Duties on ship

[Guest Endron]

Just wondering what the role of 'second mate' was. Above or below deck?

.Also I have a shoulder flash RN Transport. Is this merchant navy?

Endron

[ian turner]

Endron,

Second Mate is a Merchant Marine rank. The captain of the ship is the Master, Chief Officer (first mate) comes next, and then, I think, second mate. As such this would entail duties all over the vessel, above and below deck, but not necessarily in the engine room, which would be the province of the chief engineer.

RN Transport sounds like Royal Naval Transport.

Ian

[joseph]

Endron,

Second Mate in a Foreign going passenger ship is normally 3rd in Command and takes charge of the ship whilst underway from the bridge.

The qualifications required :--

A SECOND MATE must be seventeen years of age, and must have been four years at sea.

IN NAVIGATION.-He must write a legible hand and understand the first five rules of arithmetic, and the use of logarithms. He must be able to work a day’s work complete, including bearings and distance of the port he is bound to, by Merator’s method; to correct the sun’s declination for longitude, and find his latitude by meridian altitude of the sun; and to work such other easy problems of a like nature as may be put to him. He must understand the use of the sextant, and be able to observe with it, and read off the arc.

IN SEAMANSHIP.–He must give satisfactory answers as to the rigging and unrigging of ships, stowing of holds; must understand the measurement of the log-line, glass, and lead-line; be conversant with the rule of the road, as regards both steamers and sailing-vessels, and the lights and fog signals carried by them, and will also be examined as to this acquaintance, with ‘the Commercial Code of Signals for the use of all Nations.’

Regards Charles

[Milner]

Charles

I don't want to highjack someone elses topic, but do you have a description of a 1st mates qualifications. My grandfather was a 1st mate and one of his brothers a master.

regards Phil

[joseph]

Phil,

Only Mate.

An ONLY MATE must be nineteen years of age, and have been five years at sea.

IN NAVIGATION.–In addition to the qualifications required for a Second Mate, an Only Mate must be able to observe and calculate the amplitude of the sun, and deduce the variation of the compass therefrom, and be able to find the longitude by chronometer by the usual methods. He must know how to lay off the place of the ship on the chart, both by bearings of known objects, and by latitude and longitude. He must be able to determine the error of a sextant, and to adjust it, also to find the time of high water from the known time at full and change.

IN SEAMANSHIP.–In addition to what is required for a Second Mate, he must know how to moor and unmoor, and to keep a clear anchor; to carry out an anchor; to stew a hold; and to make the requisite entries in the ship’s log. He will also be questioned as to his knowledge of the use and management of the mortar and rocket lines in the case of the stranding of a vessel, as explained in the official log-book.

First Mate.

A FIRST MATE must be nineteen years of age, and have served five years at sea, of which one year must have been as either Second or Only Mate, or as both.

Foreign-going Ship.

IN NAVIGATION.-In addition to the qualifications required for an Only Mate, he must be able to observe azimuths and compute the variation; to compare chronometers and keep their rates, and find the longitude by them from an observation of the sun; to work the latitude by single altitude of the sun off the meridian; and be able to use and adjust the sextant by the sun.

IN SEAMANSHIP.-In addition to the qualification required for an Only Mate, a more extensive knowledge of seamanship will be required, as to shifting large spars and sails, managing a ship in stormy weather, taking in and making sail, shifting yards and masts, &c., and getting heavy weights, anchors, &c., in and out; casting a ship on a lee-shore; and securing the masts in the event of accident to the bowsprit.

Hope this helps.

Regards Charles

[Milner]

Wonderful, thanks, that has given me a lot more insight into how skilled he was to manage a ship on the high sea's.

regards

Phil

[Guest Endron]

Endron,

Second Mate in a Foreign going passenger ship is normally 3rd in Command and takes charge of the ship whilst underway from the bridge.

The qualifications required :--

A SECOND MATE must be seventeen years of age, and must have been four years at sea.

IN NAVIGATION.-He must write a legible hand and understand the first five rules of arithmetic, and the use of logarithms. He must be able to work a day’s work complete, including bearings and distance of the port he is bound to, by Merator’s method; to correct the sun’s declination for longitude, and find his latitude by meridian altitude of the sun; and to work such other easy problems of a like nature as may be put to him. He must understand the use of the sextant, and be able to observe with it, and read off the arc.

IN SEAMANSHIP.–He must give satisfactory answers as to the rigging and unrigging of ships, stowing of holds; must understand the measurement of the log-line, glass, and lead-line; be conversant with the rule of the road, as regards both steamers and sailing-vessels, and the lights and fog signals carried by them, and will also be examined as to this acquaintance, with ‘the Commercial Code of Signals for the use of all Nations.’

Regards Charles

Thanks Charles and Ian,gives me a better picture.

Endron