CHAPTER XXXVIII.

SURVEYS.

1.

All applications for surveys shall be made to the Captain by the Officer who has charge of the articles required to be surveyed; the Captain approving of any such application shall then submit the same to the Flag Officer, or Commodore, commanding the division of the Fleet to which he may belong, who will order the survey applied for to be held except in cases to be reserved for the Commander-in-chief's particular directions; but a Captain not serving in a Fleet, or not being at the time in company with the Officer commanding the Division or Squadron to which he may belong, is to submit such application to the senior Officer present; but if there be no senior Officer, he may himself give an order for the survey to take place.

2.

Surveys on Stores of every description, and on Provisions, Clothing, &c., are to be held on the following occasions, viz.:-
When they appear to be unserviceable;
When they appear to be deficient in quantity, or defective in quality;
When the Officer who has charge of them wishes to close his account;
or when he or any other Officer has reason to suspect that the quantity of any species remaining is less than, according to the quantity expended, it ought to be; or when, by the promotion, resignation, removal, or absence of an Officer in charge, or by his being left behind from the Ship, or sent to Sick Quarters, or by his death, the charge of them is to be transferred to some other Person; or when the Ship is paid-off to be re-commissioned.

3.

All surveys on stores appertaining to the department of the Gunner, Boatswain, or Carpenter, are to be held by the Commander (where there is a Commander borne in addition to a Captain), the senior Lieutenant, and the Master, - or, where there is no Commander so borne, by the senior Lieutenant, another Lieutenant, and the Master, - of the Ship in which the stores may be for survey. In Ships commanded by Lieutenants and inferior Officers, these surveys are to be held by a Lieutenant, Master, and Warrant Officer of the department to which the articles to be surveyed may belong, of other Ships.

Surveys appertaining to the Surgeon's department are to be held by three Surgeons; or, at the discretion of the Commander-in-chief or senior Officer, by the Inspector-General, or Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets (when such an Officer is attached to the Squadron) and two Surgeons. - N.B. If among the Medicines any should be found not fit to be administered, the Surveying Officers are to see them thrown overboard.

Surveys appertaining to the Paymaster's department are to be held by the Commander (where there is a Commander borne in addition to a Captain), the Master, and Paymaster, - or where there is no Commander so borne, by the senior Lieutenant, Master, and Paymaster, - of the Ship in which the articles may be for survey.

Surveys appertaining to the Engineer's department are to be held by the Commander or senior Lieutenant as above, the Master, and Chief Engineer, of the Ship in which the articles may be for survey. Where there is an Inspector of Machinery afloat attached to the Squadron, he may, at the discretion of the Commander-in-chief or senior Officer, be substituted for a Chief Engineer on these surveys.

With reference to the foregoing, it must be observed, that in cases where the Commander-in-chief, or senior Officer, may deem it proper to order Officers of other Ships, or of other grades than those specified, upon any particular survey, he is at liberty to do so.

4.

In all cases in which it may be absolutely necessary to hold a survey either on Officers or Men, Stores or Provisions, when it may not be possible to collect the number and description of Officers required to hold such survey, the senior Officer is to direct such other number and description of Officers to hold it as the nature of the circumstances may require, substituting, as far as may be, Officers of the same class and department, instead of those whose attendance cannot be procured. The order for holding any such survey shall state the circumstances which render it impossible to obtain the attendance of the regular surveying Officers, and which also render it necessary to hold the survey before there is any likelihood of obtaining their attendance.

5.

The reports made by surveying Officers are to specify by whose order the surveys were held, and for what purpose; what were the articles ordered to be surveyed; the quantity and quality of those articles remaining on board; or the actual quantity or state of any which shall have been represented as deficient or defective; the quantity is always to he written in words at length; and if any stores complained of be found to be no longer fit for their proper use, the reports are to specify whether they be fit for any other, and for what, or whether they be no longer fit for any purpose whatsoever.

6.

Upon all occasions of provisions, stores, or ether articles being purchased, the Captain is to order the same to be surveyed, as to quantities and quality, before they shall be allowed to pass into the charge of the Officer to whose department they belong. (Certificates of these surveys are inserted in the forms of vouchers for purchases.)

7.

If any appearance of neglect shall be discovered by the surveying Officers, it is to be particularly noticed in their report, whether it be the Officer in charge of the stores, or any other person, who may have been guilty of it; but if an appearance of fraud be discovered, the surveying Officers are not only to notice it in their report, but are also to deliver to the Captain a separate report informing him of their suspicions of such fraud having been committed, and of their reasons for suspecting it.

8.

If any Officer shall wilfully sign a false report of the quantity or condition of the articles he is ordered to survey, or shall discover any fraudulent practices in the management of them, and shall not make proper mention thereof in his report, or if any person shall give a false account of stores or provisions, by which the surveying Officers may be deceived, and be led to make out an improper report, he is to be immediately suspended, and his misconduct reported to the Commander-in-chief, or to the Secretary of the Admiralty, that he may be tried by a Court-Martial, or otherwise dealt with as may be deemed proper.

