CAB11-57-11 — Page 99

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CHAPTER VI (ii).

109

papers are to be examined. Should the papers prove to be correct, and their

examination remove all doubt from the mind of the examining officer, the examination steamer will signal her as friendly, and the vessel can then be allowed to proceed.

Should the examination of the ship's papers fail to allay suspicions, a search must be instituted, and the nature of the cargo ascertained as far as possible, and compared with the manifest. The vessel should be anchored in the examination ground, and the examination steamer will signal to the examination battery that the vessel is undergoing search. If the search is satisfactory the vessel can be allowed to proceed, and the examination steamer will signal to the examination battery that she is a friendly vessel. Should the search fail to remove, or strengthen previous suspicions, the case should be reported to the examination battery and to the Chief Examining Officer.

At ports where the army is responsible for the regulation of traffic the Officer Commanding the examination battery will transmit the report to the military officer in command, and at ports where the navy is responsible the Chief Examining Officer will forward it to the Senior Naval Officer. Until instructions are received from the officer to whom the case is reported. a suspicious vessel should be directed to remain on the examination ground, and be warned that she will not be permitted to enter or leave the port without further orders.

5. Should a vessel fail to "bring to" when ordered by signal or by a gun fired by the examination steamer, the latter will at once signal the examination battery to bring her to. Should the vessel "bring to" after the examination battery has warned her by shot to do so, the same procedure as in instruction 4 should be carried out.

6. All men-of-war flying the colours of, or recognized as belonging to, the enemy, should be at once signalled as hostile. Any vessel approaching at speed that shall not only disobey the signal to her to "bring to," but use hostilities towards the examination steamer either by trying to run her down or by firing at her with rifle or revolver, or by any other means (it is unlikely that a vessel attempting to rush a port with hostile intent would proclaim her character by firing guns) should be signalled as

(5 hostile."

Vessels approaching the port with no lights showing, that refuse to stop when ordered, should be signalled as "hostile."

7. Each examining officer is to keep a record of all vessels communicated with by the examination steamer of which he is in charge during the time she is on duty, showing the names of the vessels and the times at which they were passed in or otherwise dealt with. All special circumstances to be entered.

8. The personnel of the examination steamers should include three men who are efficient in the working of signals.

(d.) Special Instructions for Examination Battery.

1. The officer in charge will satisfy himself on taking over that the special stores connected with the examination service are available and in good order, and in the event of there being deficiencies or defects, he will immediately report the same.

2. The guns are to be kept always ready for immediate action, the detachments being close at hand, and a sentry posted in the emplacements. A few rounds of blank charges and plugged shell should be kept available near the gun detailed to "bring to" vessels, but separate from the service ammunition, so that there is no danger of confusing them by day or night.

3. The officer in charge is responsible that two look-out men, one of whom should be a signaller, are constantly kept posted to keep a watch on the examination steamer, and that a sufficient number of men to furnish reliefs for this duty, and also the officer or non-commissioned officer next in seniority to himself, know the position of the examination line. The examination battery should have a sufficient number of signallers to admit of at least one being on duty day and night.

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