Inspectors are also directed not to hold correspondence in writing with manufacturers, contractors, or other parties in relation to ordnance supplies, unless specially directed by the Bureau.
Officers on Ordnance duty will give no official opinion, to Inventors or others, upon the merits of any invention appertaining to Ordnance, which may be submitted to them officially or unofficially for examination, unless by special direction of the Bureau of Ordnance.
All such opinions will be forwarded to the Bureau, to whom parties must be referred for information.
11. The Inspectors of Ordnance at the several Yards and stations are required to enjoin upon all their employés the strictest secrecy in relation to every thing connected with their duties. No information whatever is to be given to any one in relation to the prices of articles, the details of work, or the condition of ordnance or ordnance supplies.
Any breach of this order is to be followed by prompt dismissal from employment.
12. Whenever any ordnance stores shall be furnished to vessels, or for any other purpose, the Ordnance Officer shall take proper receipts for them from the officer to whom they are delivered. These receipts shall be signed at the Ordnance office, and the commander is required to ascertain before sailing if the proper officers have signed all receipts and vouchers.
13. The Ordnance Officer will deliver with them an Invoice of the number and cost of such stores, retaining a receipted duplicate, approved by the commander, to be forwarded to the Bureau of Ordnance.
One Ledger, one Invoice, and twenty blanks for Quarterly Returns to the Bureau of Ordnance, are to be furnished each vessel fitted for sea.
If any articles are purchased abroad, or obtained from other stations after the vessel is regularly fitted for sea, they should be duly entered in the Ledger, and a note made therein stating when, and from what source received; and, if practicable, their number and cost should be inserted in the Invoice of other articles supplied the vessel.
14. A separate list shall be furnished to all commanders of vessels of the ammunition furnished, which list is to be returned to the Ordnance Officer of the Yard to which the vessel shall return, with any additional supplies which she may receive during the cruise entered on it.