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Title: The Story of the "Britannia"
The training ship for naval cadets. With some account of
previous methods of naval education, and of the new scheme
of 1903.
Author: E. P. Statham
Release Date: September 6, 2014 [EBook #46788]
Language: English
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THE STORY OF
THE "BRITANNIA"
THE TRAINING SHIP
FOR NAVAL CADETS
WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF PREVIOUS
METHODS OF NAVAL EDUCATION,
AND OF THE NEW SCHEME OF 1903
BY
COMMANDER E. P. STATHAM, R.N.
CASSELL and COMPANY, Limited
LONDON, PARIS, NEW YORK AND MELBOURNE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED MCMIV
[Illustration: THE "BRITANNIA" APPROACHING PORTLAND, FEB.
7TH, 1862.]
PREFACE.
[Illustration]
The principal object of the preface in a volume of this nature is to
acknowledge the assistance received from various persons; the title
speaks for itself, and but little is necessary by way of introduction.
The material for the account of the Naval Academy and the old Naval
College has been obtained, with very little exception, from official
documents. There is, unfortunately, a considerable period which is not
covered by any papers to be found in the Record Office; possibly the
records of this period are in existence somewhere, but I have not been
able to discover them.
I hope, however, that such information as I have succeeded in
obtaining about this establishment, of which so little is generally
known, may be of interest.
In dealing with the _Britannia_, I have thought it necessary to
include some account of the various modifications which have taken
place from time to time in the examinations and general regulations
affecting the entry of cadets, as illustrating the official ideas
which have prevailed at different periods concerning the education of
young naval officers.
Personalities in a book of this kind are inevitable, but I hope that
none will be found which could give offence to anyone.
All the "yarns," etc., which appear have been obtained from authentic
sources, including my own reminiscences.
To return to the chief object of the preface, my thanks are due for
valuable assistance to the following:--
The Admiralty, for special facilities for access to documents;
Vice-Admiral Sir Robert H. Harris, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., Vice-Admiral Noel
S. F. Digby, Admiral W. H. Edye, Captain M. P. O'Callaghan, Captain
C. H. Cross and the officers of the _Britannia_, Captain A. W. Warry,
Captain G. Mainwaring, Captain G. S. MacIlwaine, Commander G. E.
Bairnsfather, and other officers who so readily supplied information;
Captain G. H. Inskip, for the loan of interesting papers and
photographs; Professor J. K. Laughton; Mr. A. C. Johnson and Mr.
J. L. D. Barton, former naval instructors on board the _Britannia_;
Mr. Aston Webb, R.A., for the use of his original drawing of the
College at Dartmouth; and Messrs. J. Gieve and Son, for the use of old
prints.
E. P. Statham.
_Arundel,_
_March, 1904._
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
THE GOOD OLD TIMES.
PAGE
A Youthful Diplomat--Old Methods of Entry--Captain's
Servants--King's Letter Boys--Lord Dundonald--A Warrior at
Eight--Sir P. W. P. Wallis--Absurd Regulations--Education at
a Discount--Midshipman Easy--Peter Simple--The "Pitchfork"
System--The Royal Naval Academy--Letter to the Navy
Board--Commendable Promptitude--The Scheme Approved--Delay
in Building--Scheme of Instruction--Uniform Instituted--
Scholars' Expenses--Rules and Orders--"They are cursed
troublesome"--Commissioner's Report--Entry and Final
Certificates--Captain Broke's Work Book--A Comprehensive
Course--A Successful Institution 1
CHAPTER II.
THE ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE.
New Brooms--Radical Changes--The Academy Closed--Wanted, a
Professor--James Inman--An Enthusiastic Scholar--His Love of
Fair Play--Senior Wrangler--Antarctic Astronomer--Appointed
Professor--"Inman's Tables"--The College Opens--A Master's
Untimely Optimism--A Poser for Their Lordships--The New
Course of Studies--John Irving, Silver Medallist--A
Mathematician's Device--The Rod and the "Black Hole"--New
Regulations--Commissioned Officers Admitted--Elastic Hours
of Study--The End Approaches--The "late" Royal Naval
College--Inman's Pension--Sir H. Keppel's Recollections--The
Box Seat--A Retaliatory Cascade--Sir W. R. Mends--Alleged
Toadying--Sir G. R. Mundy's Letters--Keeping a "Mess"--The
"Black Hole" in Being--"A Blow-out," and After--Sir B. J.
Sulivan--Bullying Studious Juniors--A Discouraging
Experience--The Captain Converted--The College and the
_Excellent_--Professor Main--The "Pitchfork" System Again--A
Slender Equipment--Naval Cadets--Haphazard Methods--A Little
More Detail 16
CHAPTER III.
THE "ILLUSTRIOUS."
Captain Robert Harris--His Birth and Career--Appointed to
the _Illustrious_--"Jemmy Graham's Novices"--A Model School
for Seamen--A Visit to the _Illustrious_--Why not Train
Young Officers?--Opposition of Old Officers--Cadet Robert
H. Harris--A Successful Experiment--Institution of Cadets'
Training Ship--Captain Harris Suffers for His Zeal--
Commendatory Letters--He is Superseded--The New Admiralty
Circular--General Approval of the Scheme--The Staff of the
_Illustrious_--Lieutenant George S. Nares--Disciplinary
Methods--The Cadets' Corporals--Withering Sarcasm--
Old-fashioned Seamanship--Cricket--"Sling the Monkey"--Rev.
R. M. Inskip--His Sea Yarns--Mr. Kempster Knapp--"Knapp's
Circles"--Penalty of Fidgeting--Prince Alfred--Enter the
_Britannia_--Her Predecessors 35
CHAPTER IV.
THE "BRITANNIA" IN THE 'SIXTIES.
A "Three-decker"--Arrangements on Board--The Morning Drum--
Persuasive Corporals--"Cockpit Mess"--"Cheeky New Fellows"--
Important Modifications--Sea-going Training-ship--A Dead
Letter--The Question of Locality--Portland Selected--Its
Numerous Drawbacks--Preparing for Sea--Voyage of the
_Britannia_--She Asserts Herself under Sail--Arrival at
Portland--Great Monotony--A Sad Accident--Good Education--
French and Drawing--Sample of a French Lesson--Messroom
Songs--"The King of Otaheité"--Going Aloft--A Foolhardy
Feat--A Swift Descent--Fatal to Clothes--Reading at the
Yard-arm--Captain Powell Appointed--Departure of Commander
Nares--Corporal Punishment--A Cool Young Hand--The Royal
Marriage--Another Change Decided Upon--Voyage to Dartmouth--
A Busy Time--Sailors as Navvies--The _Hindostan_--Captain
Randolph Appointed--A Futile Complaint--Stern Measures--
Parliamentary Interference--Humanitarian Fads--Flogging
Abolished--Cadets' Sailing Cutters--Gymnasium Built--The
_Bristol_--Competition on Entry--Reduction of Numbers--A
New _Britannia_--Statistical Results 53
CHAPTER V.
THE "BRITANNIA" IN THE 'SEVENTIES.
Mr. Inskip Departs--His Statistical Diagram--Vindication
of _Britannia_--Final Examinations a True Test--A "Facer"
for the Old Salts--Mr. Inskip Triumphant--Captain Warry's
Recollections--Lieutenants' Duties Ill-defined--"Goose"
Dinners--Fighting by Authority--The _Dapper_--The
_Ariadne_--A Tragic Incident--A Plucky Boatswain--The
_Ariadne_ Abolished--A Possible Explanation--Mr. Knapp
Resigns--An Unexpected Successor--A Generous Appreciation--
Committee of Enquiry--Recommends Abolition of Competition--
An Academic Proposal--Unanimity of Cadets--Admiral Ryder's
Evidence--Dr. Woolley's Evidence--A Plausible Contention--
New Regulations--French at a Discount--Site for a College--
Dartmouth Recommended--A Dissatisfied Parent--The
_Britannia_ in Parliament--The Royal Cadets--Lieutenant
Mainwaring--Beagles Started--The Grave of "Jim"--A Phenomenal
Admission--_Britannia_ Regulations--The Officer of the
Day--The Cadet Captains--No "Hampers" Allowed--Punishments--
A Drastic Health Regulation--Captains in the 'Seventies--
Statistical Results 82
CHAPTER VI.
THE "BRITANNIA" IN THE 'EIGHTIES.
Competition Reintroduced--Reduction of Numbers--A Ferocious
Examination--The _Britannia_ in the _Times_--"Rule of Thumb"
Instruction--"Fire" and "Sword"--"Veritas" at Sea--The
_Britannia Magazine_--Editorial Introduction--The Politics
of Naval Cadets--Editorial Difficulties--A Questionable
Pseudonym--Popular Advertisements--The _Wave_--A True
Prediction--An Original Poem--Jones Takes a Lesson to
Heart--The _Wave's_ Holiday Trip--A Warning to the
Reckless--"First Catch Your Cadet!"--Ambulance Lessons--
How to Tell a Toadstool--The Electric Light--Another
Committee--It Makes Recommendations--Also Suggestions--
Very Unpractical--Captains in the 'Eighties--Statistical
Results--A Rapid Rise 118
CHAPTER VII.
THE "BRITANNIA" IN THE 'NINETIES.
