Rocks and shoals

In my day the lifers, when they wanted to stress how bad it used to be, and how we were such wimps for complaining, would assault us with tales of life in the Old Navy under the Rocks and Shoals. That was the slang term for the rules that preceded the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Under the UCMJ the common sailor has some rights and can't be taken out and shot at the whim of the Captain. Whenever I see some innocent youngster tromping around in some article of clothing with Old Navy stamped all over it I think of the old days under the Rocks and Shoals and wonder all over again why someone would be proud of it.