9.

Whenever any partiality or injustice shall be discovered in the proceedings of the surveying Officers, the same shall be represented immediately to the Captain, whose attention to the care with which surveys of every description are held on board must always be considered by him to be of the greatest consequence to the public service.

10.

There are to be three copies of all reports of surveys, each copy signed by all the surveying Officers, and countersigned by the Captain; one of which, attached to the order for the survey, is to be delivered to the Officer in charge of the articles surveyed, to be placed with his account; one is to accompany the articles, if they are to be returned into store, or is to be delivered, if a transfer take place, to the succeeding Officer (who is always to be present at the survey if possible); and the third copy is to be transmitted by the Captain to the senior Officer present, if the survey was held by his order, otherwise to his Commander-in-chief; but if he be not under the orders of one, it is to be forwarded, by the first safe opportunity, to the Secretary of the Admiralty, for the proper department.

11.

The copy of the report delivered to the Officer who had charge of the articles surveyed is to be transmitted by him to the proper Office, with his other books and papers, when he closes his account: the copy delivered to an Officer to whom the charge of the articles is transferred is to be considered as his first charge of them, and is to be sent with his books and papers, when he closes his account; and the copy delivered to the Officer by whose order the survey was held is to be by him transmitted to the Commander-in-chief, or to the proper department, as mentioned in the preceding Article.

12.

The surveying Officers are not to direct any stores or provisions to be thrown overboard, except such as, from their state, may be prejudicial to the health of the Ship's Company; whatever they find in such a state, they are themselves, after obtaining the Captain's authority in writing, to see thrown into the sea immediately; and they are to mention in their report their having done so. All other unserviceable stores, not convertible to any use, they are to leave to be returned into store, whenever the Ship shall go to a port where there is a Storekeeper, or other Officer authorized to receive them.

13.

When any Officer belonging to one of Her Majesty's Ships employed abroad, shall be represented to a Commander-in-chief as being in such a state of health as to render him unfit for further active service on the station, the Commander-in-chief is to order three Captains, and the Surgeons of the Ships they command, - or three Captains, the Inspector-General or Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets, where there is such an Officer in the Squadron, and two Surgeons, - (assisted by the principal Medical Officer of the Naval Hospital, when his attendance can be had, and the survey takes place at the Hospital,) to survey him: and if they be satisfied that his continuing in the service in which he is employed would be attended with danger to his life, or with the risk of permanent or prolonged injury to his health, or that a change of climate is absolutely necessary to his recovery, they are to report accordingly; but if they shall discover any misrepresentation in such Officer's case, or any disposition on his part to withdraw himself unnecessarily from the service in which he is engaged, they are to report their opinion to the Commander-in-chief, that all who have concurred in such misrepresentation may be dealt with as circumstances may require.

In urgent cases, where it would be un advisable to wait to obtain the Commander-in-chief's order for a survey on an Officer, the same may be held under the direction of the senior Officer present.

Officers belonging to Ships on the Home Station, who are unfit for further active service, are to be sent to the nearest Naval Hospital with a view to their being invalided from thence.

14.

Men and Boys represented to be unfit for Her Majesty's service, are to be surveyed by the Officers mentioned in Article 13. All the particulars of the case of any Man or Boy found unserviceable are to be most fully and carefully stated in the report; and, when they are taken to a Naval Hospital for examination, timely notice is to be given to the Superintendent, or principal Medical Officer, of the intention to send them there.

15.

Three reports are to be made out (signed by the Captains and Medical Officers, and by the principal Medical Officer of the Hospital where the survey has been held) of each Commission, Subordinate, or Warrant Officer, or Marine Officer, being found incapable of continuing on the station where he is employed, or in active service, and are to be delivered by the senior Captain to the Commander-in-chief, or Officer who ordered the Survey, who is to send one report (under cover), bearing his signature of approval, to the Officer surveyed, and another copy to the Secretary of the Admiralty, - the third copy being retained by the Commander-in-chief, to whom, in the event of his not having ordered the survey himself, it is to be transmitted, by the senior Officer present, by the first favourable opportunity.

The Commission or Marine Officer is to send the report which he receives, as soon as he shall arrive in any part of the United Kingdom, also to the Admiralty; the Warrant or Subordinate Officer is to present that in his possession at the Hospital he may repair to, - or to the Captain of the Ship to which he may be discharged. The Surgeon is to send, by the first opportunity, to the Medical Director-General of the Navy, a detailed statement of the commencement and progress of the complaints for which an. Officer has been invalided.

16.

