The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-22
OLD NAVAL P%UNISHMENTS.
nIUTAB PENALTIES INFLICTED ON
SAILORS FORMERLY.

Tho nav. when the Cat was Used-Kesihaul-
,pr AID Executions on shipboard-A Cap
,,,n'. Revenge - Punishtnents THAT Have
Brcu Abolished - Huuaane Methods Now.
Forty.sevcn years ago the cat ceased to be n
feature In naval discipline, 1t 10 no longer con-
s,dcrcd necessary to give the morning watch q
dozen all around, Just to get thcm into working
order for the day. Paragraph 40 OF the A
tirlcs for the Better Government OF the Navy"
Pond TO tho crews OF all warships in commission
on the first Monday Of each month, says:
In no case shall punishment by ~fogging, or by
branding. marking or tattooins be ~adjudsed by any
oourt.martiai, or DO inflicted by any person in the
navy.
The cat, or cato .nine-tails, was made Of rope.
II was about four and one-half inches in cir
conference and to tho ends of the tails was lve
fee, long. For the first three feet 1t was stiff
Toned with many Matthew Walker knots
worked on the handle to prevent It's slipping in
the hands Of tho wielaer. Tho remaining length.
three feet, was divided into several hard twisted
and knottcd ends. making 1t q formidable
weapon in the hands of n brawny boatswain's
mate, especially selected. who laid 1t without
mercy on tho back of the poor wretch dashed
spread eagle by wrists and ankles to an upright
grating. Fifty years ago bo's'n's mates and
corporals OF tho decks carried rattans and colts
III aNNVi ottiA seAhS Wv AaoFt 'hA AhJ
other petty officer not 80 provided, would, II the
occasion required. seize a ropes end and lay It
aver the head and shoulders of an insubordinate
Tar, inclined to give back talk.
In ships OF tho line and frigates the call to
snake sail" would be passed by tho bo's'n's
mates Of each deck, and then would follow q
scurrying up ladders to tho spar deck. the last
man at each ladder getting q cut from the petty
officers rattan or colt. Tho Same thing occurred
- A. -.ak.uln- "A A. ~t--io- A.. ~xA..
clay aloft :" was given. the last man up and tho
last down, when "lay down from aloft" was
ordered, receiving a similar salute as q warning
TO get some ono behind him the next time sails
were loosed.
In those days Captains were arbitrary and
tyrannicaL Shocking p~unishments were in
ficted without the sentence of general or sum-
mary courts-martisl Five dozen with tho cat
for splitting on tho deck II known 70 have been
imposed. The fear Of instant discharge kept
men straight when the man-of-war was cruising
on distant seas in proximity to islands that
wero seldom visited Narrowing has been
resorted to In some navies and by the buccan-
GERS. but never in our own navy to the extent Of
landing a man on an uninhabitod key or Pacific
atoll. Occasionally q man was sentenced
TO DO logged around the leet A boat rigged
with a platform and upright grating and con-
tanning the corporal. guard and boatswain's
mate. detailed TO swing the cat. was towed to
the port Rangways Of each ship Of tho feet.
Upon arriving at the frat ship the prisoner was
triced up and q portion Of his punishment was
given. He was then let down, . coat was
thrown over his lacerated back and no was
towed to the next ship. II he was sentenced to
800 lashes and there were ten ships in the feet,
he would receive thirty lashes at each anyway.
keelhauling, q very ancient custom, must
have been suggested by the old land custom Of
stool ducking. only it was far more baroarous
as the prisoner. being hauled under water from
stem to stern. after having been dropped from
the flying boom or forward yard arm, was nearly
auffocated before he came to the surface aft
Sentence of death BY general ~oourt-martial
could. until comparatively recent years. DO car
ried into effect after receiving the signature Of
the converting authority. In tho case of the
Somers mutiny It was inflicted by the approval
of the Captain. as the brig was cruiaing singly
at the time. During the Mexican war Comma.
dore Connors hanged o man Mt tho yardarm for
striking q Lieutenant, afterward a Rear Ad-
miral. The case was not referred beyond the
aplattoIm built over a gun, and at a signal from
the ofhcer In command the gun was fired. re-
leasing a catch holding q weight sufficient in
mans head prevented the neck from being
have been thrown over the end OF the yardarm
when the toggle brought the line up short. This
. horrible spectacle to his shipmates drawn up
on deck to witness punishment. 1t is said that
r nasr S Of var. %as s hsn n oh the tho bon be IF t som sss,
all the crew and officers were obliged to man the
ropes that drew him and his two confederates
nj B 1Ssal o as these ses pssnishments seem. the com
dent, a story is told Of 2 naval Commando
in the early provincial days. shortly after hi
arrival he was arrested for walking about
ssnssnssd to- Sa the he' STOCKS 1SiSs f as was sHS Soi Ina
S %1ta rage when ,6Y% S set free; but with greS1
had been led to see the error Of his way
and had become converted to their views. HI
then patiently waited until the ship was ordered
magistrates, Including seiectmen and minis
teFs. to 2 farewell dinner. He got his ship undel
wine flowed freely, as was the custom, even
S%qgf bs ssilsis9 v.E PsG 'SIi;1 in Wn.s G ISs%l tine !" II r,
midst of the hiiarity a number Of sailors ant
GS sp,aia. appeared RI a aes Ss s shs e saset,s SS01 :pss Th'
tod his guests that he had long awsitet
s se's asaiRgy to aoT Tin r1 Upon he bis s0 Sla,y ,ipf Y The, ,hsi
barber. He explained that it was eminenti,
proper t,s after ter such a dinner as they had enjoyed
aered his pale and trembling guests to be takel
to- the spar deck; whore a unique reception
W. LhO y" kdIutTcu All
gratings, were placed. and q brawny bo's'n'
pale. with barred arm and cat-o-nine tails. stoo,
FIRMLY secured to the gratings, and. to quote tn
Language Of the chronicler, !" In q very few min
Ntes their backs were raw from the napes O
their necks to their hama"
Inc sweat box was a feature of old-style Dur
lshment and was In existence In the sixtiea. I
MAS an H Upright boy, Just large enough 70 hold
ity OF the face for breathing. Tricing up by til
shumSs to hammock hooks, gagEing, Ironing tn
In the deck were punishments frequentl
awarded some years after the war. Men VIII
were drunk, boisterous. and abusive wer
promptly gagged and left to think 1t over; bu
w accidental smothering OF a sailor In this wa
obliged the official ordering 1t to remain on
iqreisn station for nearly ten years and ende
That method Of handling refractory ~sailors.
"A unique way OF stopping splitting on the dec
AFTER the cat had disappeared was to sling
s~pltkit-or large wooden spittoon-around tt
meek OF the guilty tar and TO give him at IL
serve any sailor who called to him, and with hi
swab was obliged to clean up spots on the dec
mazda v un =, Al.