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 may be, shall be expressed on the face of his discharge or transfer for that purpose.

it

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.

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

282....He will strictly enjoin upon all Commanding Officers of vessels to take the greatest care of stores, and to practice the utmost economy in their expenditure.

283....He shall direct frequent examinations of the hospitals and hospital ships, and will require from the examining officers written reports of their state and condition, and cause every attention to be paid to the comfort of the sick.

284....All requisitions must receive his approval before the articles will be furnished, unless the vessels should be separated so as to render it impracticable, and in such cases the requisitions must be approved by the senior officer present, and copies transmitted to the Commanderin-Chief by the earliest opportunity. He will require every officer who may approve a bill for supplies to furnish him immediately with a copy of it, together with the reasons for the purchases.

285....He shall forward quarterly a copy of every bill for purchases made abroad to the proper bureau, with a statement of the reasons which rendered the purchases necessary.

286....In ports where there is no regular agent of the United States, he will direct the Paymaster of the fleet to make all necessary purchases on the most advantageous terms; the articles shall be selected by an officer belonging to the department for which they are required. If vessels should be separated from the Commander-in-Chief, the senior officer present will direct the Paymaster of the vessel for which articles may be required to make the purchases.

287....He will exercise the vessels of the fleet or squadron, whenever circumstances will admit, in performing the various evolutions that are essential to order and safety, and particularly those which it may be necessary or useful to adopt in presence of an enemy.

288....He will cause the boats of the squadron-manned and armed to be frequently assembled, inspected, and exercised in fleet manœuvring, and in the evolutions for landing or embarking from the shore, and for boarding the vessels of an enemy.

289....He is required to make a semi-annual inspection of each vessel under his command, according to the form given in the Ordnance Instructions. He will also inspect them at other times, as frequently as he may deem necessary, and will hold their Commanding Officers to

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

a strict accountability for proper attention to the order, discipline, efficiency, and cleanliness of their vessels, to the laws and regulations, and to the instructions of the Department, and he shall be careful that the ship bearing his flag or broad pendant be a proper example to others. 290....He will be attentive, when in battle, to observe the conduct of all under his command; he will correct any errors that he may discover, and will make a report to the Department of every occurrence, and of the conduct of his subordinates.

291....He will require the Commanding Officers of the vessels of his fleet or squadron to forward reports from themselves, their Executive Officers, and, if a steam vessel, from the senior Engineer in charge, of every event which may occur in action, and of the services performed by their respective vessels, giving to every person concerned the praise or censure justly due to him.

292....He will also require reports from the Commanding Officers, addressed to the Department, of every important service performed by the ships under their command, accompanied by diagrams, in all cases in which they are applicable, showing every particular which may tend to give clear information concerning the event.

293.... He shall forward to the Department, by the first opportunity, the reports and diagrams mentioned above, and retain copies of them for future use or reference.

294....Should he find cause to transfer or suspend any officer under his command, he shall, in such case, transmit to the Secretary of the Navy, by the earliest conveyance, his reasons for the same.

295....He shall issue general orders regulating the extent of leave of absence which may be granted to officers and men to visit the shore by the Commanding Officers of vessels; but no officer shall be allowed to be absent on leave from the vessel to which he belongs, when in squadron, more than twenty-four hours without the written permission or authority of the Commander-in-Chief.

296...He shall make to the Secretary of the Navy quarterly reports of the professional skill and attainments of all Commanding Officers of squadrons, divisions, and vessels under his command, and also of the order and efficiency in which they keep their squadrons, divisions, and vessels; and if an unfavorable report is made, the officer shall be furnished with a copy of it. (See form No. 25, Appendix.)

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

297....He will forward the quarterly reports of the number and rates of the crews of the vessels under his command, and the expiration of their service, as furnished by the Commanding Officers.

298....He shall correspond regularly with the Secretary of the Navy, keeping him informed of his proceedings and of the state, condition, and probable wants of the vessels under his command, and of all other important information within his knowledge relative to the service on which he may be employed, or to any foreign naval force employed upon the station or in its vicinity.

299.... He shall forward to the Secretary of the Navy monthly returns of the condition, distribution, and employment of the vessels of the squadron.

300.... At the termination of his command, he will transmit to the Secretary of the Navy a list of all the numbers of his correspondence with the Department, and shall furnish duplicates of all such as the Secretary shall inform him have not been received.

301....He will forward to the Navy Department any suggestions or plans for the improvement of public works in navy yards, or in the construction, equipment, or arrangement of vessels of war, or upon any subject connected with the Navy, which he may deem important to the interests of the United States, accompanying the same with plans and estimates of their cost, when practicable.

302.... When a vessel of a squadron is to return to the United States, he shall withdraw all provisions and stores not necessary for her passage home, and transfer to her invalids and all persons whose terms of service have expired, or are about to expire, unless the public interest should require their detention.

303....He shall not resign his command without the previous consent of the Secretary of the Navy, unless a medical survey shall certify that the state of his health renders it absolutely necessary.

304....When he shall, for any cause, resign or transfer his command, he shall deliver to his successor accurate copies of all unexecuted instructions and orders, taking receipts for the same, together with all information relating to the squadron or the service, which may be useful to him.

305....Should he die, or leave his station permanently from any