Captain Digby--Alleged Gross Bullying--A Lively Correspondence--
Various Uninvited Opinions--A Gleam of Light from Within--"Old
Etonian" and Admiral Richards--Captain Digby Sums Up the
Case--"Navilus": His Book--Morning Amenities--"One Day's
'Four'"--A Typical Day--The Hardships of "Four"--A Day in
the _Wave_--"A Nice Fresh Breeze"--Reefing Topsails--"Man
Overboard"--Comfort for Mothers--A Trip in a Skiff--Forbidden
Joys--A "Slippery Hitch"--A Half-holiday--Tea with "Ma Fox"--A
Sunday Outing--"Fearful Fagging"--The "Baby's" Final
Aspirations--Captain Moore--A Hot Reformer--Lieutenants as
"Sea-Daddies"--Abolition of Cadets' Corporals--Chief of the
Staff--Naval Warrant Officers--New Admiralty Regulations--The
_Racer_ Arrives--Ship Struck by Lightning--Jubilee Day--The
Queen's Medal--Captain Marryat's Spectacles--Cadets' Food--A
Hard Case!--Remarkable Physical Development--Influenza
Epidemic--An Ill-informed Parent--Ridiculous Allegations--
Visit of the King and Queen--John Gilpin--"Ye Mariners of
England"--Captains in the 'Nineties 144
CHAPTER VIII.
"BRITANNIA" GAMES.
Scanty Early Records--Practice _v._ Precept--Officers _v._
Cadets--Presumptuous Juniors--A Close Match--Football--
Penalty of Punning--A Decisive Victory--A Demon Bowler--Two
Curious Innings--Sports and Regatta--The Rushworth Seal--The
Editor is Sarcastic--His Feelings are Soured--An Excited
Timekeeper--Why Williams Didn't Win--The Pro's Average--
Teignbridge Victorious and Vanquished--W. G.'s Eleven--Some
Fatherly Advice--The Editor is Appeased--A Close Sculling
Match--Foreign Football Matches--A Dry Cricket Season--The
Editor and the Beagles--Lord Harris's Maxims--The Bold Sir
Bedivel--Big Third Eleven Scores--Seventeen Years' Athletics--
Huddart Shows the Way--The Editor on "Stodge"--A Hot Run for
the "Footmen"--Youthful Boxers--Glasgow to the Rescue--An
Afternoon's Cricket--Splendid Playing Fields--And Plenty of
Cricket--Teignbridge's Small Score--_Britannia_ Wins All
Round--Third Eleven Makes a Record--A Question of Time--Keep
Your Ground Clock Right--Remarkable Results of the
Season--Money Well Spent 190
CHAPTER IX.
CONCLUSION.
Forty-six Years' Record--Internal Arrangements--Swimming
Baths--"On Their Honour"--No More Sails--The _Revenge_ as a
Picture--The _Isis_ and _Aurora_--Lieutenants' Adventure--
Scotch Hospitality--Shooting Instruction--"Good Fishing"--A
Creditable Record--The Cost of the _Britannia_--The
Instructional Staff--An Excellent Arrangement--A Heavy
Responsibility--Discharged Right Well--The New Scheme--
Utilitarian Buildings--The _Racer_ Again--Popularity of
Practical Mechanics--No Half Measures 230
APPENDICES 251
INDEX 271
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
The "Britannia" Approaching Portland, Feb.
7th, 1862 _Frontispiece_
Cadet of 1849 1
The Royal Naval Academy, Portsmouth 9
The Title-page of Broke's Book 12
A Page from Broke's Book 13
First and Second Class Volunteers 14
A Plan from Broke's Book 15
West Front of the Naval College in Portsmouth Dockyard 17
Billiard-Room, Naval College (Formerly the Large Study) 20
The Courtyard of the Naval College 21
"Jack Tar" Expounds 34
Captain Robert Harris 36
Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Harris, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., as
a Midshipman 38
Rev. R. M. Inskip and Mr. K. Knapp 48
Model of the First "Britannia," Built in 1682 50
Model of the Third "Britannia," Built in 1762 51
The Fourth "Britannia," Built in 1820 57
Officers and Cadets, 1861 67
Captain R. A. Powell and Officers, 1863 73
Captain John Corbett 77
The Fourth "Britannia" as Training Ship 81
Reading Off the Sextant 82
The "Ariadne" Disaster 89
Rev. J. C. P. Aldous 94
Mr. A. C. Johnson 95
Captain the Hon. F. A. C. Foley 97
Royal Galley. Prince Albert Victor (Duke of Clarence),
Coxswain; Prince George (Duke of York), Port Bow Oar 101
The Royal Cadets at Seamanship 105
Prince Albert Victor 106
Prince George 107
"Jim the Pioneer's" Grave 108
Lieutenant Mainwaring and Cadet Captains 109
A Class at the Seamanship Instruction Model 113
The "Britannia" and the "Hindostan." Cadet Racquet
Courts in Foreground 121
A Beagle Meet 126
The Kennel 127
Cadet Messroom 129
Captain N. Bowden-Smith 137
Poop of the "Britannia." Cadets at Prayers 139
Captain F. G. D. Bedford 141
The Schooner Yacht "Syren" 143
Captain N. S. F. Digby 146
A Group of Captains (Christmas, 1890) 148
First Term Sleeping Deck on Board the "Hindostan" 154
Chapel on Board the "Hindostan" 155
A Signalling Exercise 156
Pocket Money 157
H.M.S. "Racer," Tender to the "Britannia" 159
Captain A. W. Moore 164
The "Victoria and Albert" at Dartmouth 165
The Cadets' Hospital 168
On the Sick List 169
Fourth Term Cadets on Board the "Isis" 171
A Lesson in Seamanship 174
A Typical Fourth Term Group: "Passing-Out" Cadets, 1893 175
H.M.S. "Isis," Sea-Going Training Ship 179
The King's Visit, March 7, 1902 183
The "Britannia" Dressed for the King's Birthday 187
The Cricket Pavilion 195
A Class at the Gymnasium 199
Regatta Day: Twelve-Oared Cutter Winning a Race 203
Cricket, Football, and Rowing Trophies, and the
Rushworth Seal 207
First Eleven, 1889: Opponents of W. G.'s Team 211
A "Britannia" Rugby Team 213
A "Britannia" Association Team 217
Boxing Class 219
The Beagle Whips 221
The Cricket Field 223
View from the New College 229
Captain C. H. Cross 232
Mr. J. H. Spanton 238
Mr. G. B. Mason 239
Officers' Quarters 240
Cadets' Dormitory 241
The Old Stable-yard, Osborne 246
The New College, Dartmouth 247
THE STORY OF THE "BRITANNIA."
CHAPTER I.
THE GOOD OLD TIMES.
A Youthful Diplomat--Old Methods of Entry--Captain's Servants--King's
Letter Boys--Lord Dundonald--A Warrior at Eight--Sir P. W. P.
Wallis--Absurd Regulations--Education at a Discount--Midshipman
Easy--Peter Simple--The "Pitchfork" System--The Royal Naval
Academy--Letter to the Navy Board--Commendable Promptitude--The
Scheme Approved--Delay in Building--Scheme of Instruction--Uniform
Instituted--Scholars' Expenses--Rules and Orders--"They are cursed
troublesome"--Commissioner's Report--Entry and Final Certificates--
Captain Broke's Work Book--A Comprehensive Course--A Successful
Institution.
A young aspirant to naval honours, seeking a nomination for entry
under the regulations of 1903, was summoned not long since to appear
before a committee at the Admiralty, to be tested by a sort of
common-sense, _vivâ voce_ examination as to his probable fitness for
the Royal Navy; and among other questions propounded to him, by way of
ascertaining his general acquaintance with historical facts and
personages, was the following: "Who do you think were the greatest
naval lords?"--a question which might perhaps require some
consideration even by a more mature individual.
[Illustration: CADET OF 1849.]
Our aspirant was, however, more than equal to the occasion, for he
replied without hesitation, "Lord Nelson and Lord Selborne, sir." If
this boy was not accepted, it must have been because Destiny had so
clearly marked him out for a career in the diplomatic service.
In any case, his cheerful selection of a great Admiral and a First
Lord a century apart suggests reflections on the vast changes which
have occurred in the constitution and administration of the Navy
during this period; and particularly, having regard to the subject of
this book, in respect of the manner of entering young officers of the
executive branch.
Let us see, then, what were the conditions under which a lad could
enter the Navy, in the executive branch, in the eighteenth century.
The method--if method it can be called--was grotesquely haphazard; and
the only marvel is that it produced so many good officers and seamen:
_men_ who could take their ships anywhere, and win against odds when
they got there. Indeed, it was the men who were feared by our enemies;
our ships were often inferior to those of the French, but they were
handled in such a masterly, cocksure-of-victory style, that
inferiority of size or metal appeared to be of little account.
These mighty sea warriors, who made the British flag an emblem of
fear, were, as a rule, entered as "captain's servants," their friends
making interest with some captain about to commission a ship, who
would have perhaps eight or ten such youngsters on his books; their
pay all went into the captain's pocket, forming, in fact, a
considerable proportion of the emoluments of his office. After a time
these lads were, entirely at the will and caprice of the captain,
rated as midshipmen or able or ordinary seamen.
Naturally, in making a selection from numerous applicants the captain
would give the preference to his own relatives: sons, young brothers,
nephews, and so on; failing these, the sons, brothers, or nephews of
his friends would come in, or youngsters recommended to him by persons
of rank or influence.
By far the greater number of young officers were entered in this
manner up to near the end of the eighteenth century; but there was in
the early part of the century an alternative which was probably open
to those who could command a certain amount of interest. These were
entered under the authority of a letter from the Admiralty--the
forerunner, in fact, of the present Admiralty nomination.
It is probable that youngsters entered in this fashion were regarded,
as a class, with a certain amount of jealousy, both on the part of the
captain and that of their contemporaries. There is a decided spice of
spiteful cynicism both in the curiously anomalous official designation
by which they were distinguished--"Volunteers per Order"--and also in
the more common and popular appellation of "King's Letter Boys"; and
it is quite conceivable that, when a captain had sailed from England
with his snug little assortment of young brothers, nephews, and what
not, the arrival of a smart frigate with a batch of King's Letter Boys
to be placed on his books would be decidedly unwelcome; but being
"Volunteers _per Order_," he had no option but to accept them.
