The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-28 00:00:00

TYRANNY AND CRUELTY IN

THE NAVY.
(From the Portsmouth Times and Naval Gazette.)

Were the will of some high naval commanders
obeyed, especially that of the great gods at Charing-
cross, they would confine all knowledge of what
transpires on board a British man-of-war as closely
as did Spanish or Portuguese Inquisitors the secrets
of their dire prison-houses. But this is beyond the
power of either shipper, Commodore, or Admiralty
Lord, and ever will be, so long as the free press of
England exists.

We can always attain all the information we want,
buy are occasionally puzzled how to impart it to the
public, without bringing persecution upon the beads of
our informants. The fear of marring the prospects—
that is, impeding the promotion, or preventing the em-
ployment—of some worthy officer, who has not commu-
nicated a word which was not true, has induced us some-
times to pause before publication; but we warn, with-
out delicacy or reserve, all tyrants and oppressors, of
whatever rank, and however patronised, that our
hand is only checked—it is not lowered. We bide
our time. Every sea-going officer knows the
system to which we allude, and the terror, or rather
timidity, it causes. Happily for the service, it
is by no means universally prevalent ; it is par-
tial • and fluctuating, and might be extinguished
were it not for the laziness and love of ease so
manifest in high places. Why is a mark, mentally
if not visibly, set against any officer's name whose
complaint has necessitated a court-martial or an inquiry
of any kind ? Because it imposes trouble, "fending and
proving is such a cursed bore ?" Supposing such in-
vestigation -terminates in exhibiting the charge which
induced it to have been malicious, or even frivolous
and vexatious, then, in such case, we would have a
mark of the most ignominious brand set against such
an accuser's name, neither would we utter a word or
write half a line to deprecate his being shelved for
life. Tale-bearing, back-biting, and the habitude
of eaves droppers which last is represented at
•sea by an officeei shutting himself up in a ward-
room cabin, listening to the conversation of his
messmates through the jealousies, and reporting it
to his captain ;—all these modifications of slander
we abominate, and would most severely punish.
But, strange to say, in those identical ships in which
these despicable practices prevail, the honest man has
most cause for apprehension if he ventures to speak
the truth.

The appeal we make to the Admiralty and
authorities on behalf of the naval service is of
a very modest character—of a simple negative
nature. We do not ask for rewards to be offered
for information ; we only pray that those who
give information which reveals improprieties in others
may not be punished. We can imagine Mr. Secre-
tary Parker's hair bristling upon his head, and Admi-
ral D.'s or C.'s ears waxing most wrathfully red at the
suggestion of officers being punished for speaking the
truth ; nevertheless, in the face of these irritated func-

tionaries we repeat that, any officer beneath the
rank of a post-captain cannot take more effectual
steps towards his own injury than by exposing the
ill-conduct of his shipmates. He is formally en-
couraged to speak out, perhaps thanked as having
been an auxiliary to justice—but he is no more em-
ployed. There are moreover scores of officers now
afloat who have a reasonable apprehension of joining
their brethren in retirement on the banks of the
Thames, the Tamar, or elsewhere, if they
were to tell all they know. "We hare not
the smallest doubts that did Admiral D,
or C, or B, know that such an officer possessed know-
ledge which he was reluctant to reveal, and further-
more that other individuals were cognizant of the
fact, they would most imperiously command him to
speak out ; but we are by no means equally clear as
to that officer's subsequent promotion, especially if
his testimony should implicate some high officer's son
or nephew.
Upon what other supposition than a dread of the
consequences likely to recoil upon the heads of the
accusers of a highly-connected officer can we account
for a court-martial's not being demanded upon the
lieutenant of a steamer lately returned from the Medi-
terranean,who from the first day he joined until his ship
was paid off was perpetually, in a greater or less degree,
either muddled or maddened by strong drink !
who was in the habit of addressing the ship's
company in language disgraceful to the lowest of
the degraved ! who capriciously discharged ship's
boys, leaving them so destitute in a foreign port
that they had no alternative between absolute
starvation and theft for food ! who was rapped
over the knuckles by the Admiral on the station
for sending a petty officer on shore who had remon-
strated at the pay-table, and compelled to take the
man back again and bring him home ! who for
the slightest reason, or none at all, except to gratify
a Nero-like love of torture, compelled men and boys
to stand upon shot immersed in buckets of cold water,
or to carry enormous weights upon their heads !
Why was not such a man brought to a court-
martial ? We conelude that his brother officers,
for the reasons we have surmised, abstained from
bringing his drunkenness, his vile language, his
capricious tyranny, and generally abominable
conduct under the notice of his captain, or he
must have been brought to trial. We remember,
not three years ago, a lieutenant being brought
to trial at this port by his captain for smoking during
inclement weather, in the ward-room of a hulk, and
dismissed his ship, notwithstanding he had the high-
est possible character from every officer of his ship
and several members of the court-martial. If his
sentence was just, what punishment ought to await
the officer to whom we have alluded ?
Can we wonder that men wander about and com-
plain that while they are punished for trifling faults
officers may do anything ?
We believe all our averments to be capable of proof,
but we do not choose to expose ourselves to an action
for libel by publishing the individual's name. But the
Admiralty may have it, in confidence, if they will
apply to us, and desire to repair the omission of
bringing such an offender to trial.

