1 The Ratings at Their Work. The Sailor sailing the boat. Midshipman finding the centre of the ship. Boatswain balancing himself to prevent the boat swaying. Purser collecting purses. Assistant Paymaster assisting the Paymaster. Paymaster paying Officers in their own coin. The Lootnant looting. The First Lootnant saluting. The Commodore commodoring. Post Captain delivering the mails. Admiral with his baton and broom.

2 Flying the Blue Peter. Popular sport. Whole crew paraded to watch. Peter, a young lady-bird, is first dipped in sulphate of copper. A rope is attached to the maintopgallant staysail, while the other end is fastened to Peter’s leg. The band plays “O for the wings of a dove,” and Peter is prodded with a marlin-spike till he flies.

3 Weighing the Lead. The cook brings his scales on to the bridge. The sailors swing the lead in turn, endeavouring to lodge it on the scales. Only the oldest sailors can do it properly, as it requires much knack. When it settles on the scales it is weighed by a waiter.

4 Splicing the Mainbrace. (This is one of the pair worn by the Captain, and often bursts under the strain of responsibility.) The two ends are unravelled, adjusted, twisted, intertwined, and finally wrapped round and round with sailors’ yarn. Very telling.

5 Shivering the Timbers. The carpenters parade with adzes and belaying pins. The timber is pinned to the running blocks. Carpenters remove their hose. Cold water is turned on to the timber from the hose. If the temperature is too high, it is almost impossible to make the timbers shiver.