An Essay on Naval Discipline
Hosgskin began his interesting career as a radical individualist and natural rights defender of the free market with this pamphlet criticising the British naval policy of impressing (i.e. conscripting) sailors into the navy and using corporal punishment to discipline them. He based this account on his own personal experiences while serving the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
An Essay on Naval Discipline, Shewing Part of its evil Effects on the Minds of the Officers, on the Minds of the Men, and on the Community; with an Amended System, by which Pressing may be immediately abolished, by Lieut. Thomas Hodgskin, R.N. (London: Printed for the Author, by C. Squire, Furnival’s-Inn-Court, sold by Sherwood, Neely & Jones, Paternoster-Row 1813).
Copyright:
The text is in the public domain.
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Table of Contents
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- DEDICATION.
- to THE ENGLISH NATION.
- PREFACE.
- an ESSAY on NAVAL DISCIPLINE.
- CHAP. I.: On Pressing.
- CHAP. II.: On the Love of Fame.
- CHAP. III.
- section first. An Account of some of the Naval Laws and Customs, and of the Coercion used on board Ship to establish Order.
- CHAP. III.
- section second.
- section third.
- section fourth.
- section fifth.
- section sixth.
- CHAP. IV.: The Effect of Naval Laws and Customs on the Minds of the Officers.
- CHAP. V.: The Effect of Naval Laws and Customs on the Minds of Seamen; with an Attempt to estimate their Character:
- CHAP. VI.: The ill Effects of the Coercion used on board Ship, and of the Naval Laws and Customs on the Community at large; with some general Remarks.
- CHAP. VII.: A Definition of Discipline; with the Modes by which the present System destroys it.
- CHAP. VIII.: An Amended System—General Observations.
- CHAP. IX.: Naval Tribunals.
- CHAP. X.: Naval Punishments and Rewards.
- CHAP. XI.: The better Education of Officers.
- CHAP. XII.: Limited Service.
- CHAP. XIII.: Conclusion.