of honor, continuous-service certificates, good-conduct badges, good-conduct discharges, and any other reliable information that can be obtained by reference to the Bureau of Equipment and Recruiting, or from other sources, as to the previous character of the men. III. As the cruise progresses such changes should be made in the classes as may be warranted by the conduct of the men, either for the better or for the worse; the general character of the men is to have its due weight, and proper consideration is to be shown to such men as have been noted for acts of gallantry during war or previous service, or during the cruise. IV. The surest way to make men contented on shipboard, and attached to the service, is to make them feel that our ships of war are their homes, and to make it apparent to them that their interests will be well cared for while they remain in the Navy. V. The men should also be made aware that their good conduct will entitle them to every practical indulgence. VI. First-class-conduct men should be allowed such recreations as may be compatible with the demands of duty and with the exigencies of foreign service; and an appropriate distinction should be made between them and the rest of the crew; but this distinction should not be so marked as to excite discontent among the ship's company. VII. First-class-conduct men should be allowed to go on shore very frequently in ports where the ship lies convenient to the landing, and where granting liberty is unobjectionable. In such instances a portion of them might be sent on shore daily, after the work and exercises are ended, to return on board by 10 p. m.; but, on any special occasion, to have leave until a later hour. VIII. In addition to this evening-leave, first-class-conduct men may also have, at the discretion of the Commanding Officer, liberty on shore for twentyfour hours twice a month; and, if out of debt, may also, with the approval of the Commanding Officer, draw from the Pay Officer one-third of their monthly pay per month while in port. IX. Second-class-conduct men may be allowed, at the discretion of the Commanding Officer, liberty on shore for twenty-four hours once a month; and, if out of debt, may also, with the approval of the Commanding Officer, draw from the Pay Officer one-fourth of their monthly pay per month while in port. X. Third-class-conduct men may be allowed, at the discretion of the Commanding Officer, liberty on shore once in six weeks for twenty-four hours; and, if out of debt, may also, with the approval of the Commanding Officer, draw from the Pay Officer one fifth of their monthly pay per month while in port. XI. Fourth-class-conduct men may be allowed, at the discretion of the Commanding Officer, liberty on shore for twenty-four hours once in two months; and, if out of debt, may also, with the approval of the Commanding Officer, draw from the Pay Officer one-fifth of their monthly pay per month while in port. XII. In ports the unhealthiness of which may render it unadvisable to send the crew on shore on liberty, such indulgence is not to be granted; and in any case, in a foreign port, the permission of the proper local authorities must first be obtained; otherwise, unless the exigencies of the service shall prevent the granting liberty to the crew, no one of the ship's company shall be deprived of liberty on shore for more than three months, except he be confined under sentence of court-martial, or under arrest for trial by courtmartial. XIII. In ports where liberty cannot be granted, a proportionate amount of the money allowed for liberty may be expended for mess-expenses and for the "bumboat," in addition to the stopped rations. XIV. The Executive Officer is to see that each man contributes his proper portion of money so received to the cook or caterer of his mess, who shall be responsible for the safe keeping and proper expenditure of it. XV. In order to lessen the temptation to gambling and pilfering on shipboard, Commanding Officers will not permit liberty-money to be paid to the crew at sea, nor until the necessary duties are performed after anchoring in Punishment to port; nor will liberty-money be paid, as provided in paragraph 13, if the ship lies too far from shore to permit bumboats to come off or mess stores to be received. XVI. The requisite qualifications for first-class-conduct men are as follows: Strict attention to duty, implicit and ready obedience to orders, sobriety, alacrity, courageous conduct, neatness of person and of dress, quiet and respectful demeanor, and general usefulness. This classification will be irrespective of rating. XVII. Second, third, and fourth class conduct men will be designated from their exhibition, in a less degree, of the qualities enumerated in paragraph XVI, or from their want of them or of any of them. XVIII. A separate conduct-report will be kept for boys; and when boys are sent on shore on liberty they will be put under the charge of a Petty Officer, or of a Non-commissioned Officer of Marines. XIX. At the end of a cruise, first-class-conduct men will receive their goodconduct badges before being discharged. The badge will be presented by the Commanding Officer at a special or at a general muster. XX. Good-conduct badges are to be worn at general musters and on occasions of ceremony. XXI. Second-class-conduct