‘The coxswain’s got all his made out, and Hoskins is doing his lot now. Then there’ll be a good deal of stuff on survey and demand. Flags, shackles, looking-glass, clock, wire, and other things like that. Then Boyd wants some “Sperry” spares, and I think that’s the lot.’ ‘And that’s a bit o’ luck,’ the Lieut.-Commander said grimly, as Seagrave took himself off. ‘Thank God for small mercies!’ As he himself put it, it was ‘some’ task. When a submarine goes through her annual re-fit every item in the boat from the ballast tanks and engines to the knives and forks is taken out, if possible, overhauled, tested, and replaced. Long lists have to be prepared and signed or nothing can be done, and woe betide he who gets on the wrong side of the Naval Store Officer in the process. Such things as awnings, flags, brooms, and other permanent stores that are desired to be renewed, must be entered on a mystic form printed in red and known as a ‘survey’ note, and are filled in also on a second form printed in funereal black, which is called a ‘demand’ note or hope-you-may-get-it chit. Should the state of the decayed articles be sufficiently decrepit to satisfy the N.S.O.[14] the demand note is produced in triumph, and new articles are issued and borne away as captives to the boat by hoary-headed and deceiving matlows. Such requisites as paint, rope, yarn, etc., which are known as ‘consumable stores,’ need only be filled in on the ‘demand’ note. But here again the demander must be wary. A printed form is issued to him stating clearly exactly to how much of each commodity his class of vessel is entitled, and an avenging fate overtakes the luckless wight who demands, by accident or design, more than his prescribed allowance. Should he escape these pitfalls, another horror still rises to baulk him. Articles under sub-head ‘A’ must not be named on the same sheet as those under sub-heads ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D,’ ‘E,’ or ‘F,’ and every form must be countersigned by the commanding officer to the effect that he is not attempting to get more than his due from rapacious Dockyard. Also the ‘reason for demand’ must be given, either ‘to complete’ (Establishment) or ‘in lieu’ (of old worn out). The coxswain needs paint, rope, oil, tar, flags, bunting, awnings, yarn, spikes, and a host of other things. The needs of the engine-room are enormous, the electrical staff clamours for insulating tape, lamp globes, fuses by dozens, and wire by the hundred feet. The torpedo accessories raise up their heads and gibber, and the batteries, the life and soul of the boat, shriek to be cleaned and washed and fed. But cold and incisive as the voice of doom, ‘Articles under sub-head “A” must not be named on the same sheet as these under sub-head “B.”’ And, ‘Establishment list for submarines “O” class.’