ng and distributing powder."

191. Each scuttle is to have a tompion or other means of closing it,
so as to be water-tight when not in use, and to be so placed or
regulated in height as not to interfere with the transportation of
guns.

192. Should any serious difficulty arise in finding places for cutting
any of the different sets of scuttles through the decks, or in the
cases of small or very wet vessels, recourse may be had to the
gratings of the hatchways. Still, they are always to be cut through
the decks whenever it can be done with propriety.

193. For each scuttle at the magazine for the delivery of powder there
must be a corresponding flap-hole in the magazine screen, and this is
to be regarded as a part of the chain of supply equally with the
scuttle itself.

194. When on board ship there are any guns of the same calibre and
class, or of assimilated charges, carried on two consecutive decks,
all of them may be supplied by the same chain of scuttles, provided
the whole number of guns thus made to depend upon this chain does not
exceed eight of a side. For instance, under the circumstances stated,
the chase, or a few shell or other guns on a spar-deck, may be
supplied by a chain of scuttles intended principally for the main-deck
guns; or, the shell-guns on a main deck being few, may be supplied by
a chain intended principally for the deck below.

195. In delivering cartridges from the magazines for serving guns,
they are to be passed up from the magazine to the orlop or berth deck
before they are put into the passing-boxes, which, in time of action,
or when exercising with powder, after being once taken out of the
magazine, are not, on any account, to be allowed to go into it again,
or even inside of the screen, during the whole time of such action or
exercise. They are to be replenished at the screen, but outside of it.

196. All passing-boxes shall be painted black, with the calibre and
charge painted in white letters, two and one-half inches (2-1/2) long
on the side, and one and a half (1-1/2) on the top.

197. If, however, there are any guns of the same calibre on spar-decks
requiring lighter charges, the lower half of the box shall be painted
white. For gun-decks in similar case the lower half shall be painted
red.

198. Empty passing-boxes returned by the chutes are always to be
landed upon wet swabs, and then to be turned upside down, and so
struck over a fire-tub, as before directed, to free th