Salt Lake Telegram | 1931-09-24 | Page 4 | The British Navy

THE BRITISH NAVY happened to the British fleet at ati i V V Jutland during the World war was nothing at all aU in n comparison with the abject surrender to the sailors who went on strike recently in resisting a reduction in pay Stories of unrest in the British fleet due to these pay reductions contrast oddly with the firm hand that always has been pressed down upon the sailors Naval discontent discontent discon discon- tent is nothing new in England's history Ever since the fleet became a weapon to protect protect pro pro- the Union Jack on all aU the seas the man before the mast has spoken his mind from time to time with considerable vehemence The famous mutiny at the taU tall end of the eighteenth century was the most fa famous famous famous fa- fa of these occasions and it is interesting to compare it with the recent rumpus In Nelsons Nelson's day the sailor had plenty to kick about Aboard ship his life was unbelievably unbelievably hard his quarters damp cold and crowded his food almost unfit to eat his pay microscopic and the discipline more strict than that of f any modern penitentiary For minor infractions of the rules he could be and was flogged Many sailors sailors' died under under under un un- un- un der the lash the famous sentence to be flogged through the fleet was equivalent to a sentence to death by prolonged torture So at more than years ago the English navy mutinied The mutiny was suppressed the ringleaders were hanged the worst abuses were corrected corrected and and a change in bells is kept as a daily reminder Today a reduction in pay has caused what the admiralty calls unrest in the British fleet And instead of suppressing it the admiralty makes promises and assurances instead of quelling the mutiny with iron hand