Actions Of Captain Bligh example essay topic

HMS Bounty The HMS Bounty set sail in 1789. Captain William Bligh and his many crewmember's ran the ship. There was an upset between the crew and the Captain. Even though the men violated the "Articles of War" it was justifiable that they should not be punished. The Crew of Captain Bligh, under penalty of law and the Captain, had no right to commit mutiny and remove the Captain from the ship. The "Articles of War" clearly state that if any crewmember conceals any traitorous practice or design shall suffer death or any other punishment as a court martial shall think fit.

That is exactly what Captain Bligh's crew took upon themselves. The crew had no reason to blame him for the rations of water because he was doing it to keep the breadfruit alive which was the whole reason for the mission. Indubitably the crews actions were unlawful. The Captain of the HMS Bounty was William Bligh. He was very strict in his actions and in his punishment. He followed the "Articles of War" like the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church followed the Bible.

When they were in port the Captain was very courteous and polite to everyone on the ship. He treated everyone equally and didn't abuse his rank. That soon changed as the ship set out for the open seas and Tahiti. The crew started to challenge the Captain and he punished each person that defied him.

Many of his actions were unjustifiable and should in turn be punished. The conditions of the ship weren't what you would usually expect for these times. Everything was nice and neat and there was a great deal of breadfruit plants. It was very well lit and a little on the damp side. The deck was swabbed everyday and the crew was ready to go anytime that they were needed.

Even though the Captain provided good living and working conditions he used very unjust forms of punishment. The crew was over worked by the Captain and if they were to defy him in any way, shape or form they would be severely punished. The punishment ranged anywhere from a verbal lashing to death. The Captain had cut the rations on water and on food because one of the men had told the Captain that a fellow crewmember had stolen a block of cheese when they were still in port. The person blamed for the crime was whipped twenty-four times across the back in front of entire crew and then had salt water thrown onto his back. The breadfruits need a lot of fresh water and this was another reason for the Captain to cut the rations on water.

He thought that his cargo was more important that his crew. The crewmember's had many different views about Captain Bligh and his actions. Some of them would follow him into the depths of hell and other would rather spit in his face than look at him. One of the crewmember's had said "I was on the Resolution with him, he's a hard one". Another one of the sailors had said to Bligh", A man like you sir leaves me no choice", referring to himself siding with the mutineers. To most of the crew Bligh's actions were unfit, improper and uncalled for, leaving the crew no choice but to turn on Bligh.

If Bligh had stayed on the ship there would be a immense number of original crewmember's omitted by the time the ship made it to Tahiti. The mutiny was permissible because Bligh was killing each crewmember at a rusty pace. The "Articles of War" plainly state that if any crewmember conceals any traitorous practice or design, shall suffer death or any other punishment as a court martial shall think fit. It also states that any person in the fleet, shall strike any of his superiors, or lift any weapon against him, shall suffer death or whatever punishment seems fit. Even though the "Articles of War" are laws, they leave no space for lenience and they aren't explained in the simplest manner. For just about everything a crewmember does there is some law saying that they can't do that and if they do they shall suffer death or any penalty that seems fit.

The chastisement of death is a little austere for something as minute as stealing some cheese or not wanting to do something that has an immense risk of being injured. Regardless of Bligh being in charge of the ship, he shouldn't have the right to kill one of his crew or even sentence one to death, that's the reason that there is a system of courts. In judgment to the crew members violating the "Articles of War", the actions of Captain Bligh made the mutiny permissible. There were many reasons for the mutiny. They are as follows: the way Bligh had to have everything sparkling clean, the small amount of food and water they were given, the actions of Bligh seen from other high ranking shipmates, the harsh actions of Captain Bligh and his severe punishment. Without a question, Bligh's actions were completely immoral.