men may receive a good-conduct discharge if they have been but slightly behind the first-class requirements, and if they have shown a commendable desire to make up for any remissness in conduct; but they are not to receive a good-conduct badge. A good-conduct discharge will be of advantage as a recommendation on re-entering the service or in seeking other employment. XXII. Honorable discharges are provided for by law. XXIII. When any one of the crew of a vessel of war is advanced in conduct from a lower to a higher class, the change will be read out at the next Sunday muster. XXIV. When any one of the crew of a vessel of war is reduced in rating for bad conduct, it involves his being transferred into a lower class in conduct, at the discretion of the Commanding Officer. SECTION II.-Punishments. The punishment for offenses committed by persons belonging to the Navy are prescribed by law in the "Articles for the Government of the Navy."(Appendix No. 1.) 1. No punishment can be legally inflicted other than by the order of the be inflicted only Commanding Officer; by the sentence of a summary court-martial, with the byapproval of the Commanding Officer; or by a general court-martial, with the approval of the Secretary of the Navy, when within the waters of the United States, or of the Cominander-in-Chief abroad. Reports for de 2. All reports for delinquency, requiring discipline, are to be investigated by linquency to be the Commanding Officer before punishment is adjudged, and upon the exinvestigated. piration of the term of punishment he will, in person, direct the liberation of the offender. At morning inspection, the Commanding Officer is to be furnished by his Aid or Executive with a list of those persons reported for minor offenses during the preceding day. After investigation, he will assign the punishments and affix his signature, previous to their being carried into effect. 3. Final investiga- Hasty reports are always to be discouraged. When complaints are made, tion of reports to should the service and circumstances admit, their final investigation is to be be deferred to the deferred until the following morning, when a full investigation is to be had following day, if practicable. at the mast, and the accuser and accused given an impartial hearing, both having an equal claim upon the attention of the Commanding Officer, and an equal right to the just exercise of authority. 4. Officers in command are reminded that inconsiderate as well as protracted Inconsiderate punishments lead to discontent, defeat the intended object, and cause distaste and protracted for the service, and that discipline does not depend on the severity or dura- punishments to be tion of punishment, but rather upon its certainty, and upon its being made commensurate with the offense. 5. First offenses, when not of a grave nature, should generally be considered leniently, and the previous character of the accused should always be taken into consideration. Admonition and a calm explanation of the error committed may be the means of checking future misconduct. 6. avoided. First offenses. Minor punishments discontin All minor punishments, except to prisoners confined in the cells, or to whom punishments have been awarded by a general or summary court- ued on Sunday. martial, are to be discontinued during Sunday, and punishments are not to be inflicted on Sunday except in cases where immediate action is necessary. 7. oners. Cells for the confinement of prisoners are not to be less than 6 feet long Cells for the conand 34 feet broad, with the full height between the decks, and are to be finement of prisproperly ventilated; they are never to be fitted or altered by Commanding Officers, without the authority of the Navy Department, within the United States, or that of the Commander-in-Chief abroad. Frequent inspection of the cells and other places of confinement, as also of the prisoners, is to be made by the senior Medical Officer. 8. Confinement in the coal-bunkers or other close places is forbidden, and no man is to be deprived of his night's rest when at sea, as a punishment. 9. Confinement in coal-bunkers, &c., forbidden. The use of irons be avoided, where possible. The use of irons is to be avoided as much as possible, except as a punishment on the finding of a court-martial or of a summary court; ordinarily to recourse to that punishment being only for security in cases of violent or mutinous conduct. Persons who are intoxicated are not, during the time they are under the influence of liquor, to be confined in the cells or in close places. The gag forbidThe gag is not to be used under any circumstances. 10. den. If a Petty Officer or person of inferior rating, entitled to wear a good-con- When it becomes duct badge, commits an offense for which the Commanding Officer considers necessary that a that he should be punished by the forfeiture of one or more badges, with the good conduct badge should be privileges attached thereto, such offense is to be inquired into by a summary forfeited. court-martial, and the offender may be deprived of one or more of such badges, with the accompanying privileges, in accordance with the finding of the court and the approval of the Commanding Officer. By subsequent very good The good-conconduct during one year the offender may be granted one good-conduct badge, duct badge can be and the other badges and privileges of which he may have been deprived may be reconferred by subsequent service of one year between the bestowal of each badge; provided that his conduct has been very good during the intervals. 