The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-21 00:00:00

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PRICE 4D. STAMPED, SD.

THE DISCIPLINE OF THE NAVY

' A " Naval Officer," in aletter to a contemporary

says :
We are thoroughly awakened to the necessity of
raising the navy to the highest state of efficiency,
and many admirable steps have been taken in the
right direction, by establishing training ships for
our naval cadets and boys, by providing a reserve
of naval volunteers, &c.; but in one most important
point there has evidently been of late a falling off,
instead of improvement.
I speak of the interior discipline of our men-of-
war. During tie past year many cases of most
serious breaches of discipline have occurred in our
ships---a thing formerly of very rare occurrence, and
almost unheard-of in the French navy, where far
more attention is paid to the interior discipline of
their ships than with us.
It is most necessary that strict discipline be main-
tained
and implicit obedience paid to all lawful or-
ders in a man-of-war. Without this no ship can
be in an efficient state. The day is now past for the
preservation of discipline by terror, and the indis-
criminate use of the lash. The question is—How is
the present state of things to be improved without
any increase of severity in the treatment of our
sailors ?
All commanding officers in the navy are well
aware that the interior discipline of a man-of-war
depends in a very great measure on the good con-
duct and example of the petty officers, and also on
possessing a thoroughly active and efficient police.
It is on these poiiiti—Vie position and treatment
of the petty officers and police—that great altera-
tion and improvement are necessary. One reason
for the falling off of discipline is, doubtless, the
very insufficient number of junior officers, in
consequence of which the petty officers are
obliged to perform the duties formerly intrusted to '
mates or midshipmen, and, unless they are in a
position to command the respect and obedience of
the men, it is evident the duties they have to super-
intend will not be performed as efficiently as under
the eye of an officer.
In the army the non-commissioned officers are in-
valuable in the preservation of discipline. They are
looked up to and treated with great respect by the
men. They perform many responsible duties,
which in the navy can only be intrusted to officers,
and how rarely do we hear of a private quarrelling
with or striking a non-commissioned officer, or of a
sergeant disgracing himself by drunkenness or
breaking leave ?
Now, turn to the first-class petty officers in the
navy, who, as regards rank and pay, are in the
same position as sergeants in the army. It is most
important that they should be a body of men in
whom great confidence can be placed by their
officers; that they should be men who can be
thoroughly trusted to take charge of a deck, a
boat's crew, or party of men on shore without an
officer; that implicit obedience should be paid them
by the men ; that they should as a body endeavour,
by every means in their power, to preserve a high
tone and good feeling among their shipmates ; and
that, especially in case of any ill feeling or discon-
tent among the crew, they should at once step
forward and make it known to their commanding
officer.
All executive officers in the navy know that, as a
body, the first-class petty officers do not answer to
the above description ; that it is very difficult to
find among them men who can be thoroughly
trusted with the command of a party of men without
an officer; and that drunkenness, fighting, and
especially breaking leave, are far more prevalent
among them than among the non-commissioned
officers of the marines or army.
Why should this difference exist between the
conduct of non-commissioned officers in the sister
services ?
The reason is this :—ln the army the sergeants
know and rightly value their position ; they
feel that they are treated with the consideration
due to their position ; that most responsible
duties are intrusted to them ; and that much is
expected from them, By messing and living to-
gether good feeling and dependence on each other
are promoted, and they are prevented from being
biassed by the opinions and conversation of their
subordinates.
In the navy there is no distinct system laid down
for the treatment of the petty officers. In some
ships they are treated with more consideration and
granted more privileges than in others. Instead of
livingind messing together, they are scattered by
ones and twos among the different messes of 15
and 20 men, and are thus far more liable to iden-
tify themselves with the faelings and opinions of
their messmates. They are not made to feel the
responsible nature of their position, and that in a
great measure the interior discipline depends upon
their good conduct and the example they set to the
ship's company.
I propose that fixed rules should be laid down by
the Admiralty for a uniform system to be observed
in every ship with regard to the treatment of the
first-class petty officers. Let them mess together ;
grant them leave whenever it can be done, without
regard to the stated periods of giving general leave
to the men ; but never allow any petty officer to be
received on board from leave, unless sober. En-
force a strict obedience to all lawful orders given
by them as to those given by officers. In fact, let
them and their subordinates know and feel their
position as petty officers is one of great responsi-
bility, that they will always receive the strongest
support in the performance of their duties, and that
to them you look for the greatest assistance in the
maintenance of tie interior discipline on board.
Place them in their proper position, and you will
soon find them as trustworthy and (Aden t in the
performance of their duties as the sergeants in the
army.
It is, of course, necessary that a responsible man
should he placed in each mess, but the numbers of
second-class petty officers and leading seamen are
amply sufficient for this purpose.
S
The police of a line-of-battle ship consists of one
fntdhlye,powilictehinretghaerdto the most inefficient
navy.
stale":
master-at-arms and three ship's corporals.
The master-at-arms, or head of the police, ought
to be a most honest, trustworthy man, and possessed
of great nerve and tact, for he is placed in a most
responsible and unpopular position. He is intrusted
with the supervision of the entire ship's company.
All complaints from the men pass through him; he
keeps a record of every crime committed and of
every punishment inflicted in his ship. He ought
to be thoroughly acquainted with the character of
every man on board. In fact, so multifarious are
his duties, and so highly important a point is it to
secure a thoroughly trustworthy and efficient man
for the position, that no pains or expense should be
spared by the Admiralty to establish and secure
the services of a sufficient body of thoroughly effi-
cient men, as heads of police. What is the fact at
present ? From the small pay (L4l) a-year, and
anomalous position of a master-at-arms, it is most
difficult to get men thoroughly equal to the task,
and commanding officers are frequently obliged to
take men whom shortly after leaving port they dis-
cover to be worthless and untrustworthy. The
ship's corporals, who are generally old pensioned
marines and sailors, are, as a rule, most inefficient
in the performance of their numerous duties.
I propose that a permanent corps of police be
at once established in the following manner :—Let
every master-at-arms at present serving afloat who
can produce a certificate of three years' good and
trustworthy conduct from his captain be at once
raised to the position and pay of a warrant-officer.
It is found that in small ships where masters-at-
arms aro not allowed, the sergeants of marines are
very efficient in this position. I would therefore
allow a limited number of sergeants who can pro-
duce a certificate of three years' good conduct afloat
to volunteer for the position of master-at-arms. Let
them serve for one year acting, and if at the expi-
ration of that time they produce a certificate of
good conduct and efficiency from their captain, let
them be placed on the permanent list. As to the ship!'
corporals, retain all those under 40 years of ago with
a good character, and pension off the rest. Fill ill)
the necessary vacancies by allowing a limited num-
ber of corporals in the marines with three
privates with five years') good conduct certificate
an
volunteer for the position, and when once the list
of master-at-arms is raised to its proper strength
let all future vacancies be filled up by selection from
the
let her staff of police be at once appointed
d
to her, in
years' (and
antdo
the
ship's
same
corporals.
manner
as W
warrant
an a
tship
officers his
commissionedseamen
gunners are at present. For line-of-battle ships let
one master-at-arms and four corporals be qppointed.
For frigates one master-at-arms and three corpo-
rals ; and for all vessels carrying more than 150
men and less than 230 one master-at-arms and two
corporals. You would then possess a thoroughly
efficient and trustworthy police, which would be
ers
hailed as a very great boon by all officers in the
navy.

