THE MUTINY ON BOARD H M.S. AURORA.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 143, 8 April 1873, Page 2

THE MUTINY ON BOARD H M.S. AURORA.

Afj.tr the Aurora arrived m Hamorizc, on the 23rd Deceraber, it appears elein hammocks were slung, and leave then gnen to the watch (or throe da\s, commencing on Christmas Eve, the other watch roinaiumg for duty on board. The day after Christmas day the ship was moved mto the basin at Pevonport Dockyard, and secured alongside the jetty. On December 28, tho watch which had been on leave from Christmas Eve returned on board, the other watch being granted leave uiiiil the Ist Januiry. A part of the watehon board, comprising the men who hud been on leaveuntil the 28th December, were again granted leave on the night of the 29th, and a watch, on tin- night of the Ist ; but before the leave men left the ship, the word was passed fore and aft, or, in less nautical phraseology, orders w ere given that clean hammocks were to be stowed on the miming of the 2nd Jauuany, orders having been also passe 1 foie and aft a day or two previously that the nicu were to scrub their hammocks during meal hours From the men not having any regular tune— other than their meal hours — allotted thorn for scrubbing their hammocks, as also from the bad weather, and it being a bum time on bj.ird refitting, m addition to a number of men breaking their leave, many of the hammocks stowed on tho morning of the 2nd January were dirty. The commander, s,'i ing thu, determined at once to punish the whole »Ihm'x comninu. Mil- men u itli clean hammocks equally with those who had duty ones, by stopping all leave, which, he did. This punishment severely tried the tempers of those whoso turn it was to go on shore on leave that evening, and the ship's company, acting m nt\ ordanco with the Articles of War ami the custom ol the S ,i vice, reque .L" 1 the petty officers of the day to go alt, n ;n. A t<> the Ci vi mmuv, airl solicit from him a revision of tio »ei.t. i ncehcli:itl pronounced alike on the mnoi or* r.nd t'.ie gu-'n \ . an 1 bog t- at their leave mig it bp granted them. T!ie t - .ty ollleeis went to the oili' c • o1o 1 t.ii 1 watch .i/id requested to bee the commander, who on receiving the communication sent back a message to the petty officers that ho would bee them after dinner. We would here roinark that the ward-room dinner-hour was a quarter to se\ on. When dinner was over the petty officers ! again went aft, saw the commander, and stated the request | t'lev were charged to mnke. The interview appears to hare been particularly unsatisfactory, if not something more, for it w stated on very reliable authority that the petty officers were informed that they were not lit for their ratings, and wore a disgrace to the ship, in reply, they assured the commander they were only doing their duty as the authorised representatives of the ship's company, and they could not bo answerable for the good conduct of the good blue jackets, a3 they had heard a great amount of grumbling going on, and were afraid that there would boa disturbance. In reply, they were angrily ordered away, and were informed that they, the petty officers themselves, were exciting the men to disobedience. On the men hearing the result of the interview, it appears they became exasperated. By a simultaneous movement all lights were extinguished, and a scene of yelling, hooting, and throwing all movable gear about followed. The petty officers were piped to fall in with lanthorns, and one wao bent to each muss and held answerable fer it. The mutineers then went \v> on the mam deck, where they sent the portable gun gear Hung in all directions, and from the upper deck they ominynced throwing tho case shot and empty shell down the hatchways. IJ-un tackles were cut, i musiles of all descriptions thrown at tho head of anyone with a light, and an attempt made to transport a gun for the purpose of throwing it down the fore hatchway, but the gun proving too heavy, the attempt was abandoned. Thus, for an hour at lonst, was a British man-of-war turned into a pandemonium. Eventually tho mutineers managed to join the well-disposed men who had assembled on tho jetty to hold aloof from tho mutiny, luid not a single capture was made. Tho captain succeeded at last m restoring order, and all hand 1 ? turned into their hammock ■> On the 3rd January an inquiry, conducted by Captain Fellowes, assisted by Captains Jlnrdmga and Ed} c, was held, and we aro not at all surprised to find that botli petty officers and men were reticent to a degree as to the causes which led to this stain on naval discipline, and it was not until the former officer invited the ship's company to select representatives to state their grievances, that Captain Fellowes was enabled to report positively to the authorities what tho>e grievances were.