Watch

A duty performed on board of ship. It likewise means the person who performs that duty. Serjeant of the Watch . A non-commi ioned officer belonging to the marines or other troops on board, who does duty for a stated period. At sea, the term watch denotes a measure or space of four hours, because half the ship’s company watch and do duty in their turns, so long at a time: and they are called the starboard watch and larboard watch. The following instructions have been published respecting the watch duty which is to be done by troops embarked in transports, . At eight o’clock in the evening, every man is to be in his birth, except the men on watch: the officer of the watch to go round with a lanthorn, to see that the above has been complied with. The whole to be divided into three watches, both subaltern officers and men; the watch gives all the sentries, . . A captain of the day to be appointed, to whom the subaltern of the watch will make his reports; and the captain to the commanding officer; if there be a superior officer on board. The whole watch to be always on deck, except when rain obliges them to go down for shelter; and, in fine weather, every man should be upon deck the whole day.