11. reconferred. A Petty Officer will not be disrated for misconduct unless he has pre- should not be disA Petty Officer viously forfeited his good-conduct badge or badges, or unless the offense com- rated for miscon mitted should be so grave as to require that both punishments should be duct, while posawarded at the same time. sessing a good-conduct badge. Classification of punishments. 12. For the purpose of promoting good order and discipline in the Navy, and to secure uniformity in awarding punishments, the following schedule of offenses, with proportionate and appropriate punishments, will be adopted in all vessels of the Navy as applicable for infliction by Commanding Officers of vessels, without resort to summary or to general courts-martial: A. Solitary confinement, 5 days or less; no irons; bread and water. I. Confinement, 10 days or less; single irons or without irons; full rations. J. Confinement, 5 days or less; single irons or without irons; full rations. K. Confinement, 3 days or less; single irons or without irons; full rations. L. Confinement, overnight; single irons or without irons; full rations. N. Deprivation of liberty on shore. O. Extra duties. 13. Suggestions as List of offenses suggestive of such as may be punished by order of Comto offenses punish- manding Officers of vessels : able by a Commanding Officer. No. 1. Absence without leave... No. 2. Leaving boat or working-party No. 3. Making false charges against any of the crew, if made No. 5. Lying No. 6. Answering for another man at watch-muster, at quarters, No. 7. Being habitually dirty or slovenly. (As a reformatory Untidiness. No. 8. Not being in proper uniform, (frequent inspection also). neglect of orders. No. 10. Disobedience of orders Drunk enne 88 No. 11. Drunk at sea or on duty. and liquor. No. 12. Returning from leave drunk. No. 13. Occasionally drunk Confinement until sober, as a precautionary meas ure, in these cases. No. 14. Smuggling liquor No. 15. Trafficking in liquor Neglect or avoid- No. 16. Neglect of ordinary duty, or negligently performing it. ance of duty. No. 17. Not answering muster at watch or quarters No. 18. Malingering. No. 19 Inattention to duty, (frequent inspections also). Offenses against No. 20. Gambling good order. No. 21. Misbehavior at Divine service No. 22. Making noise on deck, aloft, or at quarters No. 23. Spitting on deck, either below or from aloft No. 24. Sleeping in tops or in boats, whether top or boat keeper or not No. 25. Getting in or out of ports No. 26. Throwing things overboard from improper places... No. 27. Not making or not having clothes or hats made in time. No. 28. Carelessness about clothes-bag, or going to it without permission No. 29. Leaving clothes about.... No. 30. Hanging hammocks or clothes in improper places No. 32. Washing hammocks or clothes badly or at improper No. 33. Lashing hammocks badly, (frequent inspections also) tions also) No. 35. Cursing others, or using obscene language. No. 36. Striking inferiors or equals.. No. 37. Fighting. No. 38. Quarreling with words or using provoking language No. 41. Negligently letting fall or lowering anything from aloft. yard..... No. 43. Carelessness with respect to arms, (frequent inspection). Hammocksclothes, or bed, ding. A or B Immorality. A or B F to L Smoking. In all cases in which extra duty is imposed as a punishment it should be as nearly as possible of the kind of duty that has been neglected, if awarded for neglect of duty; and, if awarded for other offenses, it shall be of such nature as will most tend to correct them and prevent their repetition. Aggravated cases in the preceding list of offenses can, of course, be referred to summary courts-martial, or to general courts-martial, at the discretion of Commanders of vessels, to whom alone the law confides the power to inflict punishment, or to cause it to be inflicted, on board vessels of the Navy, by the exercise of their own authority. 14. List of offenses suggestive of such as may be punished by summary courtsmartial: 1. Deserting post. 2. Neglect of important duty, or negligent performance of it. 3. Skulking from duty. 4. Selling or making away with clothes or bedding without leave. 5. Using or having in possession bedding or clothes of another man with out permission. 6. Indecent assaults, or indecent acts tending to immorality. 7. Insubordination or riotous conduct. 8. Insolence to superiors, or contempt for superiors. 9. Disrespect to superiors. 10. Impeding the police of the ship in the performance of their duty. 11. Violent assaults on messmates or others. 12. Forcibly interrupting a sentry. 13. Using abusive language to a sentry. 14. Interfering with a sentry. 15. Not obeying orders of a sentry. 16. Negligently using fire or lights in holds, store-rooms, or elsewhere. 17. Thefts not exceeding twenty dollars. 18. Possession of stolen goods or money. 19. Receiving stolen goods or money. 20. Misappropriating public stores or money. Miscellaneous. Suggestions as to offenses which may be punished by summary courts. |