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• Motions of the Vessel

kin47 wrote: Hello

The log books were as a rule monthly records.

The log books landed as soon as possible once the month was completed. It was landed at a port of call or transferred to a collier. Then it was sent to the Admiralty. On Home Stations, the process was very speedy. On foreign stations, the logs would arrive as much as six to eight weeks after it was sent.

This process prevented the very thought of more than one log being lost with the ship, except in rare instances on some foreign stations. This might occur while the ship was at sea and lost at the beginning of a month, before the prior month's log was landed.

In addition to all the other hazards to which the log book was subjected to aboard the ship, there was always a possibility the ship (warship or transport) carrying the log book back to England could be lost or damaged and the log lost this way.

Finally, the logs safely secured in the Admiralty files, later the Public Record Office, were subject to some pilfering by collectors and enthusiasts.

I hope this offers a bit of insight to the subject.

Michael wrote: ↑Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:56 pm Callao, Peru
26 March

Trouble in River City! I had noticed a number of what appeared to be corrections added after the fact.

At 8 PM.

By order of Com'd'r W. K. Mayo, USN, Com'd'g USS Omaha, the Officer of the deck is to write the remarks and columns of the log during his watch, before being relieved, and the relieving officer is not to take the deck until he ascertains that the previous log has been written.

This order, dated the 27^th, was inserted at the first continuation page for the 26^th. The quote above was on the third continuation page.

Order. Hereafter before an officer signs remarks on this Record, he will compare the record with the Rough log which he has written whilst the Ships writer reads aloud to him the copy entered in this book, and the officer is enjoined to be faithful in the observance of this order. After the Signatures of the watch officers are appended, the log is to be scrutinized by the Navigator who will, under no circumstances, affix his signature until he is assured of the correctness of the entries.

(Signed) W. K. Mayo
Commander
Com'd'g

Callao
March 27th, 9 P.M.