothing and from the Fourth Auditor's Office that their accounts have been well kept and promptly rendered, and that their returns have been properly and seasonably made.

268....Candidates for promotion to the grade of Naval Constructor must have been at least five years in the service as Assistant Naval Constructors; they must pass, before the board appointed to examine

Ratings and Disratings.

them, a satisfactory examination in Euclid's Elements, algebra, with its application to geometry, plane trigonometry, conic sections, descriptive geometry, mechanics, strength of materials; calculation of displacement, of stability, of centre of gravity, of centre of effort, and other matters relating to the theory of naval architecture, as well as the practice in building ships of wood and of iron.

SECTION 4.

Ratings and Disratings.

269....On a crew being transferred from a receiving vessel to a vessel of the Navy intended for sea-service, the officer ordered to command her is to select and have rated from such crew the different Petty Officers allowed by the Department for one of her class, except such as are eligible to appointment.

270...In the event of a vacancy occurring among the appointed Petty Officers, if a suitable person can be found among the crew of the vessel, the Commanding Officer may rate such person, and cause him to perform the duties appertaining to the vacant situation. The rating of such person will not discharge him from his enlistment, however; but in case that it should be revoked, he will return to his former rate on the ship's books.

271.... No enlisted person shall be transferred from any quarter to any vessel, navy yard, station, or hospital, with the rating of a Petty Officer.

272....No Petty Officer, or person of inferior rating, shall ever be disrated by the Commander of a vessel, unless he shall have received his rating from that Commander; and this shall be done for good and sufficient cause only, which must be stated in the log. But any Commanding Officer transferring his command shall previously reduce all persons who may have been rated by himself to the rates they held at the time of joining his ship, and his successor shall appoint them immediately to the same rates. In case, however, of the death of any Commanding Officer, his captivity, or any other circumstance which may vacate his command, all ratings established by himself shall also be vacated, subject to re-establishment by his successor, as provided for

Ratings and Disratings.

above, except those of such persons as a Commander is allowed to take with him from one ship to another, who shall not be reinstated, unless such successor shall fail to bring with him other persons to fill their situations. If not reinstated, the Cockswain shall resume the rate he held on joining the vessel, and the steward, cook, and one other person of inferior rating, shall be regarded as having fulfilled their enlistment, and be entitled to their discharge if they desire it, unless they enlisted for the ordinary duties of deck-hands, in which case they shall resume their former rates and serve their full time.

273....No person having enlisted in any particular rate shall be reduced to a lower rate, except by order of the Department, or to carry out the sentence of a court-martial, except as provided below for firemen and coal-heavers.

274....No person, about to be discharged from a vessel going out of commission, or transferred and sent home to be discharged, shall be disrated by reason of such discharge or transfer, but his rate, whatever it may be, shall be expressed on the face of his discharge or transfer for that purpose.

275....Whenever a change of rating takes place an order in writing will be given by the Commander of the vessel to the Paymaster, stating the change of rate and the time from which it is to date; but no such order shall be given in one quarter to take effect in a preceding quarter.

276....Should any fireman or coal-heaver be reported by the senior Engineer of the vessel for neglect of his duty, or inability to perform it, from other causes than sickness, or injury received in line of duty, the Commanding Officer of the squadron, or, in his absence, the Commanding Officer of the vessel to which such fireman or coal-heaver belongs, may, if he deems it necessary, direct another person to perform them during the continuance of such neglect or disability, or until the place is supplied by a person of the proper rating, and the person so appointed shall receive the pay of the situation which he may thus fill. But the Commanding Officer shall, when it is practicable, direct second class firemen to succeed or supply the places of the first class; and the coal-heavers, if qualified, shall take the place of the second class fireman in preference to other persons. The pay of such reduced fireman or coal-heaver is provided for under the head of allowances.

The Commander-in-Chief of a Fleet or Squadron.

ARTICLE VI.

GENERAL DUTIES OF LINE OFFICERS.

SECTION 1.

The Commander-in-Chief of a Fleet or Squadron.

277....When an officer shall be appointed Commander-in-Chief of a fleet or squadron, he shall, as early as possible, inform himself of the state and condition of the vessels, and the qualifications and characters of the Commanding and other officers placed under his command, so that he may be able to select for any special service the officer best qualified to perform it.

278....If the fleet or squadron is to be equipped under his own direction, he will use every exertion to forward the work, and will make weekly reports to the Department of its progress, or the cause of any delay, should it occur. If the work of equipment should be carried on at a navy yard not under his command, he will, nevertheless, keep himself informed of its progress, and make such suggestions to the Commanding Officer as may occur to him, so that when the vessels are put in commission no delay may ensue by reason of alterations or additions. As soon as the vessels are transferred to him, he will use all diligence in preparing them for sea, and will report to the Department the time when they will be ready to sail.

279... Should any deficiencies or defects be discovered which would render any vessel or vessels unfit for the service for which they are destined, or would impair their efficiency, he will represent the same immediately to the proper bureau.

280.... Immediately before sailing for foreign service, he will cause reports to be made to the proper bureaus of the length of time for which the fleet is provided with provisions and stores; and he must, thereafter, give them such information as will enable them to forward supplies in time to prevent the necessity of disadvantageous purchases abroad.

281....He will at all times keep the fleet or squadron in the most perfect condition for service that may be practicable.