"The following are regarded as offences against discipline, and punished as such according to their gravity:
"On the part of the superior, every act of weakness, abuse of authority, insulting language, or the unjust infliction of any punishment.
"On the part of the inferior, murmuring, unseemly answers, lack of obedience (whatever may be the circumstances or the provocation); evading a punishment; drunkenness (even without disturbance); general misconduct, debt, quarrels ... in fact, every dereliction of military duty, whether it is the result of negligence, laziness, or stubbornness."
The fact of publishing, even under a nom de plume, a book, pamphlet, article, or letter, whatever may be its subject, without previous leave from the Minister of War, is considered an offence against discipline.
"Any man belonging to the army or navy can be punished by another man holding a rank superior to his own, whatever may be the place or the circumstances." To be rightly understood this requires some explanation. For instance, a Captain in the navy (who ranks as a Colonel), on leave in Paris, meets at a café a Major of a cavalry regiment; if the latter does not salute him, or misbehaves himself in any way, the naval officer can punish him on the spot. It constantly happens, for instance, that a trooper of a cavalry regiment passing a Corporal of the line fails to salute him. The Corporal has the right to punish the trooper forthwith.
"The officer in command of a regiment can increase or reduce punishments; he can even cancel them. In that case, he points out to the officer or non-commissioned officer the mistake he has made, and orders him to cancel himself the punishment he has inflicted...." The Captain in command of a squadron can increase a punishment inflicted by one of his direct subordinates. He cannot, however, reduce such punishment without the Colonel's leave.
PUNISHMENT OF OFFICERS.
The following are the punishments which may be inflicted on regimental officers:
(a) "Arrêts simples (confinement to rooms).