Warrant Officers

Encyclopedia Appendix D - Warrant Officers
'''Warrant Officers are the officers that allow the ship to be run properly, economically, safely, and in battle. The name of these offices comes from the fact that they all hold a Warrant from any of the various offices or Boards of the Navy. These officers usually report directly to the first Lieutenant and/or Captain. These officers cannot control the crew in general (the exception to this is Gunners. On smaller warships - i.e. brigs and down - they would sometimes be asked to stand a watch due to the lack of watch standing officers on board), though they usually have a small number of men under them to help with their duties. Warrant Officers are divided into three categories, Wardroom, Standing, and Junior. Senior Warrant Officers dined in the wardroom, and had the privilege of being able to walk the quarter deck. Junior Warrant Officers dined in the gunroom, and, though they had access to the quarterdeck, generally chose not to use the privilege.'''

Wardroom Warrant Officers - These were the Warrant Officers that dined in the Wardroom and had access to the quarterdeck.

Master (Sailing Master) - was the chief navigational officer on board. The Master would be very adept at navigation, hydrography, and ship handling. The ship's Captain would handle the long distance navigation (often with the aid and support of the Master), and the Master looked after the day-to-day navigation and sailing of the vessel. Not only was the Master to know the ship's course, but he was also expected to know about the weather and sea in general. Many Masters could give very accurate information on weather, tide, current, and sea floor (hydrography) of an area in which they have served for long periods of time. During battle the Master was directly in charge of the handling and maneuvering of the ship. The Sailing Master also held navigational and oceanographic classes for the ships Master's Mate, who, unlike Midshipmen, studied from the Sailing Master, and not the Captain. In order to become a Sailing Master, one had to serve as a Master's Mate for at least six years, though many served as Midshipmen before they served as Master's Mates. The Master held a Warrant from the Board of the Admiralty and sometimes the Hydrography Office.

Purser - was in charge of all supplies, provision, food, and currency on board the ship (Currency was directly supervised and signed off by the ship's Captain, who also had full access to the ship's money). The Purser was in charge of the distribution of all stores as well, from 'Purser's Slops' to grog to hammocks. The Purser had to keep track of every single morsel of provisions in his jurisdiction, or everything in the ship's hold, with the exception of the Gunner (Master Gunner) and Boatswain's (Bosun, Bo'sun, Bo's'un) stores. During battle the Purser helped the Surgeon in the cockpit with medical treatment. The Purser kept very exact records of all consumption on board, which were signed off by the Captain. If the Captain signed false books, he could be court-martialed and dismissed from service. The Purser held a Warrant from the Victualing Board.

Physician of the Fleet - was the chief medical officer in a fleet, and each fleet had only one, but squadrons did not. He would have been aboard the flagship. In a relatively small flagship, he would have served as the ship's Surgeon as well as Physician of the Fleet. However on larger flagships (first, second, and occasionally third rates), there would have been a Surgeon on board who would most likely have been appointed at the recommendation of the Physician of the Fleet. The Admiral of the fleet would be attended medically by the Physician of the Fleet.

Surgeon - was a very important person on board despite his relatively low office. He was responsible for the well-being, safety, and surgery of the ship's crew and officers. During battle the ship's Surgeon was stationed in his cockpit, where he operated, which was on the Orlop Deck and included the surgeon's quarters, the dispensary, and the gunroom. The operating table(s), were made up of midshipmen's sea chest's which had been lashed together. Most Naval Surgeons were fairly unpracticed in the art of surgery, which is how they earned the nickname, "Sawbones". Some however, were very experienced and even held degrees in Medicine, but this was very rare, except in the case of Physician of the Fleet. Out of battle Surgeons cared for men who had succumb normal ship-board injuries and common seamen's diseases. Surgeons held a Warrant from the Barber-Surgeon Company.



Sick berth & dispencery

Chaplain - was responsible for all religious services, functions, practices, and exercises on board. By regulation he could only be a Chaplain of the Church of England. Chaplains were supposed to hold religious services at least once a week, and a large part depended on the Chaplain himself. Because of the lack of applicants, most ships did not carry a Chaplain, those that did rarely being smaller than a third rate. In the lack of a Chaplain, the Captain was to perform his duties by holding a religious ceremony at least once a week. Most other officers did not think them much to be bothered with, and only tolerated them. Because of the ill-luck they were supposed to bring, the lower deck viewed them with suspicion, derision, and in some cases contempt. During battle a Chaplain's station was in the cockpit helping administer medical help and console the wounded and dying. Their warrant was any proof that the were of the Church of England.