No sort of qualifying examination was imposed upon these candidates,
and regulations as to age were conspicuous by their absence. Indeed,
it is here that the most absurd incongruities existed; for it was not
considered in the least degree necessary that the applicants should be
of an age to perform any kind of duty when they were entered on the
ship's books, or that they should even put in an appearance on board.
There are numerous instances of children in the nursery being borne on
ship's books, and shifted from ship to ship until they were old enough
to embark.
The famous Thomas Cochrane, tenth Earl of Dundonald, whose name is
associated with more daring and successful exploits than that of
almost any naval officer, was born in December, 1775, and entered as
captain's servant when five years old, being kept on various ships'
books for years. His father, meanwhile, having originally intended him
for the Army, had obtained for him a _captaincy_ in the 79th Foot, and
he did not join his first ship until he was nearly eighteen.
Some youngsters, through interest, were entered direct as midshipmen,
at a very early age. Sir Edward Hamilton, for instance, born 12th
March, 1772, was entered as midshipman on the 21st May, 1779, when he
was only seven years old; and it is stated that he actually took part
in an action on board his father's ship, the _Hector_, in 1780! What
part this warrior of eight years old performed in action is not
stated.
Another officer, Sir Provo W. P. Wallis, whose long life bridged over
the gulf from the days of Nelson's victories to the last decade of the
nineteenth century, was borne on a ship's books from the age of four,
until he actually joined his first ship, the _Cleopatra_, as
midshipman, at thirteen.
Sir William Symonds, born in 1782, was actually entered at three years
of age, and eventually embarked as midshipman at twelve.
Instances of entries at seven, eight, and nine years old are quite
numerous; and, of course, the captain drew their pay, whether they
joined or not.
This appears, at first sight, to reflect some discredit upon the
captains, who, it may be said, must have been aware that they were, in
a sense, obtaining money under false pretences. It is not fair,
however, to saddle them with responsibility for the results of absurd
regulations, which it was well known at headquarters must tend to such
abuses; the whole system was a farce, and any little additional
absurdities on the part of the captains were usually winked at with
the forced leniency which is one of the inevitable accompaniments of
inadequate legislation.
Here, then, we find a sad lack of method in regard to the majority of
entries in Nelson's time, though that great man himself was of the
relatively mature age of twelve when he went afloat in 1770.
If there was little or no method in regard to entry, how did the
youngsters of those days fare as to education?
Well, as a matter of fact, there was rather less system in this
respect than in the other. It depended in a great measure upon the
sort of captain a boy shipped with, and also, in a lesser degree,
upon the junior officers. The seamanship of those days was pretty
readily picked up by a lad who kept his eyes open and was eager to
learn; a state of war was far more frequent than quiet times; ships
were always on the move, and seamanship came of itself; the navigation
required was of a rough and ready description, and the master and his
mates were as a rule the only people who took any trouble about it.
Marryat, indeed, gives us some vivid and entertaining pictures of the
process of education of a certain kind, as applied by the midshipmen
and others to a new comer; also of what may be termed preliminary
instruction.
Jack Easy, it will be remembered, received some valuable preliminary
training at the hands of Mr. Bonnycastle, who literally "licked him
into shape" with a good pliant cane, and who, having inculcated
obedience by this stern method, took care that his scholars should
know how to use their fists; an accomplishment which proved of great
service to Master Jack when Vigors, the bully of the mess, attempted
to ride roughshod over him.
Mr. Midshipman Easy is, however, far too great a favourite of fortune
to be accepted as a typical example.
Frank Mildmay, in his new uniform, tumbling up against the Port
Admiral, whom he failed to salute, and so humbled by the rebuke he
received that he went about touching his hat to everyone he met, is a
truer picture. Another valuable piece of education was imparted by
Murphy, his senior, in the form of a hiding for not comprehending the
significance of the captain's hint at the dinner table, "Go and see
how the wind is." Poor Mildmay went out, and returned, in all good
faith, with the required information; whereupon Murphy was instructed
to "show him the ropes," and Nemesis supervened.
Peter Simple, joining as a more than usually verdant specimen,
intuitively obeyed when someone said, "Hand me that monkey's tail,
youngster"; from which it was argued that he was not such a fool as he
looked, and much was expected of him afterwards.
In such fashion, for the most part, were our future admirals and
captains pitchforked, as it were, into the Service, to swim or sink as
best they might; and many were the anomalies which prevailed also in
the senior ranks. Captains barely out of their teens, with grey-haired
first-lieutenants to dry-nurse them; so-called midshipmen of any age
up to thirty-five; and so on. Looking back on those days through the
perspective of years--those days when our position as a naval Power
was a-making year by year, and was completed at Trafalgar--we are apt
to say that "the world went very well then."
Curiously enough, there existed for many years, side by side with this
rough and ready "pitchfork" system, "another way," as the cookery
books have it, of getting into the Navy; and a way, moreover, which
was fenced about with very precise regulations as to age, and involved
a course of pretty hard study. That this mode of entry should have
been made entirely optional, and consequently partial, seems strange;
but such was the case.
Anyone who is acquainted with Portsmouth Dockyard is familiar with the
appearance of the old Naval College, standing just to the southward of
the Commander-in-Chief's house; but comparatively few people, even
among naval officers, know very much of its history, or when and why
it was built.
It is not clear at the present time at whose suggestion the Royal
Naval Academy was instituted, but there is in existence in the Record
Office a letter from the Lords of the Admiralty to the Navy
Board--which was a kind of executive commission for carrying out all
naval construction, etc.--dated March 3rd, 1729, which reads as
follows:--
Gentlemen,--His Majesty having been pleased to direct, by Order in
Council dated the 21st of last month, upon an humble memorial from
this Board, that an Academy shall be erected in the Dockyard at
Portsmouth for the better education and training up of forty young
gentlemen for His Majesty's Service at sea, instead of the
Establishment now in force for Voluntiers on board His Majesty's
ships; We do hereby desire and direct you to consider and lay
before us, as soon as conveniently may be, a draught or plan of
such a building as you shall judge may be proper for the reception
not only of the aforesaid forty young gentlemen, but also of a
Mathematical Master, three Ushers, and a French Master, by whom
they are to be instructed, together with an estimate of the charge
thereof; and you are also to give us your opinion at what place in
the yard the said building may be most conveniently erected.
The allusion to "the Establishment now in force for Voluntiers" is
clearly intended to include the King's Letter Boys only, as no other
youngsters were shipped at that time under this title; and, in fact,
the completion of the Academy was followed by the abolition of the
King's letter, but not of the term "Volunteers per Order."
No time was lost over the business: the Lords of the Admiralty wrote
their letter, as we have seen, on March 3rd, ten days after the Order
in Council was signed; and the Navy Board, with most commendable
promptitude, posted their letter, with plans, estimate, and
recommendation of site complete, on the 12th; that is to say, allowing
for Sunday, they took only seven clear days about it! Probably,
however, the matter had been under consideration previously, pending
the approval of the scheme by the King in Council; but even so, there
is an object-lesson to corporations, Government boards, and committees
of all sorts and conditions of men; for the Admiralty date their
second letter on March 13th, and the whole thing is put through:--
Gentlemen,--You having, with your letter of yesterday's date,
transmitted to us the draught of a building which you judge may be
proper for an Academy for the reception and better education and
training up of forty young gentlemen for His Majesty's Service at
sea, instead of the Establishment now in force for Voluntiers on
board His Majesty's ships, as also for the reception of a
Mathematical Master, three Ushers, and a French Master for their
instruction, with a plan of proper outhouses for their
accommodation; and you having also transmitted to us an estimate
of the charge of the said building, with the plan of the south
part of His Majesty's Dockyard at Portsmouth, wherein is described
a place in the south-east angle of the said yard, where, in your
opinion, the said building may be most conveniently erected; which
estimate amounts to Five thousand seven hundred seventy-two
pounds, four shillings: We send you the said estimate confirmed by
us, and desire and direct you to cause the aforesaid buildings to
be gone in hand with, and finished as soon as conveniently may
be, at the place and in the manner you have proposed; and herewith
we return you the aforesaid draught and plans, &c.
(Signed),
Torrington, Jo. Cokburne,
Cha. Wager, T. Lyttleton, A. Hamilton.
These letters are given _in extenso_, as inaugurating a new departure
of great importance: a recognition of the necessity for some
preliminary scientific training for young naval officers before
sending them to sea. The death-knell of the "pitchfork" system is here
sounded, though faintly; like many another long-lived system, it died
hard, and even struggled into life again, as we shall see, more than a
hundred years later.
Promptly as the institution of a Naval Academy was decided upon, and
plans prepared, the completion of the building appears to have dragged
on heavily. Improvements and additions were carried out meanwhile, and
it was not until the early summer of 1733 that it was actually
opened--a very long period to be occupied in the erection of such a
building.
The original plan appears to have included the present west front,
with the cupola--intended for, and for a long time used as, an
observatory--with the north wing, and a very short wing on the south
side, which, however, was prolonged during the process of building,
the large study, now the billiard-room, and a small infirmary, being
added. Over the latter were subsequently built some more rooms,
including that now used as an observatory and chronometer room. A
large number of minor alterations have since been made from time to
time, so that it is not easy to identify the rooms frequently alluded
to in letters, engineer's plans, etc.
Some important alterations and additions were made about 1807, when
the whole scheme was reorganised, and the name changed to Royal Naval
College, of which more hereafter.
The original curriculum appears to have included the following
subjects: Geometry, navigation, writing and arithmetic, French and
drawing, fencing and dancing, for which purposes the following staff
was maintained:--
Head mathematical master £150
Second mathematical master 100
Drawing and French master 100
Fencing and dancing master 80
Dockyard surgeon (for attendance) 20
Seamanship and ship construction were taught by the master attendant
of the Dockyard and master shipwright respectively, who received 10s.
per lesson (presumably to a class), while a boatswain and gunner
received 5s. each per lesson, and a sergeant the same amount, for
teaching the use of the "firelock."
