The daily union., 1852-01-17

engaged in work not properly his own but unable OBJ
tain the assistance OF The worthless around him That
he had rather be Ia hell than on board an american
owar under The present system; that The willing men
were worked to death and that matters, he feared,
would never be better unless the cats restored
This is the opinion OF most OF the good men with whom
have eonversed,
/" Secondly what has been The effect upon discipline
and subordlnaon among persons composing ships com
panles
. Injurious in the extreme The men seem 10 lose
sight Of the fact that the officers have been left without
substitute for hoggiDg and have themselves 10 devise
means for the support OF discipline; they fancy the modes
adopted intended only 10 annoy and harass them, and
consequently have arrayed themselves against their Off
their natural enemies, and become much more in
subordinate than formerly
thirdly DO the crews OF vessels-of-war eyince
more less alacriiy and cheeruness ere the orders
oil oiLcers more or less promptly obesea ?
They appear much more dissatisfied and complaining,
and there is evldentya hestancy and dissemination 10
obey any and every order given them Twice since have
commanded this ship, and since the abolition of corpoea
punishment. have portion Of lhe marine guard been
and proper orders OF their otcersa necessity which
have never before seen arise in forty years service
Time would fail TO mention the hundreds of instances of
insubordinaon that have fallen under my observation
"Fourthiy. Are there any etfectual means by which
badly disposed persons board ship be restrained
'All the means which | have tried only tend to
ritate and make the men stubborn and nsubordi-
nate That you may form idea OF the class of per
sons with whom we have TO DO and TO show the effect of
'ignomnious discharges, will relate circumstance
which recently occurred in presence OF the assembled
crew. man named McCaddan, brought home in the
ST. Louis under sentence Of court martial, was by your
order discharged in disgrace from ths ship Upon land
ing abreast OF the ship he was greeted by portion OF the
crew OF the ST. Louis with three hearty cheers followed
by three groans Tor the ship, placed in carriage and
driven of in triumph exclaning they went off, You
have done nothing disgracefu; you have only licked
officer which will all do il the opportunity Offers As
further illustration OF the effect OF this mode OF punish
men will mention the fact that one OF the OF lhe
John Adams. excellent seaman, applied TO Commander
Barron for 'disgracefu discharge! know OF no rem
9TH thnnt old nd triad y,as sra,a
the instrument that placed and sustained our gallant little
navy upon an equality in discipline with any other upon
| the globe
"Fi Are the vessels of the navy more or less eff
cient since the abolition of fosging"
"To this interrogatory am not prepared to give de-
csve answer, from the fact of my not having been TO
since the passage of the law. | cannot tor moment
imagine, from any experience here, however, that teyare
at all etcient and from accounts abroad aud the con-
dlton OF those recently returned am confident IN the
opinion"
| Commandant Downes, from the commandants office,
navy-yard, Boston, July 20, 1851, says:
"SIR: In compliance with the wishes OF the depart
nen the circular Of the 5th of June last TO furnish
much in detail as practicable views OF the effects pro-
duced in the naval service by the aboshment OF foggng
IN the navy, and proposing series OF questions Tor my
consideration and answers thereto, would remark that
not having been TO since the law abolshing coporea
punishment went into operation, can only judge OF lis
effects the service from the apparent little control the
officers OF ships arriving here TO be paid of have their
crews have witnessed among them general spirit of
INSTRUMENTATION and indifference In the discharge OF their
duties About htteen hundred men have arrived here
and been paid OF within the last two years. and have
experienced more difficulty with them than before
with the thousands that have heretofore paid off
| and discharged.
In the first question in the circular That
has been the effect upon the recruiting service I would
state, my opinion that has driven many of the class
OF seamen from the service have the fact fron them
selves and when have asked them why they did not
return TO the service, their has uniformly been,
There as no fogging notc, and the good men will have
TO do all the duty, whilst the disposed confined be-
low, where they prefer TO be rather being exposed
TO bad weather on deck. Formerly, the bad men were
kept TO their duty from the dread of the cat while the
good seaman had no fear Of being punished think it
very certain that not has been induced to enter
the naval service in consequence OF tho adjustment OF
ioggng but, on the contrary that many have avoided
1t for that reason.
"In answer 10 the third question: Do the crews OF
vessels-oiwar evince less alacrty and cheerful
ness and are the orders OF The officers more or less
promptly obeyedPl would remark that, as far as they
have come under my observation, much less than
previous 10 the abolition OF hogging.
- In to the fourth question: Are there any
eectual by which the badly disposed persons
board ship be restrained r-I would remark the ships
o.war when at at all times expected 10 be in
readiness for immediate action, which be the
II many OF the crew IN confinement. To insure et
cheney in ships Of war al prompt punishment should
follow offences In port, confinement may be resored to
but al know OF punishment, except corporeal,
that will eeciuay keep disposed persons under the
proper and necessary restraint This authorized
under the sentence OF court OF three officers, ordered BY
the commander OF the ship for small Offences restricted
TO slight punishment.
10 The MIN question: are Tue vessels OF tne navy
less efficient since the adjustment OF hoggng in
the navy Pl would remark that this question already
answered in the preliminary remarks OF this communca
ton; but repeat that from my observation on the
dton OF vessels arriving here, they far less efficient
than before the abolition OF hoggng"
Captain s. H. Sr1gham, from the commandants
Office navy yard Goport, August %, 1851, says, IN
ply 10 the ntenogatores
10 The fra.-No. The recruits received from the
rendezvous this and from the northern satlon since
the adjustment OF oggng the navy, have been found
far inferior those who comprised the OF our ships
previous TO the passage OF that act.
To the second.-From personal observation, ! am un.
able 10 say but from official reports made TO me by con-
manders of vessels at this station and under my CON-
mand the abrogaiion OF punishment by 6oggng has had
unhappy effect upon the discipline and suoodinaton
OF ships companies.
TO Dte Uud-Cannot say from personal knowledge
but from information derived from officers attached 10
sea going ships, am justified in answering No, empha
ically
TO the fourh--None, in my opinion, except resio-
ration OF authority punish by logging for certain spec
fed offences the offence and extent OF punishment inflicted
10 be entered n the log formerly and regularly report
ed 10 the department In connexon with this, would
remark that from free and unrestraned conversations
with many OF our worthy and reliable seamen, am sat
ished that the OF them unanimous in the wish
that the law prohibiting 6ogging be repealed"
! Commander Thomas O. Selirdge, under date OF Bos-
ton, Massachusetts, September Q, 1851, says
Sin In reply TO the circular from the department OF
June s. have the honor TO state that the effects OF the
adjustment OF Aogging in the navy subverslon OF
efficient discipline, and the incon OF direct injury on
| the better portion OF ships company
These conclusions drawn from my knowledge OF