Standing Warrant Officers - Given their name because they stay with the ship and were not of Wardroom status (despite their great prestige and usually experience):

Gunner (Master Gunner) - The ships Gunner was, before the Captain, solely responsible for care and well-being of the ship's main guns. He was also responsible for all of these guns' ammunition, every type of shot used on the ship (round shot, chain shot, bars hot-both solid and expanding, grape, canister, langridge, and star) he supplied and looked to their being maintained. Another large part of his job was caring for the ship's powder (black powder, gunpowder). It was his job to ensure that the ship had enough, that it was kept dry and in a state which it could be used immediately, and that during battle there was enough powder to service the ship's guns. The Gunner also had to ensure that all the barrels and casks the powder was stored in were made with copper hoops and nails, not iron, to prevent sparks from igniting the powder. Whenever he entered either of the powder magazines (the store room where the powder was stored) he had to wear felt slippers so as not to cause any electrical sparks which might ignite the powder. The Gunner's stores were not controlled by the Purser. On very small vessel-small brigs and lighter vessels, a Gunner might be asked to stand a watch due to the lack of watch keeping officers. The Gunner held a Warrant from the Admiralty.



''The gunner was responsible for looking after of all the guns and associated equipment. He made sure that gunpowder kept in the magazine was safe and dry, and that there was a plenti­ful supply of cartridges ready to use. Assisting him were mates, quarter gunners and yeoman of the powder room. He was also responsible for all small arms: muskets, bayonets, pistols, cutlasses, pikes and hatchets. For this equipment he had an armourer, his mates and a gunsmith. The gunner was also in charge of the gunroom situated at the after end of the lower gun deck where he kept a watch over the ship’s boys.''

Boatswain (Bosun, Bo'sun, Bo's'un) - was the direct overseer of many ship board options. It was his responsibility to 'pipe' and communicate orders to the crew when has been given, with the help of his mates (Warrant Officer's Mates). The boatswain and his mates were also the ship's disciplinarians. They would 'encourage' slow moving members of the crew by hitting or jabbing them with a starters (short lengths of rope) and ratans. On top of this, the Boatswain worked with the Master on the maintenance of the rigging, including sails and cordage, and with the Carpenter and Master for the maintenance of the masts and yards. He was also to look after the ship's boats and their securing; the same goes for the anchors, booms, spare spars, live animals, and anything on deck. He directly oversaw the Sailmaker and the Ropemaker.

Carpenter - cared for everything that was wooden on a ship. A Carpenter usually started his career as an apprentice in a naval dockyard, then served at sea as a Carpenter's Mate, finally receiving a Warrant from the Navy Board for his time at sea, usually a few years. The Carpenter was responsible for the maintenance of the hull, and with the Sailing Master and Boatswain the maintenance of the masts and spars. The Carpenter also oversaw the caulker and his mates. The Carpenter received his Warrant from the Navy Board.



Carpenter

Warrant Officers' Mates - Assisted their Warrant Officer in the matters of their profession. Warrant Officers' Mates were also apprentices to the Warrant Officers they served. They did not hold the rights to walk the quarterdeck, regardless of the rank of the Officer they are under. The Master, Purser, Physician of the Fleet, and Chaplain did not have mates, with the exception of the Master, the Master's Mates being Junior Officers. Junior Warrant Officers did not have mates.

Wardroom Warrant Officers' Mates - ?

Surgeon's Mates - aided the Surgeon with all the medical aspects of running a ship. Surgeon's Mates spent time studying the Surgeon when he practiced, and aided him during battle in the cockpit. Every morning the Surgeon's Mates would go to the foot of the main mast with the Surgeon and his supplies, and give the cry "Pills for all ills!" This was the signal for the ships non-officers to come and get treatment from the Surgeon. During battle the Surgeons Mates aided the Surgeon in the cockpit, and out of battle the helped in the sick berth.

Standing Wardroom Officer's Mates - ?

Gunner's Mates - assisted the Gunner in all of his duties. Out of battle they helped look after and maintain the ship's armament. They helped fill new charges in the powder room, both in and out of battle. They looked after the shot and it's storage. Gunner's Mates were sometimes entrusted with parties of seamen ashore under a midshipman. On smaller ship's, roughly brig's and smaller, a Gunner's Mate would act as the ship's Gunner.

Junior Warrant Officers - were only called such because of their low status on board, not because of age or, in most cases, experience