SENTIMENTAL COURT-MARTIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4597, 14 December 1875, Page 3

SENTIMENTAL COURT-MARTIAL.

A recent court-martial held upon a French officer .who lost his vessel was a significant performance. It seems that recently, when a large squadron was manoeuvring off Corsica, drawn up in two lines, the admiral signalled to an aviso which \va3 steaming between them to take up a position outside, and to the left of the lines. M. Vivielle was in command of this vessel, which had a crew of a hundred and fifty men, and he proceeded to carry out the order, intending to pass behind a large corvette called the Jeanne d'Arc. This he attempted at such a speed that he found himself crossing that vessel in front, and a collision followed, in which the aviso was pierced by the ram of the corvette, and sank in about a quarter of an hour, The commander, however, did not lose his head, and by boats and life-preservers, and swimming, succeeded in saving his crew. He himself was the last to quit the vessel. At this stage two circumstances excite not a little surprise. A large squadron was close by, and yet no boats appear to have been lowered. It was also mentioned during the trial, quite as a matter of course, that when the two vessels came in contact some fifteen of the crew promptly Baved themselves by scrambling on board the Jeanne d'Arc —a proceeding which at least ehows that the instinct of discipline was not very strong. The commander was duly put on his trial in the present month, and the gush of sentiment set in. In fact, from the first moment his acquittal was secure. Judges, accusers, witnesses, all were so dazzled by the simple escape of the sailors, that the mere loss of tho vessel and any culpability which attended it dwindled into a bagatelle unworthy the consideration of men of sentiment. "Everybody saved/" ran the indictment, with italics and note of admiration : " a result really all but incredible, . . . . and which nothing but the courage and coolness of Commander Vmc^ B could have brought about." No wonder that Commander 'Vivielle " entered the court with a demeanour that won tho sympathy of every one present; all Baw that, though his heart was wrung, his conscience did not reproach him." When tho President told him " to lay aside his sword, a thrill passed through _ the assembly, which was composed almost entirely of naval officers, and who felt how such an order mußt go to the heart of every man who bore an epaulette." After the facts, as to which there could bo no dispute, were established, Commander Vivielle was duly interrogated by the Court; and being asked as to the share o£ the Jeanne d'Arc in the transaction, Baid that, though he fancied she might have kept more out of his way, ho had Bince found that her movement? were restrained by another; vessel which was on her beam—a very simple and ordinary statement, it would seem, to an English seaman. But no. Here was an instance of nobility and heroism. It meant that he would not seek to throw the blame on any one ; even though no one else, as he

admitted, was to blame. Accordingly the admiral who presided here formally interrupted the proceedings to compliment Commandant Vivielle "on the nobleness and frankness of his attitude, which," he explained, " consisted in his not throwing any part of the responsibility of the misfortune," &c. Thus encouraged, the Commandant "Vivielle, after lightly glossing over the trifling details connected with the accident' itself, proceeded to address himself to what was the substantial pm-t of the case, and gave a full narrative of the rescue. But when he came to tellhowhe ordered every one to muster on the bridge, "emotion all but paralysed his voice;" and when he described with good dramatic effect how his lieutenant was really " superb in his devotion," and how " all exhibited an example _of the most complete abnegation," he was again overcome by the anguish these " souvenirs caused him, and his broken words became scarcely intelligible," Rallying, however, for a last effort, he declared that he only quitted his ship when her guns were under water, and after having forced some dozen men who wished to look after his safety to go before him." _ Then the president put this singular question : What reception did Commander Vivielle meet with on reaching the deck of the Magenta after the rescue ? To whom the commandant replied-with "poignant emotion," that "he did not see a single look of reproach on any face, and that every hand was stretched out to him." This was more than confirmed by the captain of the Magenta himself, who declared that "he had embraced Commander Vivielle as he stepped on the poop of the vessel. He had watched him through the whole affair ; had seen every incident. There was no panic or confusion ; everything was calm and orderly." "Did he then consider," asked the president, " that the commandant had acted like a man of honor?" "That is my absolute opinion," was the reply of the blunt sailor, " and of my entire ship's crew !" But he and the " ship's crew" were so engrossed with the heroic spectacle and the sentiment of the situation that no one dreamed of the practical measure of lowering a boat. However, the admiral who presided was "touched" by his evidence,, and proceeded to " compliment" him in these terms: —"lam truly happy, commander, to have heard your opinion, and thank you for your appreciation, which the court will give all weight to." A number of other witnesses were also heard, for all of whom our admiral " found noble words of appreciation." With such generous and effusive feelings exhibited on all sides, it is needless to say that a verdict followed of unanimous acquittal. The admiral, to do him justice, made no pretence to anything but sentiment, and in his judgment frankly put aside the mere loss of the ship as insignificant compared with the grander theatrical issues involved. " A mistaken estimate of the distance," he said, "led you into an error, which you 7iave loyally admitted. In the days of the old vessels a more trifling collision would have ensued, but as this was the case of a ram, nowadays a permanent source of danger even in ordinary navigation, a fatal result was the consequence." Thus it was the new-fangled institution of the ram that had brought a gallant officer into the scrape. Having dismissed this trifling part of the affair, the admiral then dwelt "on the frankness" of the commander's declarations, and " his attitude during the trial," which, above all things, had disposed the Court in his favor. Further, "the admiration that the entire squadron felt for your conduct in this last agony of your ship, and the sympathy exhibited by your comrades, have traced out for the Court the course it ought to follow. Resume then with confidence your place," &c. Such was this scene, which would be ludicrous were it not for its melancholy suggestiveness.