A Gunner Aboard the "Yankee" Part 33

LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER.--A silver foul anchor with a silver oak leaf at either end. Two stripes of half-inch gold lace with a quarter-inch stripe between.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LIEUTENANT.]

Silver foul anchor with two silver bars at either side. Two stripes of gold lace one-half inch wide on sleeves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LIEUTENANT--JUNIOR GRADE.]

Silver foul anchor with one silver bar at either side. Two stripes of gold lace, half and quarter-inch, on sleeves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ENSIGN.]

A gold foul anchor on collar or shoulder-knot and one stripe of gold lace on sleeves.

THE COMMISSIONED CORPS.

The commissioned corps' devices are subst.i.tuted for the anchor by staff officers, who wear the same rank devices as are prescribed for line officers with whom they have relative rank.

THE PAY CORPS.--A silver oak sprig and a narrow band of white cloth above and below the gold lace on sleeves.

THE MEDICAL CORPS.--A spread oak leaf of gold with an acorn of silver, and a band of dark maroon velvet above and below the gold lace on sleeves.

THE ENGINEER CORPS.--Four silver oak leaves, and a band of red cloth above and below the gold lace on sleeves.

PETTY OFFICERS' RATING MARKS.

All petty officers wear a rating device on the sleeve of the outer garment above the elbow. If they belong to the starboard watch the mark will be sewed on the right sleeve; if the port, on the left.

[Ill.u.s.tration: QUARTERMASTER.]

The petty officers' device always has a spread eagle above it. The specialty mark indicating to which department he belongs is just below in the angle formed by the chevrons. The chevrons indicate the cla.s.s.

Three chevrons, first cla.s.s; two, second cla.s.s, and so on. The chief petty officers have an arch of the same cloth connecting the two ends of the top chevron.

The specialty marks are as follows:

[Ill.u.s.tration: MASTER-AT-ARMS.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: GUNNER'S MATES.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SEAMAN GUNNER.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHIEF YEOMAN.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: APOTHECARY.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: YEOMAN--1ST, 2D, AND 3D CLa.s.s.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: s.h.i.+P'S PRINTER OR SCHOOLMASTER.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BANDMASTER.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MACHINISTS, BOILER-MAKERS, WATER-TENDERS, COPPERSMITHS, AND OILERS.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CARPENTER'S MATES, PLUMBERS, AND PAINTERS.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BLACKSMITH.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOATSWAIN'S MATES AND c.o.xSWAINS.]

The seaman cla.s.s is indicated by the rows of braid on the cuffs.

Seamen, first cla.s.s or able-bodied seamen, have three rows of braid.

Seamen, second cla.s.s or ordinary seamen, have two rows of braid.

Seamen, third cla.s.s or landsmen, have one row of braid.

The watch mark for the enlisted men not petty officers consists of a stripe of braid on the sleeve close to the shoulder. For the seaman, white on blue clothes, blue on white clothes.

For the engineer force, red on both white and blue clothes.

The watch mark indicates the watch of which the wearer is a member. The starboard men wear it on the right arm, and the port men on the left.

TAKING SOUNDINGS.

HEAVING THE LEAD.

The man using the "lead line" (as the sounding-line weighted with lead is called) stands on a grating that projects over the side. This is placed near enough so that the steersman can hear the man who "heaves the lead" when he calls out the number of fathoms of water. This he tells by the marks on the "lead line" as follows:

2 fathoms, twelve feet, 2 strips of leather.

3 " 3 strips of leather.

5 " white rag.

7 " red rag.

10 " leather with hole in it.

13 " 3 strips of leather or blue rag.

15 " white rag.

17 " red rag.

20 " 2 knots.

25 " 1 knot.

30 " 3 knots.

35 " 1 knot.

40 " 4 knots.

9 " are called mark.

11 " " " deeps.

The leadsman stands on his little grating and swings the lead so it just clears the water. When it is swinging well he lets it fly in the direction in which the s.h.i.+p is moving and then notes the depth by the strips of leather or rags. The result is shouted out so the steersman can hear and keep the vessel in the channel.

THE BOATSWAIN'S CALLS.