THE DISCIPLINE OF OUR MERCHANT NAVY.
To the Editor^ Sir, —That portion of our merchant navy which visits our shores seems to be becoming rapidly demoralised. Almost every fresh ship comes in with cases ef insubordination, assault! on officers, broaching cargo, and other offences against discipline (and only one whp Has been Several voyages at aea can realise the gravity of these offences). It is an easy thing for our justices, who sit quietly and securely at home, to comment on the harsh treatment of sailors, to rebuke a master ipr having put a man in irons for mutinous conduct, and to jmnish a man guilty of breaching cargo, by gravely'charging him the retail price of the bottle of gin he was’ proved to have, stolen ; but let these gentlemen go a long sea voyage with their wives and children, let them see the whole crew Coming aft in a body two or .three times' a week and attempting to coerce the officers. Let them have the uncomfortabie f©Cling that some of the crew are searching for spirits 'with a naked light in the h<3'd, and then let them sit in judgment on “ these favorites of the law,” as our text books on maritime law call the mariners. Methinkathere would be more justice and. less mercy. : . ~ , , , „ Sir, 'this is a qd*stion which affects the .whole community. It Sisters are not supported io their efforts to discipline according to the law as administered, in England and in her dependencies, depend upon it they will not expose themselves to C' ‘ ihment and rebuke by keeping a stern over their men, and then some day we may he shocked to hear of a second Lennie or Carswell case aboard one of our Home traders.’
There are at the present time on our wateijs masters who, had they' been coming to any other port in the world, would have brought in half their crew in irons. There was no doubt in their minds that the men deserved it; there was as little doubt that the discipline of the ship required it, but it was easier to put up with anxiety and annoyance than to bear the brunt of exercising tbeir authority. Men ship at Home for;the round voyage at, say L 3 10s pel" month ; with us the ruling rate is L 5 per month, and generally the whole aim of the crew is to behave in. such a manner as to make the captain glad to discharge them on arrival.
If one of the crew is charged with insubordination or.assault,. what easier than to lay a counter charge ? Evidence is easily obtainable : the whole forecastle on the one Bide, only the captain ( and his officers on the other, with merely what is commonly called .the " entry in the official log " to support their evidence. The result is obvious, Jack goes on his way rejoicing, and the captain returns on board a sadder, poorer, I hope, a wiser, man. -I am, Ac, Dunedin, 14th October. Capstan Bar.
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Evening Star, Issue 4255, 16 October 1876, Page 3
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503THE DISCIPLINE OF OUR MERCHANT NAVY. Evening Star, Issue 4255, 16 October 1876, Page 3
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