Dec. 13.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1887

NATURE AND LENGTH OF SEA SERVICE REQUIRED, AND SUBJECTS OF EXAMINATION FOR CERTIFICATES OF COMPETENCY.

General Rules.

48. All candidates must pass the tests in colour-vision before they can be examined for any certificate of competency.

49. No candidate will be allowed to be examined for any grade of certificate unless he has served at sea, either in the home, coasting, or foreign trade, two years within the last six years, of which six months must have been served within the last three years immediately preceding the date of his application to be examined.

50. A candidate for an ordinary certificate of any grade who has not previously held an ordinary certificate of a lower grade must prove that he has served twelve months in the foreign trade, or eighteen months in the home or coasting trade, in a square-rigged sailing-vessel within the last five years.

51. Where foreign-going certificates are required to be held to qualify candidates for examination (see pars. 57, 60, and 82), they may be either the ordinary certificates or those for fore-and-aft-rigged vessels or for foreign-going steamships.

Ordinary Certificates of Competency for a “Foreign-going Ship.”

52. Ordinary certificates will entitle the holders to go to sea as mates or masters of any vessels, sailing or steam.

53. SECOND MATE.—A candidate must be not less than seventeen years of age, and must have served four years at sea.

54. Examination in Navigation, &c.—He must write a legible hand and spell correctly, and will be required to give in writing (vide also supplementary vivâ voce test, pars. 164 to 167) definitions of various astronomical and other terms used in navigation. He must have a competent knowledge of the first five rules of arithmetic, and the use of logarithms. He must be able to work a day’s work complete, correcting the courses for deviation, leeway, and variation. He will be required to find the latitude by meridian altitude of the sun, and the difference of longitude from a given departure by parallel sailing; also to find the course and distance from one position to another by Mercator’s method. He will be required to find the time of high water at a given port, to observe and calculate the amplitude of the sun, and to find the error of the ship’s compass therefrom, and also the deviation, the variation being given. He must be able to find the daily rate of the chronometer from error observed, and to find the longitude from altitude of the sun by the usual methods. He must understand the use of the sextant, with its adjustments, and be able to observe with it, find the index error by the horizon, and read off and on the arc. He must also pass a satisfactory examination in the International Code of Signals.

55. Examination in Seamanship, &c.—He must give satisfactory answers as to the standing and running rigging of ships; as to bending, unbending, setting, reefing, taking in, and furling sail; as to sending masts and yards up and down, &c., &c.; as to the management of a ship when under canvas; of a ship’s boat in heavy weather; and as to dunnaging and stowing cargo, &c. He must have a thorough knowledge of the rule of the road as regards both steamers and sailing-vessels, their regulation lights, and fog and sound signals, and be able to describe the signals of distress, and the signals to be made by ships wanting a pilot, and the liabilities and penalties incurred by the misuse of these signals. He must be able to mark and use the lead- and log-lines. He must also understand the use and management of the rocket apparatus in the event of his vessel being stranded, and other questions of a like nature, appertaining to the duties of the second mate of a ship, which the Examiner may think necessary to put to him. He will also be required to give satisfactory answers as to his knowledge of the additional subjects (applying more particularly to steamships) which are specified in the rules of examination for second mates’ certificates of competency for foreign-going steamships.

56. ONLY MATE.—A candidate must be not less than nineteen years of age, and have served five years at sea.

57. FIRST MATE.—A candidate must be not less than nineteen years of age, and have served five years at sea, of which

(a.) One year must have been in a capacity not lower than fourth mate of a foreign-going vessel whilst holding a second mate’s certificate for foreign-going vessels;

If his service was as third or fourth mate, proof will be required that he had during the whole year charge of a watch (see par. 34);

(b.) Or one year and a half must have been in a capacity not lower than only mate in a home-trade or coasting vessel whilst holding a second mate’s certificate for foreign-going vessels, or a mate’s certificate for Home-trade passenger-ships;

(c.) Or one year must have been as pilot with a first-class pilot’s certificate (see par. 35).

58. Examination in Navigation.—In addition to the only qualifications required for a second mate, an only and first mate must be able to find the true bearing of the sun and the error of the ship’s compass from an observed azimuth of the sun, both from an altitude and also from the “Time Azimuth Tables,” and with the variation given compute the deviation; to find the latitude from a single altitude of the sun off the meridian, and be able to use and adjust the sextant, and to find the index error by the sun; also to ascertain the true bearing of the sun, &c., and the ship’s position, by Sumner’s method by projection. He must also be conversant with the use of Mercator’s Chart, and be able to find, on either a “true” or “magnetic” chart, the course to steer and the distance from one given position to another; and find the ship’s position on the chart from cross bearings of two objects; from two bearings of the same object, the course and distance run between taking the bearings being given; and the distance of ship from the object at the time of taking the second bearing. He must also understand how to keep a ship’s log-book. He will also be required to answer certain questions, in writing (and orally), relative to cyclones or revolving storms.

59. Examination in Seamanship, &c.—In addition to the qualifications required for a second mate, an only and first mate will be required to show a more extensive knowledge of seamanship, as to shifting large spars, rigging sheers, taking lower masts in and out, how to moor and unmoor ships, and to keep a clear anchor; to carry out an anchor; how to manage a ship in stormy weather; how to cast a ship on a lee shore; how to secure the masts in the event of accident to the bowsprit; and how to rig purchases for getting heavy weights, anchors, machinery, &c., in and out. He must give satisfactory answers as to the ventilation of holds and the stowage of explosives. He must also know how to rig a sea anchor, and what means to apply to keep a vessel disabled or unmanageable out of the trough of the sea, and lessen her lee-drift; how to get cast of deep-sea lead in heavy weather; and answer any other questions appertaining to the duties of an only and first mate of a ship which the Examiner may think necessary to put to him. He will also be required to give satisfactory answers as to his knowledge of the additional subjects (applying more particularly to steamships) which are specified in the rules of examination for only and first mates’ certificates of competency for foreign-going steamships.

60. MASTER.—A candidate must be not less than twenty-one years of age, and

(a.) He must have served six years at sea, of which one year must have been in a capacity not lower than only mate of a foreign-going vessel whilst holding a certificate not lower than an only mate’s certificate for foreign-going vessels, and, unless this service as officer was performed whilst holding a first mate’s certificate for foreign-going vessels, he will also be required to prove the officer’s service prescribed for that grade (par. 57);

(b.) Or, he must have served six years at sea, of which one year and a half must have been in a capacity not lower than only mate of a home-trade or coasting vessel whilst holding a certificate not lower than an only mate’s certificate for foreign-going vessels, and, unless this service as officer was performed whilst holding a first mate’s certificate for foreign-going vessels, he will also be required to prove the officer’s service prescribed for that grade (par. 57);

(c.) Or, he must have served six and a half years at sea, one year of which must have been in a capacity not lower than second mate of a foreign-going vessel whilst holding a first mate’s certificate for foreign-going vessels, and one year and a half not lower than third or fourth mate of a foreign-going vessel in charge of a watch whilst holding a second mate’s certificate for foreign-going vessels;

(d.) Or, he must have served nine years at sea in the home or coasting trade; of which three years must have been as master, or one year as master and three years in a capacity not lower than that of mate, provided that, in either case, he has served in such capacity for not less than one year with a second mate’s certificate for foreign-going vessels or a master’s certificate for home-trade passenger-ships.

61. Examination in Navigation.—In addition to the qualifications required for a second, only, and first mate, a master must be able to compute the latitude from the meridian altitude of a star, &c. He must be able to find the magnetic bearing from equidistant compass bearings of any fixed object