The Age of Sail
In the 1840s personal narrative Two Years Before the Mast, the author (Richard Henry Dana, Jr.) describes the role of a second mate on an American merchant trading brig as follows:
The second mate's is proverbially a dog's berth. He is neither officer nor man. The men do not respect him as an officer, and he is obliged to go aloft to reef and furl the topsails, and to put his hands into the tar and slush, with the rest. The crew call him the "sailor's waiter," as he has to furnish them with spun-yarn, marline, and all other stuffs that they need in their work, and has charge of the boatswain's locker, which includes serving-boards, marline-spikes, etc. He is expected by the captain to maintain his dignity and to enforce obedience, and still is kept at a great distance from the mate, and obliged to work with the crew. He is one to whom little is given and of whom much is required. His wages are usually double those of a common sailor, and he eats and sleeps in the cabin; but he is obliged to be on deck nearly all the time, and eats at the second table, that is, makes a meal out of what the captain and chief mate leave.
Nowadays role of a second officer on board any ship is that of a navigating officer, he is in charge of navigation and navigational equipments, reporting to the captain of the ship.His job is to look after the navigational equipments and publications,deck work charge is not expected on a second officer but may do so,He is a certified officer on board.
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