ls to be filled, or their fuzes to be
shifted or shortened, without his order; and whenever these operations
are to be performed, he will see that a suitable and properly secured
place, not in the shell-room, and as far from the magazine as
convenient, is selected for the purpose. On such occasions the fires
and lights are to be extinguished, and also the further precautions
are to be observed, as to the manner of performing the work, contained
in the directions for filling and emptying shells. (_See_ Chap. I.,
Part III.)

18. He is not to dismount, strike below, or otherwise render unfit for
immediate use, any of the guns on board the ship he commands, except
imperative necessity should require it for the safety of the vessel.
The particular circumstances of such necessity are to be immediately
entered at large in the log, and information is to be given to the
Commander 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 a