[Illustration: THE ROYAL NAVAL ACADEMY, PORTSMOUTH, 1806.]
The Commissioner of the Dockyard was _ex officio_ Governor, and
received £100 a year additional for his duties in connection with the
Academy. He was bound to pay frequent visits thereto, and to satisfy
himself that the masters were carrying out their duties in a proper
manner, and the pupils duly attentive and of good behaviour.
Each student was to have a room, or cabin, to himself, and a warrant
to the Clerk of the Cheque, in the Dockyard, authorises him to expend
the following amounts for furniture:--
33 Bedsteads, if plain, or "field" £1 0 0 £33 0 0
33 Bedsteads, if to turn up 2 9 0 80 17 0
33 Buroes (_sic_)? bureaux 3 0 0 99 0 0
8 Stoves 2 0 0 16 0 0
The gentleman who made out this warrant was evidently either a
stickler for phonetic spelling or a rabid "Francophobe"; a long time
afterwards the Governor of the Academy advocates the abolition of the
"buroes," gunpowder having been found in one of them.
The existing records are for a long period very incomplete, but the
Academy appears to have flourished on the whole, and to have fulfilled
very fairly the purposes for which it was established.
In March, 1748, a "blue uniform" was first introduced for the
students, and about the same time a detailed account of the expenses
incurred by two individuals, designated as "A. B." and "Hon. C. D.,"
is given, evidently as a guide for arriving at an average expenditure.
All the students paid £25 per annum for their board; the total
expenses of the "Hon. C. D.," however, amounted to £68 12s. 4d., as
compared with £48 16s. 9d. for "A. B.," the excess being practically,
as might be expected, in the amounts for "mercer" and "taylor."
Many, it is stated, fell short of "A. B.'s" total, while few, if any,
equalled "Hon. C. D."; but in these accounts "ale-house" scores are
not included. This is explained by the fact that a brewery formed part
of the establishment.
On November 1st, 1773, a very complete set of "Rules and Orders"
relating to the Academy was issued by the Admiralty, consisting of no
less than forty-one articles or paragraphs. The whole scheme had
apparently been under revision, and the entire conduct of the
establishment is provided for in great detail.
This scheme is of considerable interest, embodying, as it does, the
matured ideas of naval authorities at that period concerning the entry
and education of young naval officers; and it is, therefore, given in
the Appendix practically _in extenso_, only the tedious verbiage being
somewhat modified.[1]
[1] See Appendix I.
It will be noticed, in Article XXXIV. of these regulations, that
these sons of noblemen and gentlemen, on going to sea, were made to
perform seamen's duties, but had the privilege of walking the
quarter-deck; while the term "Volunteers by Order" is still retained.
Of the plan of education devised by the master of the Academy there
are no official details, except in the periodical reports of the
qualifications of the scholars, which are rendered with great
regularity and exactness, the remarks of the head master being
sometimes very quaint. One pupil is described as being "much too
volatile in writing and arithmetic"; on another occasion, when
reporting some irregularities, he remarks that "they are cursed
troublesome."
The Commissioner of the Yard, in his capacity as Governor of the
Academy, either voluntarily or by prescription adopted a stereotyped
form of report to the Secretary to the Admiralty, which is repeated,
word for word, with unfailing monotony, with each report of progress,
as follows:--
"I pray leave to remark that at this juncture there is a pretty good
harmony and agreement among the Scholars and the several Masters; and
that upon my frequent visiting the Academy I find the latter are very
diligent, and give due attention to their business, and the methods
used by them in educating the young gentlemen are very regular,
familiar, and instructive, and agreeably to the plan approved by their
Lordships."
Every candidate, before admission, was examined by the head master, in
the presence of the Governor, and a report made to the Admiralty
whether he was "found to have made such progress in his education as
qualifies him to enter upon the Plan of Learning established for
Scholars in the Academy."
Similarly, before a scholar could be sent to sea, the head master gave
a certificate in the following form:--
"Mr. ---- has in two years eight months and fifteen days finished the
Plan of Mathematical Learning, and made a manuscript copy thereof; in
consequence, he is judged qualified to serve in H.M. Navy."
There happens to be in existence at the present time, in excellent
preservation, one of these manuscript copies of the Plan of Learning,
by no less a person than the celebrated Captain Philip Bowes Vere
Broke, of whose exploit in the _Shannon_, when he captured the
American frigate _Chesapeake_ after an action lasting only twenty
minutes, the well-known verses tell in such graphic style:--
Brave Broke, he waved his sword,
Crying, "Now, my lads, aboard,
And we'll stop their playing Yankee-doodle dandy, oh!"
[Illustration: THE TITLE-PAGE OF BROKE'S BOOK.]
This book, which is very appropriately lodged on board the
_Britannia_, is a heavy volume of portentous size and thickness,
filled from end to end with problems in various subjects, beautifully
written and worked out, and illustrated by neatly executed sketches,
diagrams, etc.
The title page is elegantly inscribed: "A Plan of Mathematical
Learning taught in the Royal Academy, Portsmouth; performed by Philip
B. V. Broke, a Student there: 1792." The subjects comprise arithmetic,
geometry, plane trigonometry, the use of the terrestrial globes,
geography, chronology, spherics, astronomy, latitude, longitude, dead
reckoning, marine surveying, fortification, gunnery, mechanics.
[Illustration: A PAGE FROM BROKE'S BOOK.]
In addition to this very comprehensive mathematical course, the
students, as we have seen, were taught French and drawing, fencing,
dancing, seamanship, and ship construction.
A considerably longer period was allowed for this than for the
somewhat similar course now in force on board the _Britannia_, the
maximum time being three years; and as Broke did not get through under
this, he was evidently not among the most brilliant scholars, for not
a few finished in two and a half years, and some in considerably
less. The master, certainly, says of Broke, in his last report, that
he "has a good capacity, and is very diligent"; but the fact remains
that his time in passing places him below the average, and his work
book therefore speaks well for the Academy.
[Illustration: FIRST AND SECOND CLASS VOLUNTEERS, EARLY NINETEENTH
CENTURY.
_From an old print in the possession of J. Gieve & Sons._]
Broke was sixteen when he went to sea; and twenty years afterwards,
having worked his ship's company up to an admirable state of
discipline and efficiency, he fought the famous duel with the
_Chesapeake_, in connection with which his name is familiar to every
schoolboy.
There is every reason for supposing that the Naval Academy was a
complete success, but it is remarkable that so few of our most famous
admirals and captains went through it; and there is no means of
ascertaining how the Academy boys compared eventually with those who
were entered in the haphazard fashion above described--some of them
from the nursery. It appears probable, however, from later evidence,
that many captains maintained a prejudice against these lads, as
being still Volunteers per Order; and we do not need, as will be seen,
to go back as far as the eighteenth century to find many who held that
a lad sent straight to sea from school was likely to become more
speedily efficient than one who had been previously trained. This
curious paradox was as tenacious of life as might be expected among so
conservative a body of men as our old naval officers. Some time during
the last decade of the eighteenth century the term "captain's servant"
was replaced by that of "volunteer of the first class," under which
all those who did not go through the College continued to enter. It is
not quite clear, however, what is meant by the title of "volunteer of
the second class."
[Illustration: A PAGE FROM BROKE'S BOOK: FORTIFICATION PLAN, WITH
BASTIONS, ETC.]
CHAPTER II.
THE ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE.
New Brooms--Radical Changes--The Academy Closed--Wanted, a Professor--
James Inman--An Enthusiastic Scholar--His Love of Fair Play--Senior
Wrangler--Antarctic Astronomer--Appointed Professor--"Inman's
Tables"--The College Opens--A Master's Untimely Optimism--A Poser for
Their Lordships--The New Course of Studies--John Irving, Silver
Medallist--A Mathematician's Device--The Rod and the "Black Hole"--New
Regulations--Commissioned Officers Admitted--Elastic Hours of
Study--The End Approaches--The "late" Royal Naval College--Inman's
Pension--Sir H. Keppel's Recollections--The Box Seat--A Retaliatory
Cascade--Sir W. R. Mends--Alleged Toadying--Sir G. R. Mundy's
Letters--Keeping a "Mess"--The "Black Hole" in Being--"A Blow-out,"
and After--Sir B. J. Sulivan--Bullying Studious Juniors--A
Discouraging Experience--The Captain Converted--The College and the
_Excellent_--Professor Main--The "Pitchfork" System Again--A Slender
Equipment--Naval Cadets--Haphazard Methods--A Little More Detail.
The Naval Academy saw out the century, and went on without
interruption for six years more.
Then there came some "new brooms," apparently, in office, who thought
that the time had arrived for extending and remodelling it; and by way
of making a fresh start, and leaving old traditions behind, they
resolved to change even the title.
The reason set forth, in a memorial presented by the Lords of the
Admiralty, for these alterations was to "render the Academy effectual
for the increased naval force"; their suggestions were adopted in
their entirety, and embodied in an Order in Council, dated 1st
February, 1806, as follows:--
"1st. That the title of the building be altered to Royal Naval
College.
"2nd. That the present building be enlarged, at a cost of £4,886 2s.
6d.
"3rd. That the establishment of Officers be as follows: A Governor, a
Lieutenant Governor and Inspector, a Professor, a Preceptor, a
Housekeeper, a Writing Master, a Drawing Master, a French Master, a
Fencing Master, a Dancing Master, and a Surgeon. The Master Attendant
of the Yard and the Master Shipwright to instruct in Seamanship and
Ship Construction, and a Gunner of the Royal Marine Artillery in Small
Arm Exercise, etc.
"4th. That the First Lord of the Admiralty for the time being be
Governor.
[Illustration: WEST FRONT OF THE NAVAL COLLEGE IN PORTSMOUTH
DOCKYARD.
_Photo: Cassell & Co., Ltd._]
"5th. That a Post-Captain be appointed as Lieutenant-Governor, with
net salary of £500 per annum.
