Artificers and Artisans | Commence work in harbour at 7.30 A.M. The lower artisan ratings clean their messes before starting work at their trades at 7.30 A.M. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cooks of the Messes | The members of a mess [not a petty or chief petty officers' mess] take it in turn to act as cook of their mess for a day. Two are told off daily, one in each watch. They keep the mess and utensils clean, obtain provisions, and prepare meals for cooking. Petty officers messes have permanent attendants detailed for them, either boys, ordinary seamen, or stokers. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electric Light Party | Consists of from four to twelve L.T.O.'s and S.T.'s according to size of ship, as well as electricians and torpedo gunner's mates, are required for maintenance of circuits, dynamos and motors, etc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Galley Fire | Lit at midnight by the quartermaster or bosun's mate of middle watch, and kept in till 8 P.M., when fires are drawn and galley cleaned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issues of Clothing, Tobacco and Soap | "Slops" are generally issued once a month, as well as tobacco and soap, but at a different time. Clothing lists, showing each man's requirements, are made out by divisional officers from chits handed in by the men when piped to do so. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Issue of Spirits | Each man above the age of twenty is allowed a daily ration of half gill of "three water grog" {i.e., one part rum to three parts water]. Neat rum is issued to warrant and chief petty officers. The drawing-off and issue of spirits must always be attended by an officer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leave | There are three classes for leave, viz., special, general and limited leave, in which all men except chief petty officers are included. Chief petty officers are not classified for leave. Special leave men are allowed the indulgence of leave to the fullest possible extent. General leave men are given leave periodically, according to circumstances, about once or twice a week. Limited leave men are allowed to land once in three months. Liberty men have their names entered in the short-leave book, and each man sees his name ticked off on going and on returning from leave. Petty officers are not fallen in for inspection before going and after returning from leave; they report themselves to the officer of the watch. The watch for leave is the forenoon watch on deck. In home ports it is usual to give leave to a watch and a part of the other watch. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lights | Electric and oil bow and steaming lights are prepared and placed by second captains of fore and main-tops and second captain's of forecastle and quarterdeck respectively with next numbers on the Watch bill. Anchor, top, stern, "not under control", and position lights are provided and worked by signalmen. Speed lights are provided by signalmen and worked by ordinary or able seamen as a trick. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Make and mend clothes | Generally on Thursday afternoons, except for artificers, artisans, and special parties, who make and mend clothes on Saturday afternoons. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mess Deck Regulations | In every ship regulations for the good order and discipline of the mess are printed, framed and hung up for the information of the ship's company | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Muster by Open List | For general muster, payments and issues of clothing, the ship's company is divided into sections approximately one hundred strong according to their numbers on the ledger, petty officers first, the men, each class being kept separate. They fall in four deep, each man stepping forward as his name is called, the leading section of fours being kept complete by the men in the rear closing up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reelers | Special men told off in each watch under a petty officer to work the sounding machine. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Schoolmaster | A capable petty officer, generally a writer, is detailed as schoolmaster, for which duty he is paid. He instructs boys and holds evening school for those who wish to avail themselves of it. The Admiralty make an allowance for purchase of stationery. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ship's Library | The schoolmaster is the librarian, and books are issued and taken in generally twice a week on Sundays and Thursdays during the dinner hour. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signalmen | Keep four watches sea and harbour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Speed signals | Flag and cone, by day are worked by the trick which work the speed lights at night. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sweepers | Are men detailed for the care and maintenance of special places and compartments which require individual attention and cannot be conveniently included in the general "clean ship" scheme. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tailor | Specially selected seamen, stokers or marines borne for the purpose of altering ready-made clothing on issue to fit the individual and to make up "outsizes" not in stock. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stokers work/meal times (harbour) | At sea the stokers are in three watches, in harbour they work as daymen. After their work is over in harbour they clean themselves and shift into night-clothing, after which they fall in and are inspected by the engineer officer of the day. As they begin work in the engine-rooms and stokeholds at the same time as the seamen begin work on deck, they generally have their breakfast taken below to them by the cooks of their messes, and men engaged in particularly dirty work also have their dinners taken to them, otherwise they clean at the end of the forenoon's work, returning below after dinner. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Time | Is indicated on board ship by striking the ship's bell every half-hour. The rule being:- One stroke of the bell at half-past four, half-past eight, and half-past twelve, one more stroke being added for each subsequent half-hour until eight strokes of the bell, or "eight bells" are reached at four, eight and twelve. In the dog watches the same rule is followed as far as four bells, which denotes six o'clock, and then begin again, but eight o'clock is always eight bells | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Very Signal-lights | Are worked by signalmen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ship's Company Meals | The recognised meal hours are five in number, and the routine of meals is, as far as possible, as follows:- 5 A.M. to 5.35 A.M. - Lash up and stow hammocks. Issue cocoa. 8 A.M. to 8.45 A.M. - Breakfast. "Clean". Noon to 1.15 P.M. - Dinner 4.15 P.M. to 4.45 P.M. - Tea. Shift clothing 7.30 P.M. to 8 P.M. - Supper. At sea, ration of cocoa is issued to the morning watch after mustering, and to the remainder of the ship's company after hammocks have been stowed. Reliefs take their meals as follows:- Breakfast at 7.30 A.M. Relieve at 7.55 A.M. Dinner at noon. Relieve at 12.30 P.M. Tea at 3.30 P.M. Relieve at 4 P.M. Supper at 7.30 P.M. Relive at 8 P.M. Scale of Provisions. Standard Ration {Value 6d.} | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ships Company Allowances |
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In addition to the Standard Ration, an allowance of 4d per man per diem is paid monthly to the messes to cover food purchased from ship's stores or from the canteen. |
First and Third Days:- Salt port ½lb Split peas ¼lb Potatoes ½lb Celery seed ½ oz To every 8lbs of Split Peas put into the coppers Second Day:- Preserved beef 6ozs Potatoes ½lb Flour 8ozs Suet ¾oz Raisins 2ozs | Fourth Day;- Preserved mutton 6 ozs Rice 4ozs Potatoes ½lb -or- 1lb.comp. vegetables, or 2 ozs haricot beans, or 2 ozs marrowfat peas, when potatoes are not available. |