The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-16
Cars On
hpboard.

The captain on British man-of-war is
something OF = cxar on board his own
ship. He does not posssss power OF life
| and death over his subordinatesS but he
can make or mar man just as he
| pIeasss. Warrant officers and all ranks
above can be punished oily by court mar
tials. says the London Mail. Hut in all
the ranks below warrant ofilcer the cap
tain can promote or degrade men as he
thinks fit
Two tribunals are held daily In bat
tIeship. At noon the commsnder deals
with the lighter offences. while the more
serious ones are Judged by tho captain
at evening.
At the dreaded evening function the
captain presides sternly sitting at TIA
BILE on the quarter deck. with officers
around him. The prisoners stand I'm a
row facing their Judge.
What Is this man. charged with?'asks
the captain.
The master-at-arms states the charge.
which Is that Ordinary Seaman Jones
walked when he should have run, and
would not mend his pace when ordered
TO.
Call the Witnesses" commands the
skipper" and the witnesses step forward
and give their evidence.
We'll. you have heard what the wit
nesses said. What have you TO ssy?"
asks the captain.
Jones explains that ne didn't hear"
or was soin' 10 double" or something
of the kind.
The captain considers a moment while
he sizes up appearances as well as tcs-
,imony. We'll" is his conclusions. II
have to double so docs everybody else
i'm tho ship, and you'll have 10 do the
same. I'm determined (this with very
significant emphasfsD 10 have everybody
in my crew thoroughly smart at his
work Seven days 10 A."
There are a number OF what are termed
"scals punishments" laid down by the
admiralty. or these 10 A Is tho most irri-
tating. The man undergoing IL has TO
take his meals under a sentrys super
vision, work while the other men are
resting, do all the dirty work OF the ship,
and stand for couple OF hours at
stretch on the auarter deck with his face
TO the bulwarks. Keeping flies off the
paint, Jack calls ~.
Tho captain may sentence a man 70
II days OF this punishment, or 10 20 days
imprisonment In cells. Beyond that term
he can not 30. But there are an infinite
number OF smaller punishments which ne
may in1ict for a variety of offences that
10 q landsmsn might seem mere triies.
Such as being late In turning out In the
morning, wearing socks not of the regu-
lation pattern. and so on. Usually a
mans previous character is considered.
and there is q kind OF unwritten first
Offenders law which carries great weight
with most commanding officers. II is well
for Jack that II Is 80, for by deprsving
q man OF badges or disrating him, a cap
tain can not only seriously decrease the
offenders pay while serving. but also the
pension which he looks forward 10 as a
provision against old age.
As with the men. 30 with the officers.
To stand well with the captain means
everything to them. for the captain has
to make a confidential report concerning
every one OF them. and upon what he
says In this document the ofYicers future
prospects largely depend.
Doubtless a good many people Will be
surprised to learn that corporal pun
ishment IL still administered I'm the Brit
ish navy. The "cat" has been abolished,
but canings and birchings are very fre-
quent Only boys are subjected to this
form of correction.
Many people whose opinions OF service
discipline are obtained from occasionally
hearing what takes place on barracks
square, think that naval officers are in
the habit of bullying. This Is quite un-
necessary. as the average naval officer
can put more bite" into a few quiet
words than the ordinary man could get
into half a days hard swearing.