rce them.

Very respectfully,
GIDEON WELLES,
_Secretary of the Navy._

Commander H.A. WISE, U.S.N.
_Chief of Bureau of Ordnance._

CHAPTER I.

GENERAL DUTIES OF OFFICERS

IN RELATION TO ORDNANCE AND GUNNERY, AND TO MILITARY EQUIPMENTS AND
EXERCISES.

CAPTAIN.

1. THE CAPTAIN OR COMMANDING OFFICER will be careful to require that
all the Ordnance Instructions are strictly enforced on board the
vessel under his command; and although particular duties are assigned,
and various instructions given to the other officers of the vessel,
yet he is to see that the duties are performed, and the instructions
obeyed, by the officers to whom they are respectively addressed.

2. As soon as the crew is received on board the vessel, he shall cause
a fire-bill to be prepared, the crew shown their stations, and see
that they are duly stationed at quarters for battle (_See_ Articles 78
to 103), and exercised at general quarters, and by divisions,
particularly the powder division (_See_ Articles 180 to 201), until
each officer and man is thoroughly instructed in his duties; after
which the exercises are to be frequent during the cruise. Exercises
which are short and spirited are preferable to those which are long
and fatiguing. Distinctions and indulgences to those who excel are
recommended.

When the men have become well acquainted with their duties at the
guns, and in passing powder, or when the general duties of the ship
are unusually fatiguing, the divisional exercises may be confined to
those belonging to one watch. It is directed that, unless bad weather
prevent, Monday of each week be set apart for general quarters.

3. He will, at least once in two months for the first year of the
cruise, and once in three months for the remainder thereof, assemble
the crew at quarters in the night, without any previous intimation of
his intention to do so, and have a general exercise. He will inspect
the ship throughout, and cause an entry to be made in the log-book of
the length of time required between the beginning of the call to
quarters and the complete preparation for commencing action; also,
when every gun is ready for a second fire.

4. In order to ascertain whether the equipments are complete and their
uses understood, as soon after the ship has been commissioned as
circumstances will permit, he will cause at least one round to be
fired, with shot or shell, ac