LOG-BOOK. The log-book is the official record book of a ship and contains a brief statement of the weather encountered. the speed made, positions of the ship as daily determined by astro nomical observations or by dead reckoning, and a short account of all occurrences of importance at sea and in port. The log-book of a man-of-war is a large book of folio size and two pages facing each other are allotted to the records for each day. The left page is about half covered by the `columns.' These are filled in every hour at sea and in port. and the record consists of the speed of the ship during each hour, the reading of the patent log, the course by compass, the leeway (if any), the height of barometer and thermom eter, readings of the hygrometer, temperature of the sea-water. amount of clouds and their charac ter and movement, and the state of the sea. Below the ruled spaces are spaces for recording the amounts of coal and distilled water on hand and received the latitude, longitude, current. devia
tion of the compass. etc., as determined by ob servations of heavenly bodies and by dead reck oning; and other information. The right page is for remarks upon miscellaneous subjects and amplifying the data given in the columns when that is necessary. The remarks are written up at the end of every watch (q.v.), and, in addition to time description of all events passing under time eye of the watch-officer, there is recorded an account of all ifflicial transactions. such as en listments. discharges, eourt-inartials, drills, in speetii ns. boards of survey, signals to other ves sels (formerly; now entered in a special signal record-book:. accidents of importance, deaths, and other similar matters. The remarks written by each officer are signed by him; a smooth copy, made daily. is. also signed, and, when the book is full, forwarded to the Navy Department.