While doing research from time to time, I find some interesting nuggets of life at sea. While reading the Regulations and Instructions from 1790, I came across the following passage regarding punishment for swearing at sea:
"If any shall be heard to Swear, Curse or Blaspheme the Name of God, the Captain is strictly required to punish them for every Offence, by causing them to wear a wooden collar, or some other shameful Badge of Distinction, for so long a time as he shall judge proper. If he be a Commission Officer, he shall forfeit One Shilling for each Offence, and a Warrant or Inferior Officer Six-Pence." (Admiralty 46)
By the next edition of the Regulations, this passage had disappeared. I wonder what lead to the omission. Did someone at the Admiralty part with a few too many shillings?
