CRIME IN THE NAVY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8361, 22 February 1913, Page 10

CRIME IN THE NAVY

According to a ‘TVhito Paper” just issued tho number of seamen and marines afloat who were tried by courtmartial in the Royal Navy during 1911 was 154, a larger figure than had boim recorded since 1907. The ,number of summary punishments also showed an in-, crease, the total being 118,408, against! 117,680 in 1910, and 116,342 in 19091 The' courts-martial on Royal Marines ashore) numbered twenty-one, and the summary punishments 873— both figures maintaining tho improvement which has been shown for several years past. . There were again no cases of mutiny in the service—the only instances of this offence since 1901 having been four in 1906 and four in 1909. The offence* of seamen and marines afloat against superior authority numbered 125 oa compared with 93 in 1910, There were five cases of improperly leaving place-of duty, and three each of quarrelling and absence without leave, but none of using profane language or malingering. Of th* offences punishable by ordinary law there, wore none of murder or manslaughter, one. of unlawful wounding, five of forgery and falsification of accounts, eleven of theft and embezzlement, nineteen of disgraceful conduct, and one of perjury, There were no death sentences, and only five terms of penal servitude were inflicted, the marines ashore havj.no a clear record under both heads, The Navy had fifty sentences of imprisonment and dismissal, with or without disgrace, while of 151 defendants sixteen were acquitted, Of the victims of summary punishments, two were dismissed with disgrace, forty-four dismissed. 352 imprisoned, 1708 placed in detention, 635 disrated, and 5387 placed in the. cells.