The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-29
TARs DON'T LIKE THE BLOCKADE.
The Men of the Dragon Decided Not
to Return to Crete-Made to Go,
Though.

From the New York Sun.
London, April 25.-There is good reason
to believe that Admiral Harris, command
ing the British fleet in Crete. in his re-
ports to the admiralty has pointed out the
hard, harassing work that is involved in
maintaining the blockade, and the intense
unpopularity of the whole business among
the officers and men. He recommends
that the ships be relieved as often as pos
sible, and that the men receive extra pay.
The admiralty will be questioned in parlia-
ment about these reports and doubtless
the government will refuse to produce
them on the ground that they are conf
dentiaL 1t must be remembered that the
bulk of the blockade work is being done
by the British ships, and particularly by
torpedo boat destroyers. These vessels
are designed for short spells of active
service, and, therefore everything aboard
is sacrificed to the exigencies of actual
warfare. The crews drag out a most
wretched existence aboard them. The
vessels roll fearfully even in harbor, and
when on the move are almost unbearable,
but they are nearly always in motion,
night and day, and the men are soon worn
out.
The effect upon the discipline and morale
of the blue-jackets is said to be melan-
choly. and the whole story would raise
a storm of Indignation in this country if
it could be told.
Private adVices from Malta declare that
since the Cretan trouble commenced there
have been startling number of court
martial punishments and attempted deset-
tons among the bluejackets, which the
naval authorities are making strenuous
efforts to conceal. One case, which oc-
CURED a fortnight ago, will suffice to il
lustrate, and, in order to appraise its full
significance, it must be borne in mind
that as a rule, discipline aboard British
warships is perfect and easily maintained.
The torpedo boat destroyer Dragon, aft
er a hard time at blockade work all
around Crete, during which it did signal
service from the German emperor's point
of view, was sent back to Malta, and the
men thought they were going to have a
long spell of rest. But the boat was not
long in the harbor when, after taking
more coal. ii received orders to resume
the hated work. Within three hours of
the issue of the order two-thirds of the
crew managed to get ashore and hide
This, of course, was desertion. The adj
miral at once secured the streets with
strong patrols and search parties of the
Royal Marines. With much labor the run
Always were found and secured, but not
in several Instances, until after a desper-
ate resistance.
While this was going on ashore the re-
mainder Of the crew aboard tried to de-
sert and were only prevented by force
and threats that all would be blown into
the air by the guns of a cruiser moored
hard By.
In ordinary course the whole crew would
have been cried and punished, but the ad-
miral thought that the best thing would
be to make believe that the affair was a
holiday freak, and the Dragon was hur-
riedly sent to sea with the men cursing
and mutinous and her officers armed to
the teeth, in readiness for any eventual
tiles.
Presumably the influence of the officers
ultimately prevailed At any rate the
Dragon resumed it's weary work and with
in week captured four Greek and one
British blockade runners.