The Portland daily press., 1897-08-24


deck, where unique reception awaited
them. The crew were gathered aft,
gratings were placed, and a brawny
bo's' s mate, with barred arm and cat-oi-
nine tails, stood before each The guests
were quickly stripped, firmly secured to
the gratings, and, to quote the language
OF the chronicler, in very few minutes
their backs were raw from the napes of
their neckn to their hams"
The sweatbox was q feature of old
style punishment and was in existence in
the sixties. 1t was an upright box, just
large enough to hold man. Holes were
bored in the box in the vicinity of the
face for breathing. Tricing up by the
thumbs to hammock hooks, gagging,
ironing the arms behind the back and the
feet to ring bolts in the deck were punish
ments frequently awarded some years
after the war. Men who were drunk,
boisterous, and abusive were promptly
gagged and left to think it over; but the
accidental smothering of a sailor in this
way on one of our ships few years after
the war Obliged the official ordering 1t to
remain on a foreign station for nearly
ten years and ended that method OF hand
ling refractory sailors.
A unique way of stopping splitting on
the deck after the cat had disappeared
was to sling spitkid-or large wooden
spittoon-around the neck of the guilty
bitE anu W give Hill du tll6 sdlllc Ulllc d
hand swab. He was obliged to serve any
sailor who called to him, and with his
swab was obliged to clean up spots on the
deck made by any undetected offender. AS
soon as he could catch and report man
guilty of the same offence he could trans
fer the outfit to him, and the second I'M
fortunate took up the duties of the first.
One punishment that sailors trie d hard
to avoid was that of having their grog
stopped, but when through the influence
of Admiral Foote grog was no longer
| served In the navy, and grog money was
substituted in its stead, that effective
mode of disciplining sailors was lost.
Slowly and steadily. by wise legislation,
more humane methods were substituted,
shore. As one by one the harsh and
brutal punishments were abandoned
others came in which were but degree
less severe. Flogging went out in 1850,
but men were confined in dark, unhealth-
full places for long periods on bread and
water, Men were not triced up, but they
were obliged to hang on the inside of the
rigging or to "ride the gray mare
which was to ride the spanker boom
when the spanker was set and sheet
eased well off, giving to the boom a
swinging, jerky motion that made Jack
hold on for dear life.
Naval Secretaries and many naval
O1llC6ES, l1h0 Aunlrdl L OOU6, VINO was
both a hero and Christian, have deyot.
ed much thought to naval discipline, and
their efforts to effect reforms have been
crowned with success. The Navy Regu-
lation Book, or Blue Book, as it was
commonly called, was thoroughly revised.
Punishments were specified for almost
every offense. The cells for confinement
on shipboard were made larger and we'll
ventilated. No cruel or unusual punish
ment was permitted. The sweatbox dis
appeared. There was no tricing up, no
riding the gray mare, or manning the in
side of the lee rigging. For an officer to
strike man would now result in dismis-
sal; to curse a subordinate would bring
suspension and loss of pay An officer
who had commanded his ship for three
years with marked ability was court
martialled and Suspended for a long period
for putting a man, who was an incorri-
gible rascal in irons, placing him in
boat and dropping it far astern of the
ship, where his foul abuse of the officers
and police of the ship could not be heard
Much sympathy was expressed with the
officer, who was an old officer, but the
course he took was unlawful and unnec-
essary. There were plenty of legal meth
DDS of Furnishing the man of which he
failed to take advantage.
The governing of several hundred men
on shipboard by handful of officers is a
difficult task, and firm discipline must be
maintained Or serious consequences will
follow. But the more just and humane
the laws have become the simpler has
been the task. Rewards for good conduct
in extra liberty, extra money allowance.
badges and promotions are the incentives
to observe discipline. The possession of
an honorable discharge is of great advant-
age to the man-of-war's man today
Those who offend against the laws of the
ship and of the navy are now judged
calmly and dispassionately. All minor
offences are investigated each morning at
the mast Thither the Captain repairs at
10 a. m, accompanied by the executive or
second In command and the officer in
charge of the deck. The Captain cannot
delegate this duty to q subordinate
The offenders are brought to the mast
which is the forward end of the quarter
deck, by the master-at-arms and the
corporal of the guard. Those making
the reports are present also. Each offend
er is called to the front and the report is
read and exlapined by the one making it,
Jack has a chance to defend himself,
witnesses often being called on either side
If he is guilty, a punishment is award
ed such as deprivation of liberty, confne-
ment with or without irons, single or
double, or diminished rations, but not
to exceed ten days, or he may be declassi-
fled from first to second, or even to fourth,
WHICH punishment carries With 1t the loss
of many. privileges. If the offence requir-
es greater punishment than this, he may
be ordered before summary court, and
if still greater, then before general court.
Summary courts martial are made up
from the officers of. the ship, generally
three, and a recorder. They may punish
by confinement for three months In irons,
single or double, or diminished rations
Extra duties and loss of pay may be
added. The sentence must be approved
by the converting authority, generally the
captain. If loss of pay is involved, the
sentence requires the Secretary of the
Navy's approval
General courts convened by the Admiral
and made up of officers from more than
one ship, may inf1iot any punishment
within the power of a summary court
martial, but their power is extended to
imprisonment in any prison the Secre-
tary may designate, or they may condemn
the prisoner to death. The latter sentence
must now be approved by the President
of the United States, no matter where
the ship may be. Men may be discharged
with bad conduct discharge in any part
of the world by general oourt-martial,