QUELLED THE MUTINY.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2501, 11 January 1877, Page 2

QUELLED THE MUTINY.

HOW COMMODOBE AMMEN BE3TOBED DIS* CIPMNE ABOARD.

From all accounts the Captain of a man-of-war must be, a very unhappy being. He it grand, you know, but he must be lonesome. lie has his separate cabin* dines alone, reads alone', and when' he ascends to the deck, all of the officers at once cross to the other side to leave: him one side unobstructed. He could not be more let alone if he. had the smallpox. Officers claim that this any bending rigidity of behaviour is alone one of the most potent elements of discipline • with a crew. The ~'erejr of ' a I irian-of-war is largely made vp }of reckless, dangerous men. In numbers they would always be able to seize upon the small arms of the ship and overpower the officers, and turn the vessel into a piratical cruiser. To keep down a gang of reckless men of this class the - slightest infraction of a rigid discipline, cannot be passed oyer unnoticed. A story told of Commodore Ammen of the navy, the inventor of the steam ram, illustrates how important is unhesitating action in case of a mutiny. So' severe are the penalties for mutiny and so closely are the men held in check that mutinies of late have become very rare. At the close of the war Ammen was the Captain of a Pacific Mail steamer. He had shipped ■ as a part of his, crew a lot of soldiers, men who had been saliors before the war, but had served since that time in the ;army. They were a reckless, bad lot. Almost before the steamer had left New York it was evident that there was going to be trouble. The sailors flaunted at the grub furnished them and said they must have as good as the cabin passengers* " One day the affair- culminated by this gang forming and coming aft, when they entered the saloon. They were headed by two desperadoes who had incited the mutiny. At their appearance several army officers on board volunteered their services to Ammea. He thanked them mildly, but said he would not need their help. Ha walked forward languidly toward the' mutineers, and, without giving them time to say a word, he took but his watch and said: ".Now, men, I want you ...to go right back to the fokesel. I will give you one minute to go." Ammen has the appearance of a benevolent old deacon who would weep with pain at the necessity - of killing a fly. His voice was as soft as if his mouth was lined with plush velvet, and as sweet as a maiden's whisper when - Adolphus first encircled her timid waist. When he said simply to the men, " Now I want you to go right back to the foke* sel," the leaders grinned. This mutiny was to succeed too easily. So during the minute they scoffed at the old man. At precisely 60 seconds after the expiration of Ammen's remark he raised a pistol and shot one of the ringleaders dead. " Will you go back . to the fokesel?" said Ammen to the second ringleader, pleasantly. The man hesitated: a flash, a report, and he too, fell dead. The deadly, persistent blandness of Ammen drove terror through ' the ranks of the murderers. They went forward, and there was never any more trouble. This prompt action alone saved a very rich ship and a largo number of passengers from plunder, outrage and murder.—Washington letter to Chicago Times.