How unrestricted was physical punishment in the sailing navy?
Short answerIt varied by commander and had limits: excessive violence could end an officer's career, while some captains avoided flogging altogether.
NotesInformal physical punishment was neither unlimited nor uniform. A midshipman's career was destroyed after a blow killed a sailor, showing that an officer could be held responsible for crossing a line. Some important captains completed their careers without flogging a sailor, making restraint part of the historical record alongside harsh punishment. Practice depended heavily on the captain, the circumstances, and the result. The notorious cases attract attention partly because they were consequential events and do not necessarily describe daily life aboard every ship.