TUE RIGHT HON. M. T. BAINES.-.WO awls
Mercury) are happy to state that Mr. Baines's health has
considerably improved since last Saturday. On that day a
favourable change took place, and as the improvement has
continued daily, hopes are now entertained of his recovery.

21.1. E NA P.Y.

The Mersey, 40, screw, Capt. H. Caldwell, C. 8.,
will test her speed at the measured mile in Stoke's
Bay this morning, with Griffith's patent propeller,
should the weather prove favourable.
The Ariadne's trial of speed at the measured mile,
with her altered screw, was yesterday postponed,
owing to the rough state of the weather, it having
blown a gale from S.S.W. the previous night and
the forepart of yesterday. Towards noon the wea-
ther moderated. The Melpomene drove for some
distance during the gale, but in the morning got up
steam and took up a safer position.
The Princess Royal, 91, screw, is having her
boilers taken out in the steam basin at Portsmouth.
They are to undergo a thorough repair. The ship
is to go into the dock vacated by the Nelson, 91,
screw, in the old fitting basin, should that vessel
be undocked during the next spring. It is stated,
however, that since the order was first given it has
been discovered that the admission of water to the
basin in the present state of the alterations will
considerably retard the works (the three docks
being each lengthened, and the bottom of the basin
being cleared from a portion of the mud collected
there), and it is hoped the basin will not be opened
until the following spring, when the injury it
would then cause would be comparatively trifling.
Comamnder H. J. Raby (V.C.) was-yesterday
commissioned by the Lords of the Admiralty to
transfer his command from the Weser to the Alecto
sloop, which latter vessel will be taken up on
Monday by the master rigger, and is ordered to be
completed without delay.
Mr. Francis H. May, master of her Majesty's
screw steam guardship of Coastguard Hogue, 60, at
Greenock, Capt. John Moore, C. 8., yesterday ar-
rived at Woolwich, in command of 46_se4kmen and
stokers, for the purpose of taking ihargeofilielron
'paddlewheel steamer Harpy, newly --fitted out,
and repairing for service as tender to the Hogue,
under orders to navigate her round to the Clyde.
Two hundred ablebodied continuous service sea-
men, paid off and granted leave of absence from
the steamships Conqueror, Princess Royal, and
Centurion, arrived at Woolwich yesterday at the
expiration of their allotted leave of absence, and
were entered on the books of the receiving ship
Fisgard. Fifty of the men were despatched forth-
with for service in the flagship Nile, at Queens..
town, and 50 were to be forwarded to-day to Ports-
mouth.

Notices have been posted at Chatham Dockyard
that seamen and marine pensioners are required for
the Castor, 36, and Brilliant, 20, which have been
commissioned at Chatham for training ships for the
Naval Coast Volunteers.
Complimentary salutes were yesterday exchanged
between the Prussian frigate Arcona, bearing the
broad pendant of Commodore Sundewald, and the
Victory, 104, bearing the flag of the Commander-in
Chief at Portsmouth, Admiral W. Bowles; C. 8., on
the occasion of the gallant commodore assuming
his present rank.
The examination of candidates for shipwrights'
apprentices at Portsmouth dockyard will take place
on the 24th and 25th inst. ; and that for factory ap-
prentices en the 26th and 27th inst.