Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-09-11
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
From The London E'ngRshman.

ON BOARD OF HIS MAJEsTY's SHIP
BRITANNIA.
At five bells. the gratngs were rugged. the
Marines all under arms, and all over pipe clay;
the officers in their cooked hats and swords; the
| M;dshipmen with their hands out Of their poe
kets; when the First Lieutenant went down into
the cabin and made his report that all was ready
| for punishment, and then returned on deck In
few minutes the Captain made his appearance,
stepping in all the majesty of uncontrolled pow
! er, and having received from the First Lieute-
uant the Report of Offences" and from the
ohsrquious clerk the - Articles of War;" went
! to, ward 10 the break OF the gangway, accompa.
MED by the officeas. and looked down into the
wa. 'shere the culprits were arranged in a
line, urlcc the surveillance Of the Master-at
Arms ard ships corporal; the Quarter Masters
| stood ready with their settings, and the boat
sw all with his mates, With their jackets off, and
shirt sleeves tucked up, exhibited the cats, which
! were to be called into service: AS the Cap
! tain r-a he'd the gangway, the " 'tenti0n'' Of
the marine officer was answered by the simuita-
! neous rap on the barrels of the musqoets on the
part cf the marines, and BY the doffing of the
| hats Of the ship company who were assembled
/ below round the ,ceue ot action. After that al!
war silent, except the ripping and dashing Of
the light wave. which appeared to despise the
control Of the present monarch 0f the deck as
much as, in former days. 1t is reported to have
Knocked the rebuke OF the ;hroned monarch OF
tue Strand.
..My lads isaid the Captain, in sonorous
voice hoi;iu. ont with his RE ht hand the Report
OF Offences, am very sorry TO perceive that
there appears to have been degree Of lusubor
dinaton and neglect of duty which il is inpossi
bic for me to pass oYet THIS is an unpleasant
Office: one that perform with regret; bat, my
Iads. here are the Articles of War it.e Captain
extended his left hand, which contained them.
lb.inn like Cato, joubiy armed: the bane and an
titlote we're bath before him.) Ny lads, they
were made for US all. | and my officers are
equally amcnable if we infringe them, aud am
placed here to see that they arc obeyed; and SO
long as | have the honor to command this ship,
they shall be obeyed by G."
Here one of the impairment Midshipmen re-
marked. in whisper, that the Captain, by the
above oath, had inlrinsed the very first article;
but, continued he. quoting Shakespeare,
.Tha,s in the Captain but choleric word,
which in the soldier is rank blashpheuy"
Fortunately for him. he was not overheard, and the
Captain proceeded:--'. Edward Law
- Here, Sir" replied one of the, prisoners, a
|
ing hair, 'ermed by sailors sc loye-lorks," fall
Ing down on each side over the temples.
- You the first on this list, Sir, for matt.
nous expressions and contempt of your superior
officer. Pray, Mr.. AI,hcrp (said the Captain,
turning round to the First Lieutenant, where
does this mar do his dutY?' In the maintop,
Sir" WAS the reply Have you ANYTHING to Of.
Ter in yodr defence, Sirrah? - Please your Ho-
nor (rrpied the man, whimpering,) | never in
tended to b. insolent: I'm one Of the most harm.
less people in the ship. Air. Althorp, hope
your Honor Will give me a character" Have
you anything to sag in favor Of this man, MIR
AlIhorp: inquired the Captain. g Really, Sir,
am sorry cannot. You must recolect that
he is deserter from the Wing corvette. He is
one of the most troublesome and useless fellows
in the ship You may recoilect. Sir when we
we're in India the complaint made against him
for teazins the elephant when he was on liberty
---on duty he is Of little or no use and below be is
always in hot water. lie can't have woman
on board without kicking up a row with her:
in Fact, SIR the only thing can say in his ta-
,or is, that he is can IN his person, aud keeps
his cothes in good order. )"
Strip, Sir, said the Captain, who took oft his
har aud commenced the Article Of War: " Al,
person, IN or belonging to his Maje>tr's teet
aud vessels OF war" &c. during which the pri-
soer very unwlingiy obeyed, and being lash
led 40 20 the gratinss by the quarter-nasters, the
,nas,er,at,arms reported him .'seized up"
Nj Broom. said the Captain TO the boat
swain, give INN one dozen.
The Doatswain. who was considered the smart
est in the service finurshed his cat, and dcscrib.
ng Tremendous sweep, without any apparent
exartien o. strength, but with knack pc uiiar:
,, iiy has own, delivered the nine tails upon the
back of the prisoner, whose breath appeared To
, be suspended by the blow. 1t was not until he
had received half dozen ashes that he could
find sufficient play ot the lungs to cry out,
which he at last did most Justify, and CONT
nued his exciamationn until the dozen was
complete
Que dozen. sir, repeated the master-at-arms.
Another, boatswain's mate, then, cried the
captain.
u Mercy, your honor! mercy!-indeed 'reR re
: form, exclaimed the prisoner.
: We? who the devil does he mean? inquired
some of the larboard watch of maintop men, t.
(which the prisoner belonged.