CAPTAIN'S MAST

the Captain of a ship is its judge and at sea Captain's Mast is held on Saturday morning. In a very large ship it is preceded by the Chief Officer's (or Executive Officer's) Mast wherein the Executive Officer passes on all offenders and sends the more reprehensible ones to the Captain's Mast. The Captain may, however, at any time sentence offenders. Up until only a century ago he had the authority to hang men until one hanged the son of the Secretary of the Navy of the US for mutiny, after which the custom lapsed. Modern practice limits the Captain's Mast punishment to ten days in the brig on bread and water. In merchant service the offender is logged and loses one or more day's pay as a result. In the Sea Organization the Commodore or the ship's Captain assigns conditions without the formality of a mast and these conditions and their rewards or penalties constitute in the main the bulk of Sea Organization justice. (FO 87)