The sun., 1896-10-11
THE SAILORS NEW "BIBLE."
REVISED REG ULITIONS AMOUR TO
BE ISSUED 10 the NAVY


John Paul Jones cleared his 1rtgato Tor action.
ready to encounter any vessel thai showed tho
| least sign OF tight, there have been rules and
| regulations for the guidance OF naval officers
| ami buejackets. some of the old regulations
seem more or less curious In the light of tho
new series about to be- issued hy the Navy Doe
| partment. Every man on entering the service
Is expected TO learn the naval regulations frhra
| beginning TO end, so that when lie violates a
| single clause Ignorance cannot hc pleaded .s m
excuse. U!l Admiral Ghcrnrdi once in n cu.-
| troversy with Admiral Walker informed him
that the regulations were the sailors bble. and
that they must hc obeyed, no matter what the
consequences might be.
Years ago the rules for the government OF the
navy's personnel were few compared to the irl-
mensc volume now necessary. The Old rugula-
tinns allowed sailors to have grog, and the rule
was that twice day each man should be called
to the mast and receive his share of LIQUOR in
tin can. Now severe punishmcnts ure pro-
vidcd for sailors who have any sort of intoXi-
cant on board ship Coffee has been substi.
tutCd for grog, and while there are yet NUM-
bcr Of the old fellows who remember the Tins
when they got their Gros allowance. there Is no
complaint on the coffee score. ana 1t is generally
agreed that the service Is better of for having
given up the use of liquor.
Not since the war has there been q moro com-
plete revision in the sailors hiple than has been
made recently BY II board Of tho departIncnt
The navy does not exercise exclusive iurisdio-
ton over its personnel. as is sometimes sup
r,sed hecause Il court martials any who
ouehds the regulations of the service. An off,
Ger or man who commits n msicmeRnor on
shore is subject to civil trial first and "A conrt
his conduct warrants It. When on shiphoar6,
however, the navy has entire control. and no
cideS upon the guilt or Innocence of the accused.
Even In the case OF murder. court martial Of
accused shall hang or not. A court martial
can also pass the death sentence and execute It
Tor Other offences than murder. Mutiny and at-
capital offences and have been treated as such,
but the occasions have been few. II an officer
or man scuttIeS Ii iS snip or wiifnlv wrecks her.
he is liable TO be hanged from the yardarm or
the military mast of one Of the nrw battle
ships, Where n prisoner is being tried for his
HE. the new regulations provide that three
fourths Of n court shall be required 10 hang
him. whereas a majority Is sufficient to convict
OF fleet has full power to convene court and
re- review ,s Its nhngs and promnlgate them except
hanged i hen the President must act. No
officer can be- dismissed the navy or hanged un-
lcss the PreSldent approves the findings.
Until within the last two years the penalties
for certain offences lave, in some instances,
good OF the navy, and the new regulations have
corrected these imperfections. Under the old
system an officer suspended for year or more
with loss of all nutnb bers he might have secured
during that time, suffered no inconv enience. ex-
tepl tHeuISsrdtc OF tnt PUNISH lnpnt and Geprlvn-
tion of some rank. The new regulations provide
that when an officer is to lose numbers the Press
not he unemployed.
A new flag is prescribed for the President,
Offering in some features from the old one.
Manning the yards is no longer provided for. be-
cause there are no yards u man on the ne v
ships Many of the old customs so prominent
IN the old navy will disappear with the adop-
tion OF the new regulations. and much OF tho
display then possible. when masts and sails pre-
vailed, will now no longer be required.
| sing prOflnp language has been deemed in
eScusable anl disgracetul in the navy. and is
wien. i Is sa,i, many MA ship was "c1sSed into int;
her innorings or out of n gale" by her commando
y the "fence Is not So Serious as When m an of
iicer is the culprit. Should an officer deliber-
nteiy swear at or abuse one WHY Is his inferior
ment for him. He may lose two numbers of his
grade. which might mean his deprivation OF tho
gets along in years and should the guilty ono
be Commodore the loss, Of two numbers
more in his pay when he retires from ac-
tive service. But with a sailorman it is
own grail" does not constitute a very seri-
Gus beach OF the regulations. r. the court
irons. on bread and water. for thirty DAYS. with
fir first ocnco tSe @ mh be Yeas Yeas tne ss
we're. should "A sailor, however. swear at an
he would have 10 sErsr Hravie" 1cn,rnec. ' He
can swear all he p!rnses however, without being
Gl-mis ed from the service.
Fasehood is not tolerated in the navy. and
officers soon find this out in their career at the
Naval Academy Cadets Will be d ismissed
under the new rrguat ions quicker perhaps for
lying than for any other offence. except hazing,
which the authorities look upon as the most un- a
ofiCcrikc violation of the regulations in tho
Blue Book. II an officer is caught in a false
hood lie j. liable TO be d Nmissed from the scr:
the sentence II . court martial once establishes
guilt. On the other hand. lying by IA sailor Is
not SO serious AN offence, although h" would
al hn liuh N lisI nlhl la
the new regulations provide that he
il there should be- serious acciIuNt to the ve~-
sci while he was inebrIatri the chances would
however. are now seldom rcpursrI Tor drunkea-
ness while on duty; SAL RS are expected to get
cruise. and the punishment is not 50 severe as
that for an officer 1t is, however, sufficiently
to stand in the way Of the sprre1 that some
and nowadays IL a sailor gets drunk on shore
he is careful that he gets aboard snip sober or
AT least sober enough not 20 require assistance
in making his quarters.
cruelty or, the part Of an officer toward sub
he Will be dismissed the service. An enlisted
man would lie subject To six months contne-
last ease of any consequence where cruelty was
committed by nm officer was thar OF Commander
he New York NAVY Ynri for cnttinr n snsman
down with his sword aud otherwise ma,treating
him. The commander narrow!y ESCAPED dis:
-
suspension and the loss Uf sufficient numbers TO
prevent hln from ever attaining the grade OF
Commodore at the present rate Of promo
tion. Drcling IN the navy is ahsolute-
lv forbidden. No officer il expected to
chalienge another 10 II, shgnt no matter
assaults his superior the nrt would be followed
bJ his dlsmi.sa II a naval commander should
send challenge. or ac, cpt nGu he would be
also dismissed without the slightest chance OF n
mitigation of the sentence by the Navy Depart
ment. If u sailor man challenges his equal In
rank il" would be court martinllcd and placed
behind tn" prison bars AT l. lstOn for a year. II
Il young naval cadet should challenge class
mate tn "a sword Or pistol fight he would be dis
missed also. But should lie SIMPLY challenge
for fist fight the Academy aU'hortios womd
give both contestants "A number II d"merits and
send them 10 the old taTtpe for u month.
ph'crnr or nhu i've Ia Euage Il not considered
= great iniThCtiOn "| tie regulations, ONCcrB
found guilty uf - ch an offence might he pub
licly rcurlmhndtd hy UricrS from Il ~rCrctiry
Of the Navy. while u sailor u-ing the same ln-
pu".o wIu!d he in1prIsnurd for SIX months.
Another serious Grim" fer enlisted men under
the new regulations is the old practice Of an
sweriug Cumrades name AZ roll call. This Was
rot an lufreQucnt practice years ago. and en-
Hh,ed the man whose name falsely
sXyprpl % bClOvt SIlt.r n hnfnIunpk