and their conditions. Fund,"[1] should be entitled to a pension, subject to the following conditions: that is to say, where a commander was not worth 3,000l., or did not possess a fixed income of at least 150l. per annum, he became entitled to a pension of 100l.; and in cases where the chief or second mate had not 2,000l., nor a clear income of 100l., he received a pension of 60l. per annum. The other officers, down to the midshipmen, were also allowed pensions of from 30l. to 18l. per annum if they did not possess a certain fixed income, or were not worth 600l. Commanders' widows who stood in need of aid received 80l. per annum, and 16l. for each child under five years of age; and their orphans were each allowed 33l. 6s. 8d. per annum. In these allowances were included the widows, children, and orphans of all mates, pursers, surgeons, and midshipmen who had served in the Company's own or chartered ships, for the period of eight years; or who had been killed, or maimed, or wounded in the service, so as to be rendered incapable of further service at sea.
Internal economy of the ships.
Watches
The internal economy and discipline on board of
the Company's ships were much more perfect than in
any other merchant vessels of the period. The crew
or seamen of each were divided into two watches,
starboard and larboard; the officers into three watches.
Each watch of the former had, during the night, four
hours' rest below, and four hours' duty on deck. At
half-past six A.M. the watch on deck commenced to wash
and clean decks; at half-past seven the hammocks were
- ↑ As every officer in the service, and the greater portion of the crews, did contribute monthly towards this fund, these pensions were consequently not altogether gratuitous on the part of the Company.
