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

before being relieved by a successor appointed by the Navy Department, the officer of the fleet or squadron then succeeding in order to the command shall exercise the powers and authority of Commanderin-Chief, until otherwise directed by the Secretary of the Navy. Any officer who shall have succeeded to the command-in-chief as just mentioned shall discontinue to exercise the powers and authority thereof immediately on receiving official information of the arrival, within the limits of the station, of the officer duly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the fleet or squadron, without waiting either to meet with or to receive an order directly from such officer.

306....He will examine and carefully compare all orders for general police which may be prepared by the Commanders of vessels, and modify them when necessary, to secure uniformity in executing the duties of the fleet or squadron.

307....He will direct the course to be steered by all vessels present under his command.

308....If, from any circumstance, he shall deem proper to take the immediate command of the ship in which he sails, he will cause the fact to be entered on the log.

309. He will see that the commanding officers of steam vessels strictly observe the orders in regard to the expenditure of coal, and the use of sails.

310.... On arriving within the limits of his station on foreign service, he is to place himself in communication with the diplomatic agents of the government of the United States thereabouts, and he is to afford them, on his own responsibility, such aid and co-operation in all matters for the benefit of the government as they may require, and as he may judge to be expedient and proper.

311....He shall cause a quarterly inspection to be made by the fleet engineer, or, in his absence, by some other competent engineer, of the steam machinery and boilers of the steam vessels under his command, and shall require from him a report in duplicate, one of which reports shall be forwarded to the Bureau of Steam Engineering, and the other shall be retained by himself for future reference. No proposed alterations or additions to the machinery are to be included in the list of defects; on those points special reports must be made, stating their

Com'ders of Squadrons under a Commander-in-Chief, and Com'ders of Divisions.

probable cost and the time necessary for their execution. Should it occur that the inspection of any vessel cannot be made as often as once in a quarter, he must report the fact and the circumstances rendering it impossible.

SECTION 2.

Commanders of Squadrons under a Commander-in-Chief, and Commanders of

Divisions.

312....Whenever a fleet may be organized into squadrons, or squadrons and divisions, their respective Commanders will be responsible to their immediate Commander for the efficiency, discipline, and management of the vessels composing their squadrons or divisions.

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313....All reports, returns, and requisitions will be forwarded in accordance with the routine prescribed in the article on 'Correspondence."

314....The Commander of a squadron or division may correct, by signal or otherwise, any mistake or negligence of vessels of another squadron or division, when it is probable that it cannot be distinctly seen by the Commander of the squadron or division to which they belong. In battle he is carefully to observe the conduct of all vessels that may be near his own, so that, if required, he may report that of each.

315....If a Commander of a squadron or division should, during battle, perceive any vessel of a squadron or division commanded by an officer inferior or junior to himself, evidently avoiding battle, or not doing his duty, he shall make proper signals to him, or take such other measures as the case may require, and give the earliest information of his proceedings to the Commander-in-Chief, and to the Commander of the squadron or division to which the vessel may belong.

316....Commanders of squadrons and divisions shall inspect the vessels under their command as often as once in a quarter; and they will make written reports to the Commander-in-Chief of their efficiency, discipline, and preparation for battle.

317....Whenever the Commander-in-Chief shall not declare his in

Fleet Captain.

tention of manoeuvring the fleet in detail, it shall be the duty of the Commanders of squadrons and divisions to make all the signals which may be necessary to regulate the movements of their squadrons or divisions to carry into execution any general evolution, or to preserve any prescribed position which may have been ordered by the Commanderin-Chief.

318....After battle they will forward to the Commander-in-Chief the reports of the officers commanding vessels, required by paragraph 291, accompanied by full remarks of their own.

SECTION 3.

Fleet Captain.

319....The Fleet Captain is to assist the Commander in-Chief in the various details and arrangements for the management of the fleet or squadron, and for maintaining it in the most efficient condition; and, to this end, he is to be embarked on board the same vessel with the Commander-in-Chief, and subject only to his orders and directions.

320....He shall keep a journal of the proceedings of the fleet or squadron, noting in general terms every circumstance of importance that may pass under his observation.

