The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-09-20
Coalition Of our Navy.
rnrHEssrsG LsrTsR FROM AN OFFICER OF THE o. 8.
SHIP PORTSMOUTH.


q. 8. SHIP PORTSMOUTH,
NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN, Aug. 10, 1900
Much has been said during the last year In regard
TO the disclpln. of the navy II seems SIR, that
AiQh time that there should be less talk ana more
done. and that soon too or the navy had better DE
abolished entirely This is now the hfteenth year OF
INV servinp on board of United States vessel my
first annearapce In the service was IN the year 1888,
nnder the gallant and Iamented Hull, on board the
Ohio. ship Of the line Captain Joseph Smith was
ber Commander. That ship was in commission
khirty-four months every man on board OF her
was happy The laws of the navy were strictly
carried out every one who knew Captain smith
knew if they disobeyed those laws that they
would be puni-hed Here let me mention that
no man vas ever punished until he had had q
hearing bttois the first and two other lieu
fsnsnts; il by them he was found guilty, he was
sure to be punished By this mode no man was
ever punisbee ~rongfully. have consersed with
hundred OF OLD man of-wars men, and their cry is,
s'Give u discipline without logging il it be-if
not restore the logging law; for then the old salts
will not have to 90 the duty Of lot of andubbers
who now ship In the service, who would not dare 10
enter it If the Cat system was in vogue" There Is
Kioubt but the Jogging law was abused, but that
could have bean easily remedied by drum head
court martial II is no punishment to lazy man to
take him and place him in confinement under the
Eentry's charge. Nile cases out of ten he
Aas some favorlte book to read, and he commits
e0me slight offence, kno wing that he will get confined
,0me five or ten days, and, during this time,
his messmates have got to do his duty carry him his
nations, and, when night comes, get his hammock
for him, he, perhaps in an exuting manner, laugh
ing at tueu. ,or their trouble This is what is
called punishment The ship that now serve
in has four cells erected on the berth deck they
are fourtes n inches square. Ii man commits him
self. he il placed IN one of them from one to ten
days accord ng To the nature OF his offence He has
to stand up In THIS cage until the dram beats to
earters and receives nothing but bread and water
his food Al quarters he taken up to the brig othe
spar deck here Lice feast awaits him; his comrades
through the day look out and have good dish fixed
up for him. ano through the eggence OF the sentry
on post, it l. passed iuto him. Thus is the
commando officers orders violated in the outset
and / will Del, any man to keep prisoner on bread
snG water BOARD OF ships, more especially as
the sentry bsv ng charge OF him cares no more for
the orders he receives from his orderly than he does
3or an OLD coat that he Is too lazy to clean aud
arrows overheard The appointment Of foreigners
to fill the various petty situations on board Of
our Ships Ia great aud growing evil and has done
more 10 ate dissatisfaction shipbOard than any
timing else In nire ships out Of teo you will fud
majority OF the petty officers are foreigners of
them according to their own account, had to flee
their own country. 1t may be asked how is this! 1t
= easily Answered; foreigner on shipboard sets
himself to work, and epdeavors to gain the
good graces OF the officers, either by being
very attentive 70 his affairs, or perhaps makes
him fancy 0oy is full of the 'yes and mo- sir y
pulls bis hat off every time an officer passes
him, &c, &c This dore, he is sure OF petty off.
it may be asked, are there any American, in these
nipsi or. certainly far the crews are concern
ed our navy Is how foreign navy, which is dis.
Ry1,oY Var k1SAa Of IF nd do fo
die for i-msu, who all their days have been mari
ners-Uen who perfect seamen--men who have
wives and children to support-men who "have seen
letter days. aud every way capable of filling any
situation on shipboard; but they are 60 independent
too democratic, to stoop to these mean and COZ
femptole sources to obtain. those situations,
and for being thus Independent they are by
majority Of the officers considered unfit for
Office. Again, the commander Of vessel of war,
should, together with his officers, have confidence
his petty ocers they shsnla b. ,t tsnats6 sach
lie allowed more privileges and as long as they be-
aaved themselves be permitted to go on shore; and
again; when petty officer reports man, that re-
port shouc be noticed, and if the offender is guilty
Ne should be punished accordingly do this, and you
will do much 10 create good discipline in the navy.
! 90 not wish e. be understood as advocating fog.
cling as an abstract measure, but say, if cannot
have our ships kept in an orderly and man-of. war
Eyle, give u. the old cats. Another great evil is the
shipping of every landsman that now goes
TO the rendezvous hundreds go there now
to sea if there any punishment in vogue. As
said before what lazy man or l0afe: cares for
61ement He has all night in and watch to keep.
I would recommend the establishing Of drum head
court martial, 10 be held once week (f needed) on
board Of our ships Of war. Let the accused have a
fair trial, and If found guilty, let his punishment be
Cooianement in the cells day and night, on bread
1nd water. and forfeiture of pay, and be prohibit
ed from going on shore. The punishment to be
awarded according to the nature of the offence As
e any serious offence, such stealing deserton from
H. uulyn LaI
/ would recommend that on the third convic-
fioo. the commanding officer be bound to dis
charge him in any port, forfeiting all pay Put him
IN solitary COZ finement day and night, on bread and
wsor Is food on ship board, and you will see better
ord IN our ships of war. Again, would urge that
q secretary Of the Navy instruct all commanders
nat when they put these ships into commission that
petty officers, situations must and shall be given
= Americans. Once appointed, let them be respect
ed ~ such. would also recommend that the lieu.
tenshts OF each division, be bound to make out
written report every SIX months, of all men and
boys Ii their respective divisions who have behaved
veil and performed their duty faithfully, and hand
1T TO the commanding officer whose duty it shall be
TO have it transmitted to the Navy Department and
81 the end OF the cruise that each of these and
boys receive some additional pay as q reward and
an induceuent for others to re-enter the service
again AS TO the pay Of the men and boys
mia and Australia broke out with their gold mines
the demand for seamep, ordinary seamen aud bows
has increased beyond all account. ! will ask what
seaman is going to ship in the navy for sl2 per
month, when he can get $50 or $25 in the merchant
service? The pay of the petty officers seamen, or
binary seamen, landsmen and boys must and ought
TO be increased. think. sir should Congress pass
Ahe drumhead court martial law, have the solitary
confinement day and night carried timely into effect
forfeit some of their pay for every offence, appoint
Americans to the petty officers situations aud in
crease the pay of ALL and Of all things let the Off
GERS love snd have the interest of the men in their
hearts, proper severity to have an order fulfilled
show partslity, and l. an old salt believe the
navy in great measure will be reclaimed from its
present deplorabe state. G.
Our Genital American Correspondence.
BELIZE, BeITIsH HONDURAS
Aug. IA, 1853.
ESthfr Ne1os from Belize One Of tho indian KID
napprs Tried, Conrtctsf and Sentenced- De-
syp<son ofthe T1at-Paaions Of The Relatives