Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-08
RULES on THE SEA.
Rights and Duties of Jolly Tars on
Uncle Sans Men-of- War.
NECESSARILY RIGID.
Effect Of the Discontinuanee of Liquor
Rations on DesertionA
PUNISHMENT THAT Is PERMITTED
twRrTTEN Fol THE pIsPArcH.]

is reason to think that many erroneous idea
are held with regard to these matters. A
regards the army, more is known of its lifi
than of naval matters, and many person.
are sufficiently well informed TO know tina
occasional instances of tyranny and oppres
sion do not make the rule; but there is ar
idea that the old knock-down tactics of tht
merchant skipper are not unknown in the
navy.
The discipline Of man-of-war must ne.
cessarily be rigid and strict Centralized
authority is there an absolute requirement
Whatever personal rights the sailor may
have should be preserved to him, but un
| Questioning and instant obedience should
be exacted. The Regulations of the Navy
are guide to its officers in the preservation
of discipline and order. They are enacted
by Congress, or are in part orders from the
Secretary of the Navy, issued in accordance
with Law, and Of full binding force. One Of
the first principles of the regulations is thus
enunciated: Authority is to be exercised
with frmness, but with kindness ana justice
to interiors" Authority to punish offenses
is strictly defined by law; no deviation
therefrom will be tolerated"
This should be the rule by which all mill
tary authority is regulated. At sea more
power, or the authority to exercise greater
| discretion, necessarily is given to the COM
manding and other officers than in a mill
tary force ashore The exigencies are
greater, the consequences of dilatory action
upon so restricted theater are so obvious,
that instant obedience and swift iftpunishment
should be the rule-but this involves no
cruelty.
REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES.
The laws and regulations, as well as the
usages of the service, prescribe methods by
which the men can and may at all suitable
times make any reasonable complaints, and
the regulations are explicit in providing
that such complaints shall at once be lnves-
tigated, so that the men may not only be
protected in their rights, but may be kept
contented and satisfied. This is the end and
aim of every commanding officers action
toward his men. The community on board
ship is restricted to q narrow space, and
discomfort spreads with great rapidity.
Every means available is usually
made use Of, not only to Sc
cure the men their rights, but to
divert and amuse them in their leisure
hours. Officers have become attached to the
men under immediate command; after some
feel that their rights may safely be trusted
to the watchful care of their immediate conf
mandipg officers.
1t is custom of the service that any man,
or any reasonable number of representatives.
of the crew, may at any time "come to the
mast, that is stand where they will attract
the attention of the officer always on duty or
deck, and then and there request to see the
executive or commanding officer, or lay be-
fore the officer of the watch such complaints
as they may have to make. If these COM
plants are not querulous, they are tolerably
certain OF receiving immediate attention.
Combinations either Of officers or men against
those in authority over them are strictly for
hidden, while way is prescribed in which
anyone may protest or demonstrate with
superior against the execution of an illegal
or unnecessary order, but he must obey it, if
repeated. 1t could not well be otherwise.
The officer must be the judge of the neces-
sitv of his order, and the subaltern may,
after all, report the matter to higher author
ity.
TROUBLES OF THE SAILOR
A sailor is very much more difficult to
govern than a soldier. He must be4allowed
certain privileges not com patible with
military ideas of discipline. Usually obe-
dient, the seaman is apt to be querulous
and sometimes childish. Grumbling is
recognized as a sailors rights. Open re-
monstrance against orders cannot, of course,
be tolerated. There is an old custom, grow
ing rapidly out of favor, perhaps, by which
the disconted sailor or Junior officer airs his
grievances without formally complaining.
This custom is called "bulkheading" The
superior is talked at through the thin bulk
head or partition that divides the quarters
from each other or through skvlight.
Arbitrary punishment is no longer toler-
ated by law. The punishments which the
commander may infict by his own order are
few and not of serious character. Extra
watch, "toeing a seam" on deck, depriva-
tion OF liberty on shore, reduction of ''rat-
ing" or Office bestowed by himself, confne-
ment with or without irons for less period
than ten days, unless for SAFE keeping, and
SOLITARY confinement not exceeding five days.
courts are established by law. The sum-
mary court, composed of the officers of the
ship to which the person accused is attached,
is for the punishment of lesser offenses,
while the General Court, convened by the
admiral or by the Secretary OF the Navy,
tries the graver cases that come up before it,
Three officers and a recorder compose the
summary court, which may adjudge only
three NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. with "bad
conduct discharge, solitary confinement
not exceeding 80 days in single or double
irons on bread and water or on diminished
rations, confinement not exceeding three
months. reduction to next lower Office or
rating" and it may add extra police
duties and loss of pay not exceeding three
months to any one of these. Loss of pay is,
however, subject to the approval of the Sec
retary OF the Navy.
MEAsuREs oF PFIrpr
The officer convening the court approves
or disapproves of the rest OF the sentence, and
he may remit part of it, and M ust do so ii the
surgeon shall certify that the punishment
allotted would produce serious injury to the |
health of the person convicted. A general
court consists of from 5 to Is officers Itis |
its duty to adjudge punishment adequate |
to the offense, and its proceedings are sub |
ject to revisal by the Secretary or the Presi- |
dent. There are many offenses ior which, |
in time of war, death may be adjudged, |
such as these: Mutiny or attempted mutiny,
or suppression of knowledge of projected |
mutiny; disobedience OF orders; assault
against superior officer; giving information
to the enemy; desertion; betrayal of trust;
sleeping upon water; leaving station with
out reliei; suffering aiding vessel to be
lost or stranded. or Injuring any part OF her
tackle or armament; firing public property;
cowsrdly yielding, striking flag or sur
rendering to the enemy; displaying cow
ardice, negligence, ETC.; deserting station in |
battle; neglecting orders to prepare for bat
tie, to clear for action, or to join battle |
when ordered; failure to encourage bravery |
in person; failure to seek encounter; failure |
to relieve other vessels in battle; serving as |
spy, and murder.
Imprisonment for life or for term of years |