A WARSHIP'S CREW.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1347, 26 January 1912, Page 6

A WARSHIP'S CREW.

SEETHING WITH DISCONTENT. The crew of H.M.S. Torch are seething with discontent, according to the statements of several of the men. One of them (says the Sydney "Sun") put his new of the situation tersely in the words, "Either a certain officer will have to go, or the ship's company will go." To show that this startling statement was no idle one, he mentioned • that during the past three weeks no fewer than 10 men had deserted from the ship, and added that others were only awaiting developments before taking a similar course. "It may afford you some indication, of the sfate of affairs," another seaman from the Torch interposed, "if I tell you that no fewer than H men are going before the Commander-in-Chief to lay ' their grievances before him. It isn't that others haven't a grievance, too. But anyone knows it is one thing to have a real grievance and another to go before your admiral, have all you say taken down in shorthand, and be cross-examined by men cleverer than yourself. You bet, you'd be blacklisted if you failed to make good. And when it is ail officer's word ajainst yours, what chance have you? But it says something when H men out of a. ship's company of 90 are willing to take all risks." The men complain of being disrated, of being deprived of their good conduct badges, and of having thoir shore leave restricted for trivial offences. It is also alleged that a deck boy was caned for a misdemeaiiotir that mi any cither ship would have been punished by-extra drill. It was related by a knot of seamen to a representative of the "Sun" that one mail had been ordered to the masthead by an officer whom he had offended. He refused to go. on the ground that it was a boy's'punishment, and was put in irons for 48 hours, and then confined in the ice-room. The men say that the regulations specifically state that no man shall be allowed to sleep near the ammonia pipes, owing to the injurious effect of the noxious fumes. Yet, they say, this man was confined in the ice-room into which the ammonia pipes run. The men are also talking abont having questions asked on the subject in the House of Commons in order that the Admiralty may inquire into the facts. The Admiral is at present in Hobart. and no information on the subject couhi be obtained from other administrative officers in Sydney.