Disposal of Commander in Chief ?

[fixer]

The attached document was in one of my ancestors RN service record and sent in March 1863 from HMS Galatea, Bermuda.
Does anyone know why an ordinary Navy seaman might be commanded to be present at the 'disposal of the Commander in Chief' at the North American and West Indian station during 1863. It seems he may have had to start travel from the UK in Oct 1862 to achieve this.
Any response with useful info is welcome on Victory, Galatea or the C in C during the period. Thanks.

BTW there are a few words I cant make out on the attachment but you'll get the gist.

[PaulineJ]

Surely it just means that the man was sent there to be at the disposal of the C-in-C.
Ie to be an aide-de-camp.

[ShaunJ]

Welcome to Rootschat, Fixer.

I think this means that he was sent from the Royal Navy base at Portsmouth (nominally HMS Victory) to the North America and West Indies station, without being assigned to a particular ship, and it was up to the local C-in-C to decide which ship he was assigned to. He was probably just one of a large number of sailors sent out to reinforce the station. A lot of sailors (and soldiers) had died from yellow  fever in Bermuda around that time.

[fixer]

Ok Thanks for that.
His record (attached) says he was assigned to HMS Asia July 1861- Apr 1864. So still a bit troublesome.

"In 1858 she (Asia) was converted to serve as a guardship, and during several years she was flagship of the Admiral-Superintendent of Portsmouth"

[fixer]

I just examined a part of the continuous service form on which I thought was a tiny copy of the log.
Its slighty different and I think it shows Galatea so problem solved.
Just goes to prove that the logs aren't always completely accurate.

Thanks again for the response.