Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. | Page 4

of the squadron, and to the Secretary of the Navy.
When guns are to be struck below, or when shipped for transportation, he shall cause all the precautions to be taken to guard them from injury, prescribed in Article 46 of these instructions, and such others as circumstances require.
19. He is prohibited from giving away the arms of any description belonging to the vessel under his command.
20. He will keep the keys of the magazines and shell-rooms, and of the receptacles for percussion caps and primers, and of the cocks for flooding magazines and shell-rooms, in the cabin, where they may be obtained by the Executive Officer in case they should be wanted when the Captain is absent from the vessel; and they are only to be delivered to the Executive Officer, or the Officer of the Powder Division.
21. Before entering any friendly port, he will cause every gun to be drawn and reloaded with cartridge, if necessary to salute.
22. He will not permit friction-matches to be on board under any circumstances, and before sailing will notify all persons of this regulation, and institute a search to see that it has been complied with.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
23. The Executive Officer will, under the orders and direction of the Captain, ascertain that all the ordnance stores and equipments ordered or allowed for the vessel are received on board in good order; that they are properly distributed and stowed; that they are only used or expended according to directions from proper authority, and that they are duly accounted for, according to the directions and forms which are or may be prescribed by the Bureau of Ordnance. In small vessels which have no Gunner, he shall receipt for and be accountable for all ordnance stores, making all the returns which the Gunner is herein directed to prepare.
24. He will be particularly attentive to the state of the batteries, small arms, magazines, shell-rooms, and shot-lockers; to the passages leading to and scuttles connected with them; and take care that they are kept clear and ready for action.
25. He will cause convenient places to be assigned for the stowage of spare articles which may be required in action, and see that shot for at least twenty broadsides for shot-guns, and one shell for each shell-gun, are always in readiness upon the respective decks.
26. When salutes are to be fired he is personally to examine, or to direct one of the Officers Commanding a Division to examine, ascertain and report that the necessary preparations are made and precautions taken to avoid accidents. The guns, if loaded, are to be drawn, wormed, sponged and reloaded. They are, nevertheless, to be so laid as to prevent the possibility of mischief, even in the contingency of a shot or wad being left in any of them. Hard wads are not to be used in firing salutes, nor are port-fires. The guns are to be fired either with percussion or friction primers, as the Captain may prefer. These, when in good order, are not apt to fail if the lock-string be properly pulled; as, however, a slight deterioration may interfere with the regularity of salutes, the precaution of dropping a few grains of gunpowder into the vent will be found effectual.
Guns of the lowest calibre and class, when sufficient in number, are to be used for saluting; and no heavier than their "near-firing" charge is to be used. (See TABLE OF CHARGES,
Part III.) Two boats'
howitzers will be found sufficient for saluting. "Saluting powder" to be used in all guns for this purpose, in preference to "Service powder."
27. In large vessels he will cause a cot with a spare sacking-bottom, or such other apparatus as may be approved by the Surgeon, to be prepared and kept for the purpose of lowering the wounded to the orlop or berth deck.
28. Before the powder is received on board, he, with the Gunner, will carefully inspect the magazines and shell-rooms, their passages and light-rooms, and have them thoroughly cleaned, dried and aired, and will see that the pipes and stop-cocks, and every thing connected with flooding the magazines, are in order, and acquaint himself with their position and mode of operation; the lighting apparatus cleaned and dried; and particularly that the glasses for transmitting light into the magazines and shell-rooms are clear and without fracture; that the light burns clearly, and the box is well ventilated; and shall report to the Ordnance Officer when the magazines are ready to receive the ammunition. (See Chap. II.,
Part III.)
OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF DIVISIONS.
29. OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF DIVISIONS OF GUNS are required to make themselves thoroughly conversant with every particular relating to the equipment, exercise, and management of the guns, as set forth in these instructions, and especially to familiarize themselves with the charges prescribed and the ranges given in