Young officers of the navy, as well as the common seamen, may also
derive some useful lessons from the events of this history. They will
see the melancholy results of affording the least encouragement for
seamen to depart from their strict line of duty, and to relax in that
obedience to the orders of superiors, by which alone the discipline of
the service can be preserved; they will learn how dangerous it is to
show themselves careless and indifferent in executing those orders, by
thus setting a bad example to the men. It ought also to enforce on their
minds, how necessary it is to avoid even the appearance of acting in any
way that can be considered as repugnant to, or subversive of, the rules
and regulations of the service; and most particularly to guard against
any conduct that may have the appearance of lowering the authority of
their superiors, either by their words or actions.
No doubt can remain on the minds of unprejudiced persons, or such as are
capable of weighing evidence, that the two young midshipmen, Stewart and
Hey wood, were perfectly innocent of any share in the transaction in
question; and yet, because they happened to be left in the ship, not
only contrary to their wish and intention, but kept down below by force,
the one lost his life, by being drowned in chains, and the other was
condemned to die, and only escaped from suffering the last penalty of
the law by a recommendation to the royal mercy. The only point in which
these two officers failed, was, that they did not at once demand
permission to accompany their commander, while they were allowed to
remain on deck and had the opportunity of doing so. The manly conduct
of young Heywood, throughout his long and unmerited sufferings, affords
an example of firmness, fortitude, and resignation to the Divine will,
that is above all praise; in fact, nothing short of conscious innocence
could have supported him in the severe trials he had to undergo.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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