And whereas it has been proposed to us, to abolish the use of his Majesty's Union Jack in merchant ships for any purpose whatsoever, and that the Signal Jack to be hereafter worn by merchant ships should have an entire white border, being one-fifth of the breadth of the jack itself, (exclusive of such border,)—and that such jack so altered should also be in future used on board merchant vessels as a signal for a pilot, instead of the union jack at present used for that purpose under the authority of our before-mentioned warrant of the 15 November, 1822: and we having approved of the said proposal, do hereby authorize all his Majesty's subjects to hoist and use, on and after this date, on board their ships and vessels, for Signals, as well for a Pilot as otherwise, the above-mentioned signal jack with an entire white border, such border being one-fifth of the breadth of the jack itself, exclusive of the border, Given under our hands and seal of the office of Admiralty, the 7 July, 1823. MELVILLE. WM. JOHNSTONE HOPE. By command of their lordships, J. W. CROKER. (Gazette, 8 July, 1823.) Of Colours, Flag-officers and captains of the Royal Navy are forbidden to carry any other flag or pendant than that which belongs to their proper rank, except when his Majesty or any of the Royal Family are on board; or unless they shall be directed to do so by the Admiralty, or by a superior officer. When two flag-officers, carrying the same flag at the same mast-head, shall serve together, the Commander-in-chief may order either of them to carry such other flag as he shall think fit, to prevent the confusion which might otherwise be occasioned. When flag-officers shall think fit to carry their flag at the head of their boats, their ranks are to be distinguished as follows, viz.— The Admiral of the Fleet, and the Admirals of the red, white, and blue, are to carry their proper flag; the Vice-admirals of the red and blue are to carry one white ball; and the Vice-admirals of the white, one blue ball in their respective flags. Rear-admirals of the red and blue to carry two white balls, and Rear-admirals of the white two blue balls in their respective flags. The balls are to be large enough to be easily distinguished, and are to be in the upper part of the flag, and near the staff. The Commanders of his Majesty's ships are not to suffer any Foreign Ships to ride in his ports or roads with false colours; but, if they persist in doing so, (after being admonished,) they are to put the ships under arrest, and to send an account thereof to the Secretary of the Admiralty. Of Salutes to his Majesty's Ships, &c. 1. The Admiral and Commander-in-chief of the Fleet is to be saluted with seventeen guns; he is to return fifteen to all Flag-officers, and thirteen to Captains. 2. Admirals are to be saluted with fifteen guns, and Vice and Rearadmirals with thirteen. 3. Every Flag-officer is to return the salute of another flag-officer of the same rank with the same number of guns he is saluted with. 4. An Admiral is to return two guns less to a Vice or Rear-admiral, and four guns less to a Captain. A Vice-admiral is to return two guns less to a Rear-admiral, and four less to a Captain. A Rear-admiral is to return two guns less to a Captain. Commodores are to salute, and to be saluted as Rear-admirals. 5. Ships meeting a squadron, in which there are more than one flagofficer, are to salute the Commander only of such squadron, who is not to return the salute until all the ships saluting have ceased firing; he is then to make one general return by firing the number of guns with which an officer of his rank is saluted. 6. When two squadrons meet, only the officers who command them are to salute. 7. A Flag-officer appointed to command in chief shall be saluted on hoisting his flag by all the ships under his command unless a flagofficer senior to him be present; in which case they are to salute him so soon as he shall be separated from such senior officer. 8. Flag-officers are not to be saluted by other flag-officers, nor by Captains, who shall not have been separated from them six calendar months. 9. The Captain of one of his Majesty's ships is not to salute the Cap tain of another of his Majesty's ships in any part of the World. 10. Flag-ships are to return the salutes of Foreign Ships of War, in the same manner as they return the salutes of his Majesty's ships. If a Captain be saluted by a Foreign Ship of War, he is to return it with an equal number of guns. 11. MERCHANT-SHIPS, (whether belonging to his Majesty's subjects, or to those of any other nation,) are to receive, in return to their salutes, six guns less from the Admiral and Commander-in-chief of the fleet, four less from all other Flag-officers, and two less from Captains; but, when several merchant-ships salute at the same time, the officer saluted may return such a number as he shall think proper. 12. When HIS MAJESTY or any of the ROYAL FAMILY shall go ou board any of his Majesty's ships, the standard is to be hoisted at the maintop-gallant-mast head of that ship, and They are to be saluted with twenty-one guns on their going on board, and on their leaving the ship, and as much oftener as from circumstances the commanding officer shall think proper. 13. When a Nobleman, or any other person in a High Public Station, shall embark on board any of his Majesty's ships, he may be saluted on his going on board, and on his quitting the ship, with the following number of guns, viz.— 14. If any Nobleman shall visit any of his Majesty's ships, he may be saluted, on his leaving the ship, with the following number of guns, viz. But if he visit several ships of any squadron, or in the same port, he shall be saluted by only one of them. 15. If the ship of a Flag-officer anchor in any foreign port or road, he is to inform himself what salutes have been usually given or received by flag-officers of his rank of other nations, or by those of his Majesty, and he is to insist on receiving the same marks of respect. 