finding that they are losing time, they determine to try to get some other article, very likely a boat; away they go with their parties to the boat-house (which is at a considerable distance from the store-keeper’s office, and from many of the store-houses) where they are told they must go back to the lot-yard for a note, without which a boat cannot be delivered.
“Many stores, such as boats, boat-sails, plank, spars, treenails, wedges, tables, paint, oil, &c. are issued by persons at the store-houses, at a considerable distance from each other, “by notes” taken from the warrant, by clerks at different offices. It frequently happens that days, indeed weeks elapse, before the whole of the above-named stores are drawn; and, if the notes are lost (as is sometimes the case) a duplicate must be obtained; or if the articles are considered of little moment, and can be got off charge by expenditure, they shift without them, although they are solved on the warrant as delivered.
“The forms in returning stores are still more difficult. The foreman afloat, who is often examining some ship in the harbour, must be brought to attend with a survey clerk, a block-maker to examine the blocks, a blacksmith to overhaul pins, hooks, thimbles, &c. labourers from the store-keeper’s department to measure all cables, cordage, &c.; which is first to be inspected by a master-attendant; thus are the warrant officers pacing from place to place in search of people; frequently to no purpose. After the stores are thus examined and surveyed, a return note is made by the survey-clerk; this note the warrant officers have to get signed, and an issue-note or warrant, but numbered at the store-keeper’s office, by an issuing clerk, whose duty has probably taken him from the office; when the note is completed, storekeeper’s clerks receive the stores by it; many articles mentioned therein, the warrant-officers are told to take to distant parts of the yard, where they receive small notes for them, by which (being taken to the clerks) the stores are solved as returned. Many officers are not aware of such notes being required, and when they think they have done with the yard duty, they are often a day or two collecting them. The warrant officers being also ignorant of the particular places where stores are lodged, causes much delay; labourers employed in this duty would readily bring the proper persons to act together, and would know the store or place into which every serviceable or decayed article should be returned; the warrant-officers only attending to see the account taken of the stores.
“Only a few of the forms are here mentioned; there are many others too intricate to be described.
“Sea and Foreign stores can be shipped in one summer’s day (and from three to five ships attended to at the same time) by persons acquainted with the routine; due attention being paid by the issuing departments; whereas this duty is seldom accomplished by the officers and men sent from the ships, in less than four days.