"6th. That an able Mathematician from Cambridge be appointed as
Professor, at £8 per head per annum, on a basis of probably seventy
Scholars under the new system. To have apartments, and to have nothing
to do with boarding, &c., nor attention out of College hours.
"7th. The Preceptor to receive £300 per annum.
"8th. That some disabled and meritorious Lieutenant be appointed as
Housekeeper, to look after the domestic concerns of the College,
under a Committee consisting of the Lieut.-Governor, the Professor,
and the Preceptor."
9th to 17th Articles contain details of the salaries of the various
masters and instructors, the total being £1,443 10s., exclusive of the
Professor, but including the Lieut.-Governor.
"18th. That the number of Scholars be increased from forty to seventy,
of whom forty are to be sons of Officers, and the remainder sons of
Officers, Noblemen, or Gentlemen, who are found qualified.
"19th. That the age of entry be not less than thirteen, or more than
sixteen; that Scholars are to remain three years, whether they have
completed the plan or not: only two years to reckon in any case
towards the six years required to qualify for Lieutenant's commission.
"20th. That preference be given to youths who have been at sea before.
"21st. That to avoid misuse of the College, parents are to give a bond
for £200, to be forfeited in the event of a Scholar failing to
complete his course and qualify for the Navy.
"22nd. That a Capitation fee of four shillings per day be paid by each
Scholar while he is actually in the College.
"23rd. That the distribution of the said Capitation fee be as
follows:--
£ s. d.
Stopped for Professor 8 0 0
Stopped for Clothing 10 0 0
Board for 330 days at 1s. 9d., of which 3d.
goes to the Housekeeper 28 17 6
Washing, 47 weeks, at 2s. per week 4 14 0
Pocket Money at 1s. per week 2 7 0
--------
53 18 6
330 days at 4s. per day (allowing five weeks
for holidays) 66 0 0
--------
Balance 12 1 6"
The alterations and enlargements involved in this scheme naturally
occupied a considerable time, and the establishment was closed from
about May, 1806, until February, 1808, and even then was not in some
respects complete.
Meanwhile, the Admiralty were seeking a fit and proper person to fill
the important post of Professor under the new arrangements; and, a
good mathematician being required, they naturally turned to the
University of Cambridge, the birthplace of Wranglers. There they were
lucky enough to find the very man they wanted, in the person of James
Inman, a man whose name will not soon be forgotten by those who are
interested in the science of navigation.
He was, to start with, a born mathematician; everything in this line
seemed to come as easily to him as the alphabet, and abstruse problems
which in other men would cause corrugated brows and the burning of the
midnight oil were to him merely pleasant employment. He was also a
good organiser, a man of details, and at the same time of pleasing and
strong personality. Sir Henry Keppel--one of the last survivors of old
College times--gives his impression of Inman as "a tall man in black,
with an austere countenance: but there was that in him that I liked."
In the "Life and Letters of Sir Bartholomew J. Sulivan" the following
passage occurs:--
"I was content so long as I kept with the senior boys of my batch; and
it was a fortunate thing for me that, three months after I entered,
Dr. Inman's son, Richard Inman, joined us. He had learnt the first
three months' work, or more, before he entered, and I had nearly
completed in three months what we were allowed six for. Inman passed
in the studies that made him equal with me within a week of entering,
and then we went on competing each month. Nothing could be fairer than
Dr. Inman was to me throughout this rivalry. He urged me to take my
books home at Christmas and Midsummer and work every day, adding, 'I
shall keep Richard at work.'"
This shows the Professor in a very pleasing light, with his love of
his work, and his honest desire to see "the best man win"; any lad who
took kindly to mathematics would be sure of his friendship and
assistance.
Inman was a Yorkshireman by birth, being the younger son of Richard
Inman, of Garsdale Foot, Sedbergh; he was born in 1776, and was
educated at Sedbergh Grammar School, to which institution he certainly
did ample credit, for he carried all before him at Cambridge, coming
out in 1800 as Senior Wrangler and first Smith's Prizeman.
After this he appears to have had some idea of doing mission work in
Syria; but being detained at Malta on account of the war, he occupied
his time there in the study of Arabic. In 1803, young as he was--only
twenty-seven--he was recommended by the Board of Longitude as
astronomer on board the _Investigator_, engaged in Antarctic
exploration, and joined her in June at Port Jackson.
[Illustration: BILLIARD-ROOM, NAVAL COLLEGE (FORMERLY THE LARGE
STUDY).
_Photo: Cassell & Co., Ltd._]
Eventually he returned to England by way of China, and towards the end
of 1807 he was appointed Professor at the Royal Naval College, a post
which he held for nearly thirty years. He was ordained about 1805, but
does not appear to have held any benefice.
During the whole period of the existence of the College under the
amended regulations the official records and correspondence bear
constant testimony to Inman's unflagging zeal and energy; he was
always inaugurating something new, and it usually involved an
accession of work for himself, but this he never appeared for a moment
to consider.
[Illustration: THE COURTYARD OF THE NAVAL COLLEGE.
_Photo: Cassell & Co., Ltd._]
In addition to his duties at the College, which were performed with
characteristic ability and minuteness, he was for some years President
of the School of Naval Architecture, established in the Dockyard in
1810, chiefly at his instigation.
In 1821 he published the great work by which his name is so well
known, "Navigation and Nautical Astronomy for the Use of British
Seamen"; a work which for many years was absolutely without a rival,
and which he supplemented in the second edition by the table of Half
Versines (or Haversines), which proved of immense value to navigators
and mathematicians generally. "Inman's Tables" were a necessity to
every man and boy who went to sea, and were as familiarly spoken of as
the mainmast or the compass.
He was consulted by the naval or other authorities upon almost every
conceivable subject which could be included under the head of
mathematics, not excepting designs of ships, sail plans, etc.; he
directed the construction of ten ships of war, and is said to have
given some valuable hints to Captain Broke for improving the gunnery
on board the _Shannon_. He also wrote a book on Naval Gunnery, and
translated from the original a Swedish work on Ship Construction.
Such was the man who was placed in charge of the Naval College; and in
truth it would appear that he was to a certain extent thrown away
there, for it is easy to imagine him Astronomer Royal, or anything
else in a mathematical way.
The Royal Naval College was opened, as has been stated, in 1808; and
there is a considerable mass of correspondence extant in connection
with it, containing some amusing incidents, until its final abolition,
as a school for young gentlemen, in 1837.
On January 20th, 1808, the second master of the old Academy writes to
the Secretary to the Admiralty expressing his surprise and
disappointment at not being appointed first master under the new
_régime_; and, by way of setting forth how much he is losing, mentions
that he has found that the salary and emoluments of his office
amounted to about 200 guineas annually. As his salary was £100 a year,
the Secretary is down upon him at once; he turns down the corner of
the letter, and writes thereon: "Direct him to state in what manner
his emoluments arise to make them, with his salary, equal to 200
guineas per annum."
The unfortunate master is thus compelled to enter upon an analysis of
his "emoluments," which in truth is somewhat lame and inconclusive: he
makes the most, however, of his "commodious apartment, free from rates
and taxes, with a very productive garden," free water and fuel, etc.,
but is obliged finally to complete the total by acknowledging the
acceptance of "presents from the friends and relatives of the scholars
for his general care and attention."
It is to be hoped that his "apartment" was more "commodious"
relatively than that of another master for whom quarters were
subsequently provided under the new scheme, and who writes to the
Admiralty that he has seen the plan approved, and perceives that one
sitting-room, one sleeping-room, and a closet has been provided for
each assistant: "Now, I would with the greatest respect submit to your
Lordships' consideration," he plaintively continues, "whether this is
sufficient to accommodate myself, wife, servant, three sons and a
daughter, with every expectation of a still larger family!"
There is no evidence extant as to whether their Lordships attempted
any solution of this problem.
As might be expected, Professor Inman lost no time in drawing up a
very complete and elaborate plan of study.
The preliminary examination required a knowledge of the first four
rules of arithmetic, reduction, and rule of three; to write English
with facility from dictation; construction of English sentences; and
the definitions, etc., at the beginning of Simpson's Euclid.
The students were divided into six classes, new-comers being placed
according to their acquirements.
_First half-year; or 6th class._
First four books of Euclid, first four rules of algebra and simple
equations, the doctrine of proportion, arithmetic, to vulgar and
decimal fractions, general grammar, reading in English, French, or
Latin, writing, drawing, fencing, dancing.
_Second half-year, or 5th class._
Sixth book of Euclid, plane and spherical trigonometry,
application of plane trigonometry to surveying, a few propositions
in perspective, more complicated simple equations, quadratics,
extraction of square and cube roots, leading points of sacred and
profane history.
_Third half year, or 4th class._
Principles of astronomy, figure and dimensions of the earth,
artificial division of the globe by lines and circles, application
of trigonometry to the art of navigation and to simple and easy
problems in nautical astronomy, the use of instruments generally
employed in navigation, nature and construction of logarithms and
their application, reading, chiefly in the history and the laws of
England, principles of the British Constitution.
_Fourth half-year, or 3rd class._
The more difficult parts of astronomy and its application to
navigation, observations for latitude and longitude, natural and
political geography, prevailing winds and currents.
_Fifth half year, or 2nd class._
Fortification, doctrine of projectiles and its application to
gunnery, principles of flexions, and application to the
measurements of surfaces and solids, generation of various curves,
resistance of moving bodies, mechanics, hydrostatics, optics,
naval history and nautical discoveries.
_Sixth half-year, or 1st class._
More difficult problems in astronomy, motions of heavenly bodies,
tides, lunar irregularities, the Principia and other parts of
"Newton's Philosophy," to those sufficiently advanced.
This, together with fortnightly lessons in seamanship, weekly lessons
in ship construction, an occasional cruise round the Isle of Wight in
a small vessel, and practical gunnery, forms a pretty full programme,
and argues a somewhat optimistic and enthusiastic view of the
capacities of his pupils on the part of the learned Professor.