" Raro antecedentem scelestum
Deseruit pedo pcena claudo."
" In vain the trembling culprit flies,
Justice, though with a halting foot,
Pursues him and he dies."

MARYLEBONE VESTRY.—The vestry assembled at
the Court-house, on Saturday, the Rev. Dr. Spry in the chair,
and the returns of the inspectors as to the result of the re-
cent contest having Leen read, a few of the newly-returned
members took their seats. The only business transacted was
the nomination by Mr. Nicholay of several fresh names on
his committee, appointed to watch the Metropolitan Inter-
ments Bill, in lieu of those gentlemen who were members of
it, and who, having gone out by rotation, and not being
again returned as members of the vestry, were no longer
members of the committee. The vestry, which appeared
greatly disconcerted at the result of the recent contest
( there being still eighty of the old party remaining) then
Woke up.
MURDER AND SUICIDE BY A MOTHER.--WAR-
WICK, SATURDAY.—The greatest possible excitement has
prevailed throughout the neighliourhood of Great Lister-
street, during the past few days, in consequence of a married
woman having murdered one of her children and destroyed
her own life. It 'appears that a female named Ann Sea-
born, the wife of a mechanic, who resided in a cottage on
Primrose-hill, had recently suspected that her husband was
paying improper attention to a young woman with whom he
was acquainted. On 'Monday last her husband left home,
his three children, one an infant, remaining with their
mother in the cottage. Suspecting whither her husband
well in t e garden.
had gone, and stung by.jeaalousi, shae, during n g hhis absence,
pTrheaciptwitaateadthheer
n witn left quite
liianvfingt into
helpless and alone, it being quite darkes, sed this act,
knew not what to do.
rschelifldarnend
One of them, however, contrived to find ita way to a house
near the canal side, where the father was, and having told
its melancholy tale, the father, accompanied by some corn.
panions, immediately proceeded home, and after some delay
the two bodies were extricated from the well, life being quite
extinct. The inquest was held on Wednesday, at the Ma-
zeppa Inn, Lord-street, when a verdict was returned " That
the mother destroyed her own life and that of the infant
whilst in a state of insanity."

THE POWER OF TELEGRAPH COMPANIES.—TO the
immense power placed in the hands of individuals, and its
great liability to abuse, in such an establishment as the elec-
tric telegraph when ramified throughout a country and under
the control of a mere money-making company, we have re-
peatedly drawn attention. The wranglings of the present
telegraph company with inventors and news-agents in our
own courts of law, even independently of anything like spe-
cific charges of abuse (though not a few of these are now on
official record), will, if we mistake not, open the eyes of the
public at large to the importance of our warnings. The
company certainly have not acted wisely for themselves in
their late line of policy. As lately observed by Sir F. The-
tiger, in showing cause against the rule granted to show
cause why a criminal information should not be filed against
Messrs. Willmer and Smith, newsagents—" considering the
circumstances which appear on the affidavits filed, one cannot
but admire the boldness, rather than the prudence, of the
Electric Telegraph Company, in calling the attention of tteord ..,
public to the enormous powers with which they are intru cl
and the danger which must result from their abuse.
Campbell, on hearing both parties, discharged the
in another
the whole merits still remain to be discussedears,
will be
shape, when charges of a serious nature, it pp
urged in self-defence against the telegraphanagement.—
M .
Railder. rile,
but
rweeks a go Mrs.
SINGULAR BEGITEST.—SOII3e few
Salter, the widow of a wealthy of ale should
Herts, provided
in her will that a hogs
the brewery, for
ossessors of
be daily given away by the p brewer ahteandickmanswortb,
morning ladle by its side, when such of
ever. Accordingly, every
the public road, with an ironnnot
the bagel is placed on
above quaffing a ladleful cf
are
manner,
may
be seen wetting the day
her Majesty's lieges as
stingo in that public. meaneln,en
o'clock. Formerly a brass tap
but, as that frequently disappeared
was put with the baorrree
primitive method of a spikehole was
or washing ,?own their eleven
;l
i with the ale, the n.l
_..susbex o.rpress.
SUbstituted.