New-York tribune., 1870-04-16
pires by its terms with the year 1870. Let that
be the end of it
EEEPING UP DISCIPLINE.

The tyranny of naval officers is not pleas
ant subject to reflect upon, especially when we
remember how absolute their power must be
over the crews under their command. A
pretty bad case has recently been brought to
our notice through an official order from the
Secretary of the Navy. In May, 1869, Joseph
King, a seaman on board the L. ). ). Ports
mouth, in the bay of Rio Janeiro, applied
publicly to his commanding officers an unusu-
ally rich variety of that strong and fiavorous
language in which sailors are prOverbally
accomplished For this oflense he was tried
by summary Court Martial and sentenced to
confinement in double irons, on bread and
water, for thirty days, to loss of three months
pay, and extra police duties for three months
Not satisfied, however, with this punishment,
Commander A. A. Senmes proceeded to lnfiict
the following additional discipline: On the
morning after the sentence the prisoner
was placed in the ships launch, exposed to
the burning sun, his feet ironed to a
ring-bolt and his hands in irons, and kept
there without food or drink until evening.
Then he was shut up in a sweat-box of such
dimensions that it was impossible to sit down
in it, and for his comfort was allowed bucket,
which was emptied only once in twenty-four
hours. How long this treatment lasted the
record does not show, but King fell sick and
was turned over to the surgeon. He served
out, however, his thirty days of confinement
in double irOns and was then restored to duty.
Meantime he seems to have grown so fond OF
the service that on the 18th of December he
attempted to desert. For this Oilense, aggra-
waited by violent language when arrested,
Commander Semmes did not trouble Court
Martial, but made all the little arrangements
himself King was placed in double irons on
the berth deck of the Portsmouth, and his
hands. being fastened behind him, were drawn
up and attached to an eye-bolt above. He was
kept in that position for Sirty hours, and during
about twelve hours of that time he was also
gagged. The same punishment was continued
for ten days. with the exception OF two periods
of twenty four hours each.
But Joseph Kings troubles were not over
yet On the 18th of January he was arraigned
before a General Court-Martial for the same
o6enSes which had already been punished
in such an extraordinary manner, and sentenced
to be confined in double irons until an OppOr-
tunity offered to send him home, to be i'm
prisOned in some pententiary for five years at
hard labor, and to forfeit all the pay which
might become due him, amounting to about
$500. Secretary Robson, in reviewing this
sentence, denounces the cruel and illegal pun
ishments inflicted on board the Portsmouth,
for which he intimates that Commander Semmes
viii be properly called to account, and sets
aside the finding and sentence of the General
Court Martial, for the reason that the accused
had been already punished AS for Joseph
King, he is discharged from confinement and
restored to duty. We trust he will prove an
ornament to the service and a comfortable
sort of person to have on board a ship.