An examination was to be held every six months, and the best and
second students were to receive respectively a gold and silver medal.
The silver medal was awarded at Midsummer, 1830, to John Irving, who,
when he went out in the _Terror_ with Sir John Franklin's expedition
in 1846, had it with him. It was buried with him in King William's
Land, when, in common with all the members of the ill-fated
expedition, he perished, in 1848 or 1849; was found and brought home
by Lieut. Schwatka, U.S.N., in 1880, and is now in the Museum of the
Royal United Service Institution.
The periodical reports show that the programme was carried out
regularly; and after some years Inman introduced a novel system of
recording progress. The total number of marks obtained by each student
was supplemented by a second column headed "number expected"; this was
arrived at by multiplying the number of hours at each subject by
twenty; this number denoting the progress expected to be made in one
hour, if the student completed his course in the full term of three
years. If the number obtained exceeded the number expected, the
student might be expected to finish his course in a proportionately
shorter period.
This was a genuine mathematician's device, and was very instructive.
A glance at the two final columns of a report practically told the
whole story; and it is satisfactory to note that a large percentage of
the lads usually exceeded expectations: in one report, for instance,
the number was forty-seven out of sixty-five.
Notions of discipline were severe, according to the spirit of the
times. The Professor on one occasion, reporting the misconduct of some
of the students, deplores the abolition of the rod; and mentions that,
though a dark cabin is used for confinement, a "black hole" is much
needed! There is no mention of such a place of confinement being
instituted; but the Admiralty revokes the abolition of flogging.
In 1816 the regulations for entry, the composition of the staff, and
the course of study were modified.
The number of students was augmented to one hundred in war time, and
seventy in time of peace: thirty sons of naval officers to be admitted
free, the remainder at £72 per annum; and the age of admission was
altered, 12-1/2 to 14 being substituted for 13 to 16. Two lieutenants,
a clerk, two sergeants of the Royal Marine Artillery, and a matron
were added to the complement; and Latin and Greek were introduced as
part of the plan of study.
In 1821 further changes were authorised:--
1st. That the age of admission be from 12-1/2 to 13-1/2.
2nd. That no student remain more than two years, whether he
completes his course or not.
3rd. That any student completing his course within two years shall
be discharged.
Some examination papers which are extant, dated February and April,
1822, are of the size and form familiarly known in later years as the
"College sheet"; and Inman strongly insists that these papers should
be circulated in the Fleet, for the benefit of midshipmen at sea.
There was evidently a strong feeling among the authorities during the
"twenties" of last century that the College was behind the times; for
in February, 1828, we find more alterations.
The sons of naval officers are to pay £40 per annum, and others £100.
Again, in June of the same year, a new circular appears, with some
radical alterations.
The peace establishment was raised to eighty students, one-half to be
sons of commissioned officers of the Navy _and Army_:--
Sons of flag and general officers to pay £80
Sons of captains, colonels, and lieut.-colonels
commanding 70
Sons of commanders and under, and regimental field
officers 50
Sons of officers who have lost their fathers 40
Sons of officers whose fathers were killed in action 20
While sons of civilians were to pay 125
In January, 1829, the College was first opened to commissioned naval
officers who wished to study on half-pay; and on April 1st of the same
year appears the first report of the Lieut.-Governor on the class of
commissioned officers, seventeen in number, registering the hours of
attendance on each day.
On April 14th the Professor asks for some scientific apparatus for the
use of commissioned officers, and encloses a syllabus of their course
of study, which is as follows:--
Euclid as far as the third book, higher geometry (including some
curves), algebra (including geometrical and arithmetical
progression), proportion, making of logarithms, plane and
spherical trigonometry, astronomy.
On November 7th of the same year a circular is issued, regulating the
hours of study for these officers, in which a considerable amount of
latitude is permitted, for they are _allowed_ to present themselves at
8.30 a.m., and _required_ to do so at 3 p.m., but must leave the Yard
at 5 p.m. They are to form a mess outside, or otherwise arrange for
their board, etc.; there is to be no public expense incurred, and they
are not to remain more than one year. An extra assistant master was
appointed to assist in their studies. The number to be admitted was
twenty-four, but this was apparently increased in June, 1830, to
thirty-six.
The College went on upon these lines for some years longer, but the
end was drawing near.
On March 15th, 1835, the officers who conducted the examinations for
lieutenant deplore the deficiency of the candidates as observers,
recommend that each officer be required to have a sextant, that a
proper place be provided in which to keep them, and that captains be
required to report half-yearly as to their efficiency and the
condition of their sextants.
In 1836 the abolition of the College as a training school for young
officers is evidently decided upon, as only forty-three scholars are
reported upon during that year; on January 15th, 1837, the
Lieut.-Governor writes a long letter to the Admiralty, making various
suggestions in connection with the "approaching event"; and on
February 19th sends a catalogue of the library and a list of pictures,
with suggestions concerning the bestowal of them.
Finally, on April 12th, 1837, he reports that he has handed over the
keys of the public part of the "late Royal Naval College," and
recommends the staff lately serving under him.
Pensions are allowed to most of these, on rather a mean scale, and
they all protest vigorously, with the result that a few receive slight
augmentation; but Mr. Tate, the Preceptor, after twenty-nine years'
service, only gets £140 per annum.
In a long letter to the Admiralty just before his retirement, Inman
mentions that he has "examined about two thousand five hundred
midshipmen and schoolmasters; a work certainly of no great difficulty,
yet one of great responsibility"; he disclaims any wish to make much
of any "trifling elementary works" which he has compiled, but
"ventures to mention" his Navigation and Nautical Tables.
He concludes by saying that he will be grateful for any sum their
Lordships may award him, which will enable him to live creditably
during his few remaining years. The corner of this letter is turned
down, and "£400" briefly inscribed upon it. This was subsequently
increased to £460; which indeed appears little enough.
Inman lived for over twenty years after his retirement, and died in
1859, at the age of eighty-three.
Sir Henry Keppel, the veteran Admiral of the Fleet, in his book,
before alluded to, gives some reminiscences of his experiences at the
College.
The Lieut.-Governor in Keppel's time was Captain J. Wentworth Loring,
who, as a matter of fact, filled that post for seventeen years; and
Sir Henry thus describes his uniform: Blue coat, open in front, gold
epaulettes, white kerseymere waistcoat and pantaloons, Hessian boots,
straight thin sword, cocked hat.
The uniform of the youngsters was a blue tail coat with stand-up
collar, plain raised gilt buttons, round hat with gold lace loop and
cockade.
"We cadets," he says--though the term was not officially in use at
that time--"had each a cabin about seven feet square, with a window,
except the corner ones, which at the monthly changes were occupied by
those who had been oftenest on the black list, and did not require
daylight."
The London coach used to come into the Dockyard to take the lads away
for their holidays, and it was customary on these occasions to draw
lots for the box seat. Peashooters were procured outside the Yard, and
passers-by had a lively time.
"One night," says Keppel, "I had the box seat; the Royal Mail picked
up and dropped boys as we came along, so that it was midnight before
we reached Godalming. The postmaster having turned in, the mail pulled
up, as usual, under his bedroom windows. The moment they were opened,
the postmaster and his wife were assailed with peashooters, etc. The
guard was saying, 'All right,' when the postmistress, calling, 'There
is something else,' emptied the slops on the boys as we drove off."
In the "Life of Admiral Sir William R. Mends," who joined the College
in May, 1825, reference is made to an unpleasant feature in the matter
of leave-giving. In a letter to his mother, young Mends speaks with
much indignation of the "toadying" that went on, and complains that
when his uncle came for a while to Portsmouth, and endeavoured to
obtain permission for him to go "out of gates" for an hour or two, it
was refused, but that "my lord this or that" had only to send his
butler to obtain a pass for any boy.
In the "Memoirs of Admiral Sir Thomas S. Pasley" there are numerous
quotations, not from his letters--he appears to have been weak at
letter-writing, as many boys are--but from those of his chum, George
Rodney Mundy.
Writing to his mother, February 10th, 1818, Mundy says:--
I sleep in a very nice little cabin all by myself, and always keep
the door locked and the key in my pocket. We have coffee and milk
for breakfast every morning, very good dinners, also suppers. Most
of the boys keep what they call a mess, or drink tea every night,
but that is on condition that their fathers pay three shillings a
week, and it is sent in the bill every half-year, so that it would
come to £3 in a half-year. So I suppose that papa would not let me
keep one. Some of them have five shillings a week. There is a
sergeant who allows all those that have a mess a pound of sugar, a
pound of butter, and a loaf of bread every week, and tea enough,
too--sometimes chocolate. One of the boys invited me to drink
chocolate with him one night, and I must say it was excellent. The
masters here are very strict indeed, but they never flog, only
lock them up in a dungeon, and have a soldier to guard it.
P.S.--I am now in my little cabin with my door locked.
This was some years after Professor Inman persuaded the Admiralty to
reintroduce flogging, but possibly it was again abolished; or the
"black hole" was instituted and found sufficient. Sir Thomas Pasley's
biographer smiles over Mundy's description of punishment, regarding it
as a sort of boyish "bogey"; but it was probably strictly true, the
technical term being "confinement in cell under sentry's charge."
Young Mundy apparently succeeded in obtaining his "mess," and
discovered that it could be used to his disadvantage. He writes, March
25th, 1819:--
Yesterday I asked Captain Gifford for my mess, for I suppose you
know he stopped it a month for copying last examination. He was in
a very good humour, and said that I had behaved very well since I
copyed, but that I ought not to lay my head down in church quite
so much as I do, so I do not intend to do it any more.
On April 28th he writes again:--
Two boys of this college finished their studies the other day;
they asked me to what is called a "blow-out," which is something
more than common. We had two turkeys, six chickens, a leg of pork,
besides vegetables. I do call that a famous dinner. Most of the
boys when they leave this college give a blow-out on the last day,
to make merry with their best friends. There were twelve of us to
demolish it. I know I ate my share.