Two reports of Men and Boys surveyed are to be made out, signed, and delivered to the Commander-in-chief, or Officer who ordered the survey, as above directed; one copy is to he transmitted, by the first proper opportunity, to the Secretary of the Admiralty, and the other is to be retained by the Commander-in-chief. The reports relative to Marines afloat are to be separate from those relative to Seamen, &c.; and when Officers or Men of the Royal Marines from Head Quarters are surveyed, the reports on them (a copy of which must be transmitted, through the Commander-in-chief, to the Commandant of the Division.) are not to be included in the reports of Officers and Men of the corps employed afloat.

17.

Whenever Seamen belonging to the Const-Guard are reported as unserviceable, they are to be surveyed in the same manner as Seamen of the Fleet, but reports are to be made out for them separate from the reports of other Seamen.

18.

Officers, Seamen, Marines, and Boys, sent from Her Majesty's Ships to be surveyed, are to be accompanied by the Surgeons of the Ships in which they are borne, who are to afford the surveying Officers all the information in their power, relative to the cases of the individuals brought forward by them for examination.

Officers of Royal Marines from Head Quarters are to be surveyed at the Naval Hospital, and the Medical Officer of Marines who accompanies them to the Hospital is to sign the reports.

Marines sent from Head Quarters to be surveyed are to be accompanied by the Adjutant and a Medical Officer of Marines, both of whom are to sign the reports.

19.

Commission Officers of the Navy and Marines invalided from Foreign Stations will be examined at one o'clock on the Tuesday of each week, by the Medical Director-General, at the Admiralty, Somerset-House, and they are to appear there for that purpose as soon as possible after their arrival in England; or, if more convenient to themselves, they may, with the permission of the Medical Director-General (for which they are to make application as soon as they shall arrive) be examined at the nearest Naval Hospital on any day except Sunday.

Subordinate Officers and Assistant Engineers invalided from abroad are to be re-examined at one of the Naval Hospitals;- Warrant Officers as directed in Article 21. Should any of the above land at a port where there is no Hospital, and be unable to travel to one, they must transmit to the Secretary of the Admiralty a certificate of such inability, signed by the Captain and Surgeon of one of Her Majesty's Ships, if there be one present, or if not, by any Medical Practitioner, and when able to travel they are to proceed to the nearest Naval Hospital.

If it shall in any case appear that an Officer has been unnecessarily invalided, he will be ordered back forthwith to rejoin his Ship, and the Admiralty will take such other measures with regard to him and to the surveying Officers, as the particular case may require.

20.

Continuous service Men and Boys, when invalided, are, on arrival in England from abroad, or when brought forward at places on the home stations where there is not a Naval Hospital, to be invariably re-surveyed at the nearest establishment of that kind. Those found on such re-survey to be serviceable, are, if their Ships should be at home, to be returned to them, or, if abroad, to be sent to the Flag Ship at the port for disposal.

21.

Gunners, Boatswains, and Carpenters, immediately after being paid-off from Ships in commission, are to be brought forward for survey by the Captain of the Reserve, or the Captain of the Gunnery Depot Ship, to which they may have been discharged, with a view of ascertaining whether they are still fit for sea duty, or fit for harbour duty only (permanently or temporarily), or unfit for any further service. Such survey is to be held, under the order of the Commander-in chief, by the Superintendent of the Dock-yard, a Senior Captain, and the Officer in charge of the Reserve, assisted by the Surgeon of the Reserve Guard Ship, and two other Surgeons of Ships in commission. The same course is to be followed with the above-mentioned Warrant Officers becoming incapacitated either for sea duty, or for harbour duty, as the case may be, by infirmity, accident, or disease, while serving in the Reserve; and also with those who may be invalided, or sent home from abroad. The result of the survey is to be reported in the form given in the Appendix, and the surveying Officers are to take care that every column therein be filled up with scrupulous accuracy. The information required in the column headed "Extract from Captain's certificate in each Ship," must be very fully and correctly given, as the amount of pension to those who are unfit for further service, and the advancement of such as are reported to be fit for sea duty, will most materially depend upon the characters they have received from their respective Captains. Separate reports, in duplicate, are to be made out for each Warrant Officer surveyed, and transmitted to the Commander-in-chief, - one copy being for the Admiralty, the other for the Reserve Guardship or Gunnery Depot to which the Warrant Officer belongs, or to which he may be discharged.

Warrant Officers in Hospital at home, who may be considered by the principal Medical Officer of the establishment unfit for any further service, may, in special cases where it would be inconvenient to discharge them to the Reserve, be surveyed at the Hospital as directed in Article 13; and when this is done, they need not be re-surveyed before the Superintendent of the Dock-yard; but the Surveying Officers in such cases are, instead of the usual reports on an Officer, to transmit those before referred to. And whenever a Warrant Officer may be discharged from the Hospital to the Reserve for survey, a certificate is to be delivered to him setting forth how long he has been in Hospital, the nature of his case, and the opinion of the Medical Officers as to its curability or otherwise, which certificate is to be appended to the original report, on the Warrant Officer being surveyed.