Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-02-01
DAILY
POST INTELLIGEMCER.
rnE WAY TO TREAT HIGH TONED
THIEVES.

rnE WAY TO TREAT HIGH TONED
TmIEyEs.
A very Just punishment recently IN
Aioted ON an officer Of the British navy
has made something Of an excitement
in London clubs and drawing rooms,
and in the service from which he has
been condemned to dismissal, remarks
the New York Sun. The reason for 1t
all il that Commander Heron, the con-
yicted officer, was of pretty consider
able rank in the navy, and Is a man OF
sristocratic connections and associa-
items.
Commander William Burgoyne Max
we'll Heron was tried last month Ter
misappropriating Government property
and setting seamen ON his ship to work
on his house al il they kere mechanics
in his own service and paid by himself.
He permitted the sale of rope and
glasses and some other Of the Govern
ment property on the Clyde, of which
he was the Commander, and, instead OF
accounting for the proceeds, used the
money in furbiAhina up his ship 80 as to
give it an appearance satisfactory to
his tastes.
He sent seamen from the Clyde to
paint his house from top to bottom with
psiut paid for by the Government, and
70 put mp a greenhouse for him, the
GLASS of which seems to have boon taken
from the ships stores. And when the
Corporal Of the vessel reported the
"irreQulsritiss" to him, Commander
Heron degraded the honest fellow on
the prstence that he was insubordinate
and had failed TO prove his charges.
When, however, the officer was
brought before court martial the Cor
porars charges were sustained, with
some triHing exceptions, and, despite a
great pile Of certificates to his good
character, Commander Heron was found
guilty, and sentenced TO dismissal from
the navy. II was. Of course, righteous
verdict, but the clubs and drawing
rooms Of London sympatbize with the
diseraoed officer because they say that
the only difference between him and his
superiors in rank In the navy Is .aat hs
was found out and reported by an i'm
pertinent enlisted man. The Others
have done the same thing for many
years, and no trouble has fallen on then
in consequence. Pilfering Government
property, misappropriating Government
stores, and employing seamen to worl
about the houses Of officers, have beer
rather the rule than the exception. w
are told. And the dishonesty is excused
on the SCORE Of the economy Of the AID
miralty, not enough being allowed t.
the ships and their officers to enable
them to make as fancy an appearance
a. they desire. Some officers with
money to spare supply the deficiencies
out Of their own pockets, If they are
very anxious 10 beautify their ships
Others, lacking private fortunes, do Al
Commander Heron did-squeeze the
oash out Of the Government by various
devices, all Of which involve dishonesty
Az to using seamen to do their private
work, that, the apologists for the dis
graoed officer declare, has been done,
BY high officers especially, IA matter
Of course, from the days of Capt. Mar
rya3 until now. II has been an every
day occurrence, says the leading mill
tary journal Of London, for "Admirals,
Captains and Commanders 10 employ
their boats crews, the crews Of their
own galley or Gig. in demestic or private
work, ON board or ashore, according as
they have house or mott and the men
are logged as having done labor in the
line Of their duty. All sorts Of expedi-
ents have bean resorted to for the pur-
pose Of cheating the Government by tho
exceedingly well-paid officers Of the
British navy.
Commander Heron is therefore pecu-
liarly unfortunate in being called to
account for bis defalcations and pun
ished ~ he deserved to be. In fairness,
courts martial ought to be kept steadily
at work oonvicting tho rest of the de-
1aulting officers who. IL seems, are so
many that the service would be greatly
reduced Il justice was done all around.
Bot manifsstly such wedding out pro-
esa y much needed now in the English
navy, for complaints Of corruption very
high ups even In the Admiralty depart
msuts, are now made.