16. If a ship, not carrying a flag, anchor in any Foreign port or road, the captain may salute the FORT with such a number of guns as may have been customary, on his receiving an assurance from the Governor that the Fort will return an equal number, but without such assurance he is never to salute. 17. If any Foreign Nobleman, Fiag-officer, or General officer, shall go on board any of his Majesty's ships, he may be saluted on his leaving the ship with such a number of guns as, from his rank and quality, may be proper. And the Captain of a Foreign Ship of War may be saluted, on his visiting one of his Majesty's ships, if such a compliment shall have been paid to the Captain of any of his Majesty's ships on visiting the ships of his Nation. 18. His Majesty's Consul or a British Factory may be saluted with eleven guns on their leaving any of his Majesty's ships which they shall visit; but this may be done only once on the arrival of a ship in any Foreign Port, and once before her departure from it. 19. None of the before-mentioned salutes are to be fired without the approbation of the Commanding officer present. 20. The Anniversary days of the Birth, Accession, and Coronation of the KING, of the Birth of the QUEEN, of the Restoration of King Charles the Second, and of the Gunpowder Treason, shall be solemnized by such of his Majesty's ships as are in Port, with such a number of guns as the Commanding officer present shall direct, not exceeding twentyone in each ship. 21. All salutes are to be fired from the guns of the upper deck. 22. His Majesty's ships are not, on any account, to salute any of his Majesty's Forts or Castles in the United Kingdom. 23. If a ship, which anchors in any Foreign port or road, shall find there a Flag-officer of the Nation to which the port belongs, the Captain may salute such Flag-officer with as many guns as he would salute a British Flag-officer of the same rank, on his being assured that his salute shall be returned, in the same manner as it would be returned to a ship of that nation. 24. Within his Majesty's Seas his ships are not, on any account, to strike their Topsails, nor take in their Flags; nor in any way to salute any Foreign Ship whatever; nor are they, in any other seas, to strike their topsails, nor take in their flags, to any Foreign ship, unless such Foreign ships shall have first struck, or shall at the same time strike, their flags and topsails to his Majesty's ships. 25. If any of his Majesty's subjects shall so far forget their duty as to attempt to pass any of his Majesty's Ships without striking their topsails, the names of the Ship and the Master, the Port to which they belong, the place from which they came, and that to which they are bound, together with Affidavits of the fact, are to be sent to the Secre 356 SHIPS' ACCOUNTS. tary of the Admiralty, in order to their being proceeded against in the Admiralty Court. 26. If any Flag-officer shall die when on actual service, his flag shall be lowered half-mast, and shall continue so until he is buried; and at his funeral the Commanding Officer present shall direct such a number of minute-guns, (not exceeding twenty-five,) as he be fired by every ship,—to begin when the corpse is put into the Sea, or may think proper, when it is put off from the ship to be carried on shore. to 27. If the Captain of one of his Majesty's ships shall die, his Pendant shall be lowered as directed in the case of the flag, and at his funeral the Commanding Officer present shall order such a number of minuteguns, (not exceeding twenty,) as he shall think proper, to be fired from the ship he commanded,-beginning as in the preceding article. If the ship be alone, the Officer succeeding to the Command is to order this to be done. 28. If the Lieutenant of one of his Majesty's ships shall die, the Commanding-Officer present shall order three vollies of Musketry to be fired at his funeral from the ship to which he belonged. No Merchant-ship is to fire guns in any Road or Port after the watch is set, if any of his Majesty's ships be there. As a very comprehensive Code of Signals for the Merchant-service has been published by Captain Marryat, R.N., and sold by Richardson, Cornhill, it is not necessary to extend this article; but it may be useful to add, that for the port of LIVERPOOL a useful little pamphlet has been arranged by the Rev. Mr. Holden. SHIPS' ACCOUNTS. BOOK-KEEPING is the art of placing Accounts in such a clear and regular manner, that the whole, or any part, of the money received and paid may, with the greatest perspicuity and readiness, be ascertained. The Ship must be made Dr. for whatever is paid, and must have Credit for whatever is received upon her account. It is recommended to every captain to keep a small rough memorandum-book, to set down the money as he lays it out, both for himself and his ship; likewise the money which he receives, lest at any time either should be forgotten: then these accounts can be entered into a larger book at leisure. By this method he can easily tell whether any thing has been omitted or not, by adding up the money paid, and taking it from the money received: if what remains be equal to the cash he has in hand, it is plain that nothing has been forgotten. The following accounts and examples will be sufficient for any voyage whatever, to render a captain's accounts and transactions concise and pleasant to himself, although they be limited to one voyage only; but if he go to any other ports before he return home and settle his accounts, these are plain enough to give him a perfect idea how to settle them for such voyages, (how long soever they may happen to be,) as in this voyage, money is disbursed and received at London, Elsinure, and Petersburg. |