During the years from 1884 to 1895 the daily routine changed slowly, and in the last mentioned year the Victorian Naval Forces were working to the following routine;

4 am
Light galley fire.

6.00
Call Officers and Men. Lash up and stow hammocks.

6.15
Fall in. Scrub decks.

6.30
Up Guard and Steerage hammocks. Men away in boats after 10 o'clock the previous night were allowed to sleep 15 minutes extra.

7.10
Bugle for cooks. Two men dropped out for five minutes to prepare breakfast. Men on overnight leave were now on board after pulling back to the ship from Williamstown.

7.15
Breakfast. Half an hour was allowed for this.

7.45
One watch clean lower deck and the other watch dress in rig of the day.

8.00
Colours. Watch in rig of the day falls in for work.
8.20

Officers return from overnight leave and take breakfast.

8.45
Cleaning lower deck. Watch changes to rig of the day.

8.55
All hands to clean arms and accoutrements.

9.05
On belts, or return arms. Officer inspects lower deck and reports all in order.

9.10
Hands to Divisions. Prayers.

9.20
All hands fall in to be told off for drill, classes, or working parties as required.

11.30
Secure guns and return gear to Petty Officers.

11.45
Clear up decks, sweep down, and place everything in order.Noon Dinner for which 75 minutes were allowed.

13.15
Both watches fall in on the upper deck. Drills, classes or duties as for forenoon.

15.30
Dismiss drills, classes and working parties.

5.45
Clear up decks.

15.50
Bugle for cooks.

16.00
Supper. Time allowed was 30 minutes. Hands on duty shift to night clothing and liberty men to best clothing. Officers proceeding on leave left the ship at this time.

16.30
Hands at evening quarters. All hands inspected. Away liberty boat. Watch on board proceeded to pump up all tanks. This required about 800 gallons. All required boats were readied for night lowering. Four men of the watch aboard were told off for keeping the night watches. This meant 6 hours night watch in the gun− boats, &4 hours in Cerberus & the Depot.

17.30
Away mail boat to Port Melbourne to pick up mail after arrival of 6.30 pm. train from Melbourne.

19.00
All hands to hoist in mail boat.

21.00
Officer on duty made rounds and received reports from men stationed for special duties.

22.00
Pipe down.

The men are rationed in first−class style, and, of course, fare much better in port than they would if at sea.Fresh provisions, meat, vegetables, bread, etc are brought off from the shore at half past seven o'clock everymorning. Before being received over the gangway they are inspected by the quartermaster cook, and steward.
If passed, they are checked by the paymaster, and apportioned to the cook of each mess. The men are eachallowed half a gill of rum per day, or an equivalent in money, which is recorded to their credit.The half of each watch is allowed to go ashore on alternate nights, leaving the ship at half−past 4 pm. andreturning at 7 o'clock next morning. The men not absolutely required on board are allowed Public holidays.The conduct of the men is, as a rule most exemplary, and the officers have but little trouble with them, as theyare thoroughly ammenable to the discipline of the ship, and do their work in a willing and satisfactory manner.Should however, any of them misbehave themselves, the vessel is provided with a dungeon deep' in the forecompartment, where they can be confined pending inquiry when in port, or imprisoned when at sea. The
prison has, however, been 'to let' up to the present, and may it long continue so.

"I was in the army the time of the Zulu war. Great hardship we got in it and plenty of starvation. It was the Dutch called in the English to help them against the Zulus, that were tricky rogues, and would do no work but to be driving the cattle off the fields. A pound of raw flour we would be given out at seven o'clock in the morning, and some would try to make a cake, and some would put it in a pot with water and be stirring it, and it might be eleven o'clock before you would get what you could eat, and not a bit of meat maybe for two days."
Source: E-Mail..