321.... He shall also keep a register of all orders issued by the Commander-in-Chief, or by his authority, and of all signals that may be made in the fleet or squadron, noting the day and hour when the former were received or transmitted, and when the latter were made. (See forms Nos. 5 and 6, appendix.)

322....He shall take care when officers are called on board to receive verbal orders, that they note in an order book, which they must bring for that purpose, the substance of the order given.

323....He will immediately report to the Commander-in-Chief any neglect or disobedience of the orders of the Commander-in-Chief.

324....In order to expedite the administrative duties of a fleet or squadron, the following reports, returns, &c., will be transmitted by commanding officers to the Commander-in-Chief, through the Fleet Captain, who, after examination and indorsing them with such remarks as may appear to him expedient, will place them before the Commander

Fleet Lieutenant---- Officers Commanding Vessels.

in-Chief for his information, and, if necessary, for his action or decision. Reports of state and condition of ship; reports of defects; applications for refitting or repairs; requisitions for money, stores or provisions; all periodical returns; applications for leave, transfer, or discharge; applications for surveys; and, in general, all reports connected with the equipment, efficiency, and state of the vessels. All reports of the operation of their commands, the execution of their orders, or of the discipline of their vessels, commanding officers will transmit direct to the Commander-in-Chief.

SECTION 4.

Fleet Lieutenant.

325....The Fleet Lieutenant, and such other officers as may be appointed to serve on the personal staff of a Commander-in-Chief, are to act as his aids, and will assist the Fleet Captain in his duties.

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Should there be no Fleet Captain, the duties prescribed for that officer will be performed by the Fleet Lieutenant.

SECTION 5.

Officers Commanding Vessels.

327....When an officer shall be appointed to the command of a vessel he shall join her forthwith, unless a particular day be designated for him to do so by the appointing authority; and, on joining her, he is to examine and ascertain her state and condition, and inform himself of the character and qualifications of the officers placed under his command.

328....If the vessel be still under the charge of the Commanding Officer of the navy yard, he will be attentive to her repair and equipment, and report to such Commanding Officer any defects or deficiencies which, in his opinion, require further attention. He will be particular in his examinations and reports at the time when it may be proposed to transfer the vessel entirely to his charge, so as to prevent any subsequent complaints in relation to neglects or deficiencies in the repairs or equipments.

Officers Commanding Vessels.

329....He will exercise no authority or control over the repairs or equipments of the vessel before she is delivered into his charge, nor over the officers and mechanics of the navy yard, unless with the assent or direction of the Commanding Officer of the yard.

330....When appointed to the command of a vessel, he shall be furnished with a statement of her condition and her presumed or ascertained qualities, by the Commandant of the navy yard, or by the previous Commander, if the vessel be already in commission, and with drawings and plans showing the dimensions of the ship, arrangements and stowage of the holds, store-rooms, magazines, shell-rooms, shotlockers, &c.

331.... When a vessel shall be transferred by the Commanding Officer of a navy yard to him for service, he shall use every exertion to complete the arrangements that may be necessary for her efficient employment at sea, and shall report weekly to the Secretary of the Navy her condition, progress of repairs, and any deficiency of officers or men, for the information of the Department.

332....After assuming the command he will be held responsible for the whole conduct and good government of the officers and others belonging to the vessel, according to the laws and regulations for the government of the Navy, and must himself set an example of respect and obedience to his superiors, and of unremitting attention to his duties.

333....When a ship shall have been put in commission, a general muster of the officers and crew shall be had for the purpose of verifying the descriptive lists, of ascertaining that the name of every man is correctly registered, and that every one has the exact uniform dress prescribed by regulations; the full dress is not to be worn during war. The Executive Officer, Surgeon, and Paymaster shall be present at such muster, and any discrepancy in the descriptive lists, or error in the transfer roll, shall be then corrected, and a certificate of such correction, approved by the Commanding Officer, shall be transmitted by him to the Department, to the rendezvous where the man was shipped, and the receiving ship from which he was transferred. On the receipt of such certificate the necessary corrections will be made.

334....He will see that a note is made upon all accounts, transfer

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