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officer actually commanding a small vessel of war, two parts; which We hereby direct shall be the proportion in which they shall respectively share; commodores of the second class and field officers of marines, or of land forces serving as marines, doing duty as field officers, above the rank of major, to share as captains; and field officers of marines, or of land forces serving as marines, and doing duty in the rank of major, to share as commanders of sloops.
And we further direct, that after provision shall thus have been made for the flag share (if any) and for the portion of the commanding officer or officers, and others, as above specified, the remainder of the net proceeds shall be distributed in ten classes, so that each officer, man, and boy, composing the rest of the complements of Our ships, sloops, and vessels of war, and actually on board at the time of any such capture, and every person present and assisting, shall receive shares or a share according to his class, as set forth in the following scale :---
First Class.--Master of the fleet, inspector of steam machinery afloat, when embarked with a fleet, medical inspector, or deputy medical inspector, when embarked with a fleet, forty-five shares each.
Second Class.-Senior lieutenants of a rated ship, not bearing a commander, under the captain, se- cretary to the admiral of the fleet or admiral commanding in chief:-Thirty-five shares each.
Third Class.-Sea lieutenant, master, captain of marines, of marine artillery, or of land forces do- ing duty as marines, whether having higher brevet rank or not, secretary to an admiral, or to a com- modore of the first class, not commanding in chief, chief engineer:-Twenty-eight shares each.
Fourth Class.-Lieutenant or quartermaster of marines, lieutenant of marine artillery, lieutenant, quartermaster, or ensign, of land forces doing duty as marines, secretary to a commodore of the se- cond class, chaplain, surgeon, paymaster, naval instructor, mate, assistant-surgeon, second master, clerk in charge, passed clerk, assistant engineer, gunner, boatswain, carpenter :-Eighteen shares each. Fifth Class.--Midshipman, master's assistant pilot, clerk (not passed,) master-at-arms, chief gun- ner's mate, chief boatswain's mate, chief carpenter's mate, chief captain of the forecastle, admiral's coxswain, chief quartermaster, seaman's schoolmaster, ship's steward, ship's cook :-Ten shares each. Sixth Class.--Naval cadets, clerk's assistant, captain's coxswain, ship's corporal, quartermaster, gunner's mate, boatswain's mate, captain of the forecastle, captain of the afterguard, captain of the hold, captain of the maintop, captain of the foretop, coxswain of the launch, sailmaker, ropemaker, caulker, leading stoker, blacksmith, serjeant of marines, of marine artillery, or of land forces doing duty as' marines :-Nine shares each.
Seventh Class.-Captain of the mast, captain of the mizentop, yeoman of the signals, coxswain of the barge, coxswain of the pinnace, coxswain of the cutter, second captain of the forecastle, second captain of the maintop, second captain of the foretop, second captain of the afterguard, sailmaker's mate, caulker's mate, musician, cooper, armourer, corporal of marines or of land forces doing duty as marines, bombardier of marine artillery, head krooman :-Six shares each.
Eight Class.-Leading seamen, shipwright, second captain of the hold, able seaman, carpenter's crew, sailmaker's crew, cooper's crew, armourer's crew, yeoman of the store rooms, steward's assist- ant, ordinary seaman, blacksmith's mate, private and fifer of marines, or of land forces doing duty as marines, gunner of marine artillery, painter, stoker, coal trimmer, second head krooman, sick berth attendant, bandsman, tailor, butcher:-Three shares each,
Ninth Class.-Cook's mate, ship's steward's boy, admiral's domestic, superintendent's domestic, admiral's steward and cook, captain's steward and cook, ward-room and gun-room steward and cook, subordinate officers' steward and cook, commander's servant, secretary's servant, second class ordina- ry seaman, assistant stoker, barber, boy of the first class, first and second class krooman, supernum- eraries, except as hereinafter provided, persons borne merely as passengers, and not declining to render assistance on occasion of capture:-Two shares each.
Tenth Class.-Boy below first class :-One share.
'All supernumeraries holding ranks in the service above the ranks or ratings specified in the fifth class of this Our Proclamation, who have been ordered to do duty in any of our ships or vessels, by the Lord High Admiral, or by our Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral, by the senior officer of the fleet or squadron, or if none senior, then by the captain or commanding officer of the capturing ship or vessel, if not by special authority employed in higher capacities, shall share according to the rank which they respectively hold in the service; but in all cases to qualify them for so sharing, and not merely as supernumeraries in the ninth class, due notation of their be- ing thus respectively ordered to do duty must have been made on the muster books.
And with respect to supernumeraries of ratings in the service, below the denominations of those specified in the fourth class of this, Our Proclamation, and who at full victuals are engaged in the ordinary duties of the ship, it is Our will and pleasure that they shall always share according to the ratings which they bear in the service.
And, in order that Our Royal intentions herein may be duly carried into effect, We further direct that when any capture is made from the enemy, the captains or commanding officers of Our ships or vessels of war making the same shall transmit, or cause to be transmitted, as soon as may be, to the Secretary to the Admiralty, a true and perfect list of all the officers, seamen, and marines, soldiers and others, who were actually on board on the occasion, accompanied by a separate list, containing the names of those belonging to the crew who were absent on duty or otherwise at the time, specify- ing the cause of such absence, each list to contain the quality of the service of each person, together with the respective descriptions of men, taken from the description book of the ship or vessel, and their several ratings, to be subscribed by the captain or commanding officer, and three or four more of the chief officers on board.
And when the list of those actually on board, and the separate list of persons absent, though be- longing to the ship or vessel, shall have been verified, on examination with the muster books lodged as official records, the Accountant-General of Our Navy shall, upon request, grant to the agent or