Then follows a suggestive remark, which conveys the impression that
the assimilation of the twelfth part of two turkeys, six chickens, and
a leg of pork--besides vegetables--cannot be accomplished with
impunity. "I was invited to another, but I was in the infirmary, and
could not go to it"!
Sir George Rodney Mundy was a very well-known man in later years; he
finished his active career as Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth, and
afterwards became Admiral of the Fleet.
Admiral Sir Bartholomew J. Sulivan speaks in his "Life and Letters" of
his College days:--
"Lieutenant John Wood Rouse (my godfather) was the senior of the two
lieutenants of the College. He had lost his leg as a midshipman in one
of the ships of Sir John Duckworth's Squadron in the passage of the
Dardanelles. We stayed at Mr. Rouse's house during the few days we
were at Portsmouth, until I passed in. My father was very anxious
about my passing; but the questions were all in arithmetic, except the
definitions of Euclid, which I had learned by heart the previous week.
Thanks to my father having taught me arithmetic so well, I passed
first of twelve.
"No boy could get on unless he studied in his own cabin, and at the
dining tables in the evening. This some of the senior boys tried to
prevent, by watching the steps of the junior class, and if the junior
boys showed any intention of studying they were sure to have their
books knocked out of their hands, and scattered about the Yard.
Fortunately, the one who passed in second to me--Baugh--was one of the
strongest and biggest boys in the College: he was also one of the
studious ones, and often protected me from the bullying.
"The collegians were often taken round the Dockyard, and shown ships
building and in dock; and if the boys liked they could attend the
rigging-loft, to learn to strop blocks and do many other useful
things. There were also large barges to cruise about in, to visit
ships, and to take us to Haslar Creek on Saturday afternoons for
cricket.
"When I passed out of the College I was appointed to H.M.S. _Thetis_,
Captain Sir John Phillimore, who, going round the College a short time
before, had told Dr. Inman, and I believe Captain Loring, the
Lieutenant-Governor, that if they sent him any collegians he would
refuse to take them. When I went on board I found the captain was on
leave. The second lieutenant told me that the captain had a strong
prejudice against collegians, but that he would do all he could to
keep me in the ship. When the captain returned from leave he sent for
me to his cabin in the hulk, and told me had never known a collegian
worth his salt, and he used strong language against the College and
all connected with it."
This was not a very encouraging reception for a youngster in his first
ship; but the captain apparently soon found cause to change his
opinion, for he subsequently applied for two more collegians, one of
whom was Sulivan's big strong chum Baugh.
Sir Bartholomew was well known afterwards as a splendid officer and
seaman, and an exceedingly clever man all round.
Such is briefly the history of the Royal Naval Academy and College
during its existence as a preparatory training school for young naval
officers, for over one hundred years. That much good work was done
there, especially during the long presidency of Professor Inman, there
can be little doubt; but the authorities evidently formed the opinion
that the youngsters would in future get on better without it, and so
returned to the "pitchfork" system of sending lads to sea without any
previous training whatever, to pick up their knowledge as best they
could, with the aid of a naval instructor, who was, as a rule,
afforded as little facility for imparting knowledge as the commanding
officer could manage.
The College, on January 1st, 1839, entered upon another phase of
existence, being reopened, under the command of the captain of the
_Excellent_, for the admission of a limited number of mates, who were
permitted to volunteer for a special course of mathematics, etc. They
were borne on the books of the _Excellent_, and resided in the College
for one year. Every six months an examination was held, and the
officer who passed best was awarded a lieutenant's commission.
Ten commissioned officers of higher rank were also admitted, to study
steam, etc., under Professor Thos. J. Main, a very worthy successor to
James Inman; for he was, like the latter, Senior Wrangler and Smith's
Prizeman of his year. Professor Main will be well remembered by many
naval officers still living; he was thirty years at the College, and
wrote more than one book, in conjunction with Mr. Thos. Brown,
engineer, R.N., on the marine steam engine. He retired in 1869, and
died in London December 28th, 1885, at the age of sixty-seven.
The history of the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth subsequent to
April, 1837, does not come strictly within the scope of this volume.
It was used eventually as the headquarters of sub-lieutenants, gunnery
lieutenants, and naval instructors who were qualifying, and a small
number of senior commissioned officers who studied steam, etc., as
before. But since the opening of the college at Greenwich, in 1873, it
has lapsed, both in title and office; no longer is it known as the
"Royal Naval College," but simply "The College, Portsmouth Dockyard";
no more are the voices and footsteps of Senior Wranglers heard within
its walls. Its glory has departed, and, as a mere temporary residence
for officers who are studying gunnery, etc., in the port, the title of
"College" can, in fact, no longer be justly applied, save in the most
crude and literal sense.
During a period of twenty years after the abolition of the Portsmouth
College as a training school for young gentlemen, all candidates for
admission to the Navy were sent straight to sea; though an Admiralty
circular, dated December 18th, 1833, remained in force for some time;
and in this a distinction is made between "Volunteers of the First
Class" and "College Volunteers."
On January 20th, 1838, a circular was issued to the following
effect:--
A Volunteer of the First Class must not be under twelve years of
age. He must be in good health, fit for service, and able to write
English correctly from dictation, and be acquainted with the first
four rules of arithmetic, reduction, and rule of three.
This seems a slender equipment of knowledge; an irreducible minimum,
in fact, for a lad of that age about to enter the Navy; and, moreover,
this circular contains no maximum limit of age; a serious oversight.
On February 7th in the same year the term "College Volunteers" is
ordered to be discontinued; but the circular of January 20th continued
in force, unaltered, until 1843, when the term "Naval Cadet" appears
for the first time, being substituted in this circular for "Volunteer
of the First Class"--still, however, with no superior age limit
stated, and it is not until April 1st, 1849, that it is amended in
this respect, the maximum age being laid down as fourteen.
This is only another instance of the singularly inexact and haphazard
ways of the Admiralty in those days. The last regulation on this point
was issued in February, 1821, when the age was fixed between 12-1/2
and 13-1/2; the lads were then being kept at the College for two or
three years, so that they were actually going to sea at a considerably
greater age than the more recent circular appeared to warrant. Unless,
indeed, the Lords of the Admiralty reserved to themselves the right of
arbitrarily fixing the age in each case; if they did, there is no
circular extant to show it.
In 1851, however, a little more detail was apparently considered
necessary, for there is a supplementary circular, dated February 13th
of that year, which lays down:--
That all naval cadets who receive nominations at home are to
present themselves for examination at the College within two
months of the date of the letter of nomination; and a certificate
of qualification, signed by the professor or mathematical master
at the College, and approved by the captain of the _Excellent_ (as
superintendent of the College), together with a medical
certificate of physical efficiency, must be forwarded to the
Admiralty before they can be entered. No second trial is to be
allowed, and the nomination is to be cancelled unless the
candidate passes within two months.
The Commander-in-Chief is also authorised to enter cadets who
have passed as supernumeraries on board the flagship until they
are appointed to sea-going ships.
These regulations remained in force until the early part of 1857, when
a very radical change was introduced. And here the curtain falls on
the old order of things; how it rose on the new, and who were the men
who brought about the change, must be told in another chapter.
[Illustration: JACK TAR EXPOUNDS.]
CHAPTER III.
THE "ILLUSTRIOUS."
Captain Robert Harris--His Birth and Career--Appointed to the
_Illustrious_--"Jemmy Graham's Novices"--A Model School for Seamen--
A Visit to the _Illustrious_--Why not Train Young Officers?--
Opposition of Old Officers--Cadet Robert H. Harris--A Successful
Experiment--Institution of Cadets' Training Ship--Captain Harris
Suffers for His Zeal--Commendatory Letters--He is Superseded--The New
Admiralty Circular--General Approval of the Scheme--The Staff of the
_Illustrious_--Lieutenant George S. Nares--Disciplinary Methods--The
Cadets' Corporals--Withering Sarcasm--Old-fashioned Seamanship--
Cricket--"Sling the Monkey"--Rev. R. M. Inskip--His Sea Yarns--Mr.
Kempster Knapp--"Knapp's Circles"--Penalty of Fidgeting--Prince
Alfred--Enter the _Britannia_--Her Predecessors.
The story of the institution of a training ship for naval cadets,
through which all must, of necessity, pass satisfactorily before being
allowed to go to sea, is inseparably connected with the name of one
man, but for whose energy, ability, and urgent and repeated
representations it is quite safe to assume that this step would have
been postponed for some years, though it was no doubt inevitable in
the end.
The name of this man is Captain Robert Harris; and without some
account of his personality and services the story of the _Britannia_
would indeed be incomplete.
He was the son of James Harris, an independent gentleman, of
Wittersham Hall, Kent, and was born on July 9th, 1809. He entered the
Navy, in 1822, as a "First Class Volunteer," and went to sea on board
the _Euryalus_, in which vessel he served as a midshipman during the
little war with Algiers in 1824; and was at Navarino, also as a
midshipman, in the _Cambrian_, October 20th, 1827, and when she was
wrecked, in January, 1828. He returned to England early in 1829, and
was borne on the books of the _Royal George_ yacht for some time,
during which, however, he was in reality serving in one of her
tenders, the _Onyx_ or _Pantaloon_, on the coast of South America, the
West Indies, the coast of Spain, and the Channel. He was promoted to
lieutenant May 21st, 1833, and in December of the same year was
appointed to the _Excellent_, recently established as a school of
gunnery, at Portsmouth, commanded by Captain (afterwards Admiral Sir
Thomas) Hastings, who was always his staunch friend.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN HARRIS.]
In 1836 Harris was appointed gunnery lieutenant of the _Melville_,
serving in her under Captains Douglas and Dundas.
