Ship's Writer

A clerk to the executive officer. He is a first class petty officer, and his duty is to keep the names and rates of the ship's company; the respective watches to which they belong; preserve a record of the conduct and offenses of the crew; the punishments inflicted; detail the anchor watches; keep a book showing the stations to which members of the crew are assigned by the executive officer when coming to anchor, making, reefing and furling sail; exercise at the guns; repelling boarders; abandoning ship, etc.