THE AUSTRALIAN FLEET.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1869, 1 October 1913, Page 9

THE AUSTRALIAN FLEET.

DISCONTENT AMONG MEN. There is, it appears, some discontent among the men oii board the flagr ship Australia and her consort, tho Sydney. During the voyage out there was, it is alleged, quite an extraordinary number of cases of insubordination. It is generally recognised .'that discipline on board ship is essential, but the men complain that discipline has been unnecessarily severe. 1 ■ As an oxamplo of this, they allege that on ono s'hip the men have been logged for smiling when spoken- to. English and Australian 1 sailors havo been among tho offenders, but tlio impression some men haivo gained- is that the officers do not require Australiat sailors at all. This is tho reason, they say, why a second attempt to arrest deserters at Durban was not mado. On the other hand, it is stated that_ tho men. when joining the ships, anticipated tliat they wore going to have an easy time, and that they oould do practically as they liked, only to find that tho same discipline obtained in .the Australian Ships as in those of tho Mother Country. Hence tho discontent. It is not improbable that, in the event of several other malcontents making their escape in Sydney, no attempt will bo made to have.them brought back.