Stewards carry informal information around a ship alongside the formal divisional system. A captain's steward can quietly pass on concerns about misconduct and draw attention to good work the captain has not seen while occupied on the bridge or in the combat information center. The steward need not identify the people who supplied the information. Trust protects this channel: an attempt to intimidate the steward also interferes with the captain's access to information. Alex Clarke recalls witnessing a captain's anger after someone tried to silence his steward, and says that person did not remain in the Navy much longer.
Notable Point · 2:18:58-2:23:43
Stewards give captains an informal view of shipboard life
A trusted steward can alert the captain to misconduct and overlooked good work through contacts throughout the ship.