At Simons Town - Mon 21st July 1856
Extract from Captain’s Log
1030 Mustered the Ship’s Company by Open List. Pointed out to the Ships’ Company their want of discipline on Saturday the 19th between 7 and 9 PM and infraction of the Articles of War No 10 namely 'If when any service shall be commanded, any person shall presume to delay or discourage the said action upon any pretence whatever, being convicted thereof by the sentence of a Court Martial shall suffer death or such other punishment as a Court Martial shall deem him to deserve'. Article 19. and 'if any Officer, Marine or Soldier shall behave himself with contempt to his Superior officer, such Superior officer being in the execution of his office, he shall be punished according to the nature of his offence by the sentence of a Court Martial'. Also their Lordships Circular of the 7th October 1853 on Certificates namely, that the Character of a Seaman in his certificate is his Passport through life. by it he gains Protection and employment and by it his future Pension is affected. It should therefore be maturely considered and decided with strict justice to the individual and the Service.
On Saturday evening the order to make sail was obeyed in a slovenly, discreditable, disaffected manner, the repeated orders to remain silent at the Capstan given by Commander Pelham and myself were quite unheeded. The Captain of the main Top reported there were no Main Topmen aloft and the Topsails, although the hands were on deck, were not walked up.
This stands recorded as a justification of any scarce and Prompt measures that I may deem it is requisite to take to maintain discipline and command H.M. Ship with credit to the Country. I have also directed that as this want of zeal appeared general tending to delay me when fulfilling my orders to join the Admiral in the East Indies, that during this quarter no man will be recommended for a superior rating or a good conduct badge.