BRITISH NAVAL INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1931, Page 4

BRITISH NAVAL INQUIRY.

The statement made by the First Lord bf the Admiralty, Mr. A. V. Alexander, to the House of Commons in regard to the recent inquiry into disaffection and disobedience on H.M.S. Lucia was of more than ordinary interest. It showed that while discipline in the navy is essential to' its existence the modern naval officer is expected to handle hrs men with tact and discretion in order that “the conditions of contentment in the ship’s company and of sympathy between the officers and bien which unquestionably exist in his Majesty s ehips generally” may be maintained. The board of inquiry had to deal primarily with acts of disobedience on the part of the Lucia’s crew, and the punishments it inflicted were sharp. In its report to headquarters the whole of the circumstances were reviewed, and the judgment there has been that officers as well as men were to blame and are deserving of punishment. The Board of Admiralty has reduced somewhat the penalties inflicted upon the men aiid has decided to retire the officers whose lack of tact and efficiency led to the trouble. The Minister’s statement shows ample recognition of the fact that the .educated seaman of to-day requires different handlino- from that which was suitable a generation ago, though the “sympathy between officers and men” has been one of the features of the British Navy for half a century at least. It has been one of the marvels of the sort ice that this characteristic could exist in company with discipline that is the strictest known among free men Foreign naval authorities have envied Great° Britain this element in her chief line of defence—one that none of them seems able to emulate. Now that a continuance of this good feeling, even under very changed conditions, is to be a test of an officer’s efficiency there is. little doubt but that it will have all the attention possible. Incidentally the Minister’s statement should convince any agitators among naval ratings that no matter what .may be the politics of the Minister in charge when it comes to a question of constituted authority being maintained the way of a transgressor will be made exceedingly hard.