A captain could pause a large flogging sentence on medical advice, but the remaining punishment was not erased and could resume. Flogging around the fleet made the penalty public: the condemned sailor was rowed from ship to ship, the offense was read out, and lashes were delivered before each crew. The most extreme examples are described as relatively rare, though the punishment could be prolonged and brutal. Its deterrent power rested on sailors knowing that a captain could invoke the Articles of War and make an example when conduct crossed the line. Warships also lacked spare space and labor for lengthy imprisonment, because a fed crew member was expected to return to useful work. The resulting system favored immediate bodily punishment and public warning rather than modern incarceration.
Notable Point · 31:04-34:55
Flogging around the fleet and shipboard deterrence
The mechanics of flogging show a brutal discipline system built around public deterrence, medical pauses, and the practical limits of imprisonment at sea.