The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-08 00:00:00

SYSTEM OF WEEKLY AND MONTHLY RETURNS,

Weekly Returns.—Using the forms that will be'trans
mitted to 3ani for this purpose by the storekeeper-gene-
ral, you will direct each leading man to prepare, in his
own handwriting, a weekly return of the conduct of the
men composing his gang, which he will hand over on the
Monday morning to his inspector, stating in it, on the
one hand, any causes of complaint that he may see rea-
son to make against the men for waste of stores, neglect
of work, insubordination, or insobriety; and on the other,
his opinion of their respective merits.
Inspector's Report to Foreman once a Fortnight.—The
inspector to make these returns once a fortnight to the
foreman of the !, and under whom he is more immediately
serving, aecempanied by remarks elso in his own hand-
ariting, and stating whethsr. in his judernent, the lead
ing we n had done their duty sitisfactorily; and the fore-
men whose business it is to make themselves personalty
wept kinted with the character and conduct of all who
a ork under them will, in like manner, transmit the
inspector's reports and returns on the, Ist of every month
stating how far their own
to the master shipwright.
opinion confirms the character given of the gangs by the
leading men and inspectors.
Both the foremen and inspectors will include in these
returns the singla station men placed tender their orders,
who, with the artificers, form the class out of which the
leading men are to be selected. Other single station
men are to be reported upon in like manner by the offia r
under whose immediate orders they are serving.
Caro must be taken not to permit these returns to
lapse into a matter of form. The superior shipwright
effic.rs must investigate them closely at the end of every
month, and the inferior officers and leading men will he
noted at the Admiralty, according to the ability dis-
played in them.
Mode of Recommending for Promotion as Leading
Men.a-•It is their Lordships' intention that the weekly
return made originally by the leading man should pass
on to the master shipwright, with the remarks of the
inspectors and foremen attached to it; and whenever a
vacancy for a leading man occurs, the.ster shipvvright,
with his assistants, will lay before the superintendent
tl e three names which they recommend for promotion,
stating in writing the grounds of their recommendation,
and producing the returns upon which it is founded.
It is the duty of the superintendent to investigate closely
these returns and recommendations, and if he see reason
to suppose that they have not been prepared with per-
fect impartiality, to report the same to the Admiralty.
Examination.—He will also direct the candidates to
be examined in his presence by the master shipwright
and his assistants, in those matters which are essential
to the proper performance of their duties ; for my
Lords are convinced that no man can exercise a moral
power over others who is not superior to them in ac-
quirements; and they are consequently most desirous
that officers, even of the lowest grad.,, should possess a
professional knowledge above that of the workmen.
Qualifications of a Leading Man.—To be a leading
man an artificer should, in addition to a thorough prac-
tical knowledge of his trade, be able to write a legible
hand; he should understand arithmetic, as far as vulgar
and decimal fractions; and he should be well acquainted
with the details of forming and combining the different
parts of a ship, and the various methods used in trim •
ming and fastening them. Upon all these points the
superintendent will draw up a report, which he will
transmit to the Admiralty, with the origesterinal doshipcumewrightnts
annexed to it, submitted to him by the En
and having reduced the list of candidates to two, by
omitting the one he thinks least qualified, one of the
names thus sent up will be appointed by board order to
fill the vacancy.
Promotion from Leading Men to
Inspector.—Monthly
Report of Foremen on Conduct of Inspectors and Leading
Men.—My Lords regard it as the peculiar dutofy the
master shipwright, his assistants, and the foremen of the
yard, to watch over the conduct of the leading men and
the inspectors, and they desire that on the Ist of every
month the foreman will prepare a report upon the
hem effi-
ciency or inefficiency of the officers serving under t,,
which is tee be kept in the master shipwrights e
have.
stating any grounds of complaint that they may
against them, and any pereieular cause of
a greatr r
,uch as the increased efficiency of labour.
satisfaction,
economy in the use of stores, or
stance which they may think conducive to thbeie better
sny other cae-
conduct of the week for which they are responsil
Repsrte of Foremen on Officers to be se e. t C:4_tittr:
terly to the Admiralty, Originals not C.opelses•wh-'i3
Lords intend to see these reports themselves,
s of the
are to be sent up quart( sly, with the re.tetairie
promo
master shipwriuht attached to them, and
ton of foreman to the rank of ress,on
shimipwright's
assistants will depend very much u;sotielst ; p
thus given to their intelligence and capsell):••
When a
Mode of Recommending for an inspectorah
vacancy for an inspector occurs, the masterlPs.bilThrright
will select from the leading men, and from the mould
loft, the names of the individuals whom he thinks most
competent to fill it, and submit them tot iee supe.ri.r.iterident
with the reports of the foreman, upon which his recom-
mendation is founded. The superintendent, in addition to i
these, will call for the reports made by the inspectors to I
he
foremen, and pay particular attention to the retinfircn.atsric-,
pared by the leading men, as well as the qii!l t 't e.
of the draughtarne n who are put in nomination, as
these ought to furnish proof of their seal and intelligence
as subordinates; and having satisfied his own mind as to
the fitness of the individuals submitted tee him for the
office of inspector, and as to the fairness with which they
have been selected, he will, as in the case of the leading
men, direct them to be examined, in his presence, by the
master shipwright and his assistants.
Qualification of an Inspector. -Tobe an inspector a
man should write well; he should understand arithmetic
as far as vulgar and decimal fractions, and be able to
measure plane surfaces and cubes. Ile should likewise
understand laying off ships on the mould floor, and the
details of forming and combining the different parts of
ships, the various modes of fastening them, and the cor-
rect method of taking account of work.
Report of Superintendent.—The superintendent will
advert to all these points in his report, stating his own
opinion of the capacity of the candidates; and having
reduced the number to two by striking off the name
of
that candidate whom he thinks least qualified. One of
the two names thus sent up will be selected to fill the
vacancy.
Pay and Duties of Inspectors.—My Lords having
taken into consideration the case of the inspectors, are
of opinion that they have a just ground of complaint in
the smallness of their salary, and in the slowness and
uncertainty of their promotion. They wish to see their
inspectors take their proper place, as a class of intern-
gent and independent officers, upon whose exertion the
discipline of the yard mainly depends, and who have it
in their power to repay the public a hundredfold for any
encouragement that may be given them, by increased
vigilance in the discharge of their duties.
Increase of Salary for Year beginning April 1, 1847.—
My Lords, therefore, have determined to make provi-
sions in the next estimates for increasing the salaries of
inspectors from 1001. to 1251., for the year beginning the
Ist April, 1847 ; and they are also prepared to recom-
mend that, on the Ist of April, 1848, a first class of
inspectors shall be formed with a salary of 1501., which
is to be composed of one-fourth of the inspectors in each
yard, whose names they will themselves select in the
first week of April, 1848, rifler a careful examination of
the quarterly reports made during the preceding twelve
months by the foremen and master shipwrights. My
Lords reserve the right of satisfying themselves by
personal inquiries, or in any other way that they
think proper, as to the intelligence and services-o'tutinY
hr
individuals to be thus selected. They will beguided
principally by the proofs which their
their superior officers may :tfferd of their
. and capacity ; but they will in all cases seek the advice
own
zeal,
1, reports
firmness. te
• and concurrence of the superintendent before their cl'.oic,2
is finally notified.