He was specially promoted to commander, June 8th, 1841, for his
services at the capture of the Bogue Forts, in China, February 26th,
1841. After studying for a time on half-pay at the Royal Naval
College, he commanded the _Flying Fish_ in the experimental Brig
Squadron, and afterwards on the West Coast of Africa, from 1844 to
1846, subsequently serving in the _Ganges_, from which he was promoted
to captain, October 19th, 1849. He was appointed flag captain to Sir
W. F. Martin, in the _Prince Regent_, in 1851, and left her in 1852.
Two years later Captain Harris received the appointment which he was
destined to hold for the long period of eight years--for it was
practically continuous, though in two different vessels--and in which
he performed the valuable services in connection with which his name
is best known in the service.
In 1854, during the Crimean War, Sir James Graham, then First Lord of
the Admiralty, conceived the plan of establishing at Portsmouth a
training ship for young seamen, in order to provide a better class of
men to fill the vacancies in the Fleet. They were shipped under the
name of "novices," and were popularly known as "Jemmy Graham's
novices," the scheme being probably regarded with some disapprobation,
not untinged with ridicule, by many of the old "shellbacks" in the
Service--the usual fate of innovations, however well conceived and
beneficial. The _Illustrious_, a two-decker, was appropriated for this
purpose, and Captain Harris was placed in command.
He had already, beyond doubt, an excellent reputation at headquarters
as a most zealous and capable officer, whose heart was in his work;
and he speedily proved that his selection for this special duty was a
peculiarly happy one. He possessed in a marked degree the somewhat
rare gift of being able to combine with unflinching strictness the
power of winning the goodwill of his subordinates; and so zealously
and effectually did he perform his office that "Jemmy Graham's
novices" were soon better known as Captain Harris's seamen, eagerly
sought for, when vacancies were to be filled in the Mediterranean, as
well-conducted, well-trained lads, requiring but little experience in
a sea-going ship to make them efficient able seamen.
Lord Fitzhardinge, writing to Captain Harris some years later, says:--
They came to a sea-going ship perfect in the various drills, and
were good artillerymen. You were naturally anxious for sea service
in time of war; but Sir James Graham, after consulting with myself
on the subject, came to the decision that your services, as
recruiting officer and teacher of the new raised men, could not be
dispensed with.
A writer in _Fraser's Magazine_ for April, 1855, on "The Naval School
on board the _Illustrious_," speaks in terms of the highest eulogy of
the excellent management and good tone prevailing on board, and
mentions that the captain gave the young men under him an occasional
evening's amusement, in the form of easy lectures on astronomy, etc.,
illustrated by a magic lantern. Describing his arrival on board, the
writer says: "The captain is on the quarter-deck, awaiting his
visitors; he is a tall, upright, good-looking man, having an air of
much activity and determination, but being apparently on the best of
terms with those about him"; a description which those who were
personally acquainted with Captain Harris will endorse. Probably his
popularity with his subordinates was due in no small measure to the
conscientiousness which marked his discharge of every duty. They knew
him to be incapable of an act of injustice; and while he exacted a
punctual performance of duty from every man under him, he set them an
example which could not fail to win their respect.
[Illustration: VICE-ADMIRAL SIR ROBERT HARRIS, K.C.B., K.C.M.G.,
AS A MIDSHIPMAN.]
Great as was his success in the training of young seamen, Captain
Harris was not content to rest on the laurels he had earned. If
previous training proved so beneficial to seamen, why not institute a
similar school for officers? The Royal Naval College was, as we have
seen, only available for a certain proportion of young aspirants for
the service, many going straight to sea, and even this had, nearly
twenty years since, been for some reason abolished. Why not revive a
training school under a new aspect, in which every cadet should be
compelled to undergo a course of instruction before going to sea?
Having conceived this idea, Captain Harris proceeded to urge its
adoption, but met with small encouragement at first. Old officers,
some of whom had possibly been instrumental in bringing about the
closing of the College, opposed the notion strenuously, holding the
opinion that a lad had a better chance of turning out a good seaman
and officer if sent to sea straight from school.
The captain of the training ship had, however, the courage of his
convictions; and an opportunity presented itself before long of
demonstrating this fact. He had a son, for whom he obtained a
nomination as naval cadet; and he immediately applied for permission
to have the boy for twelve months under training before going to sea.
This was conceded, with the result that Robert Hastings Harris (now
Vice-Admiral Sir Robert H. Harris, K.C.B., K.C.M.G.) was, on January
10th, 1856, entered on the books of the _Illustrious_, and received
his training in seamanship with the novices, and instruction in
navigation and nautical astronomy on board the _Victory_, under the
Rev. Robert M. Inskip.
Sir Robert Harris was thus, as he remarks in a letter to the present
writer, "the initial cause of the _Britannia_ system"; for had he
proved to be a failure nothing more would have been heard of the
scheme, certainly for many years.
As a matter of fact, he must have afforded in his own person
convincing evidence of the value of the proposed system; for it was
only six weeks after the expiration of his twelve months' training
that a circular was issued from the Admiralty, inaugurating an
entirely new _régime_ for the education and examination of young naval
officers, and including a period of compulsory training in a
stationary ship prior to being sent to sea.
The story of the _Britannia_, strictly speaking, commences thus on
January 10th, 1856; the Admiralty circular, however, was dated
February 23rd, 1857.
Before proceeding to deal with the development of the new scheme, it
will be convenient to complete our sketch of the career of Captain
Harris in general terms, though it may be necessary to refer to him
again later on. His command of the two ships--the _Illustrious_ up to
January 1st, 1859, when he was transferred to the _Britannia_--extended,
as has been stated, over eight years, terminating in October, 1862, when
he was superseded.
During this long period there is abundant evidence that he rendered
most important services to the Navy, and, like many other good men, he
suffered in a certain degree through the very fact of his efficiency.
He was debarred from the advantages accruing to services at sea, and
from obtaining subsequently a more important harbour command, such as
the _Excellent_, for which, as an able gunnery officer, he was
certainly eligible.
The high esteem in which Captain Harris was held by well-known
officers of superior rank and the excellent results of his able
management of the cadets' training ship are testified by numerous
communications from such men as Admirals Sir W. F. Martin, Sir Thomas
Hastings, Sir Sydney Dacres, Sir John Erskine, Sir Richard Smart, and
others; while his contemporaries, in command of sea-going ships, are
unanimous in their praise of the qualifications and conduct of the
youngsters sent to sea in the early days of the _Illustrious_ and
_Britannia_.
Sir Charles Wood, then First Lord of the Admiralty, writing on July
17th, 1857, when the new circular was about to come into force,
says:--
I believe that, with the staff you will have, we shall commence
the work with as good a prospect of success as can be ensured, by
putting it in the best hands.
And writing again on April 21st, 1858:--
I am very glad to hear so promising an account of the first trial,
and I may add success, of your education on board the
_Illustrious_. I hope that the present Board will carry out the
work in the same spirit in which it was conceived; and I am well
aware that they could not have so able an instrument as yourself
in the very responsible position which you occupy.
Sir William Martin, then in command in the Mediterranean, writes on
January 18th, 1861:--
On the whole, all whose opinions are much esteemed are convinced
that you have done great good. There is no man in England whose
opportunity of doing good to our country for ages to come is
greater than yours; and assuredly the Navy is greatly your debtor.
Sir Sydney Dacres, on September 14th, 1862, writes:--
I must write to congratulate you on the success that has attended
your exertions in working out such an important change in the
education and training of our young gentlemen, as the system
pursued in the _Illustrious_ and _Britannia_ most certainly has
proved itself to be. The last three years' experience has
convinced me of the vast improvement of the present system over
the old plan of bringing boys from their homes, often without even
the rudiments of education, and hardly knowing what order meant. I
am sure your great satisfaction must be in looking at the very
small number of your boys that have got into serious scrapes, and
the manner in which, as a rule, they are spoken of by their
superiors; and I cannot conclude, my dear Harris, without adding
what is a great pleasure to me, that without exception they all
look back with esteem and respect on their captain, who was ever
ready to be kind and considerate whilst training them in the right
way.
Those who were under Captain Harris--and there are not a few still
living--will assuredly endorse this statement; their recollection is
that of a superior who, while most emphatically captain of his ship,
exercised his authority with never-failing kindness to all, and of
whom a disparaging word was never uttered.
Captain Harris, as has already been stated, suffered for his
efficiency. His request to be appointed to a sea-going ship was, in
fact, refused on the ground that he was doing such good work in the
_Britannia_; and when he was superseded, in October, 1862, without
being given another command, he not unnaturally felt that some more
practical appreciation of his long and valuable services might well
have been displayed.
This apparent injustice remains unexplained; he was not again
employed, and died at Southsea, on January 15th, 1865.
Captain Harris married, in 1843, Sophia, daughter of Captain
Penruddocke, of the Scots Guards, leaving three sons and two
daughters.
Captain Harris was, no doubt, consulted as to the framing of the new
regulations, and great indeed must have been his satisfaction on
finding his long-cherished scheme adopted at headquarters.
The circular was to come into force in May, 1857; that is to say, it
would affect naval cadets who were to join in August of that year. It
commences with regulations for the new "five yearly" examination for
lieutenant, which does not come within our scope; and the details
dealing with the entry of naval cadets will be found in the
appendix.[2]
[2] See Appendix II.
The minimum time on the training ship, it will be noticed, was three
months; any cadet who felt that he was competent might present himself
at the first quarterly examination after joining, and if he passed,
would be discharged. The maximum time was one year, and this could
only apply to cadets who were under fourteen on joining; the others
were bound to present themselves for examination either at the second
or third quarterly examination, according to age.
No time was lost in preparing the _Illustrious_ for her new purpose;
dockyard hands were speedily at work, and an efficient staff selected
to assist Captain Harris, so as to commence, as Sir Charles Wood says
in his letter, already quoted, with as good a prospect of success as
could be assured, by putting the work into the best hands.
Not the least prominent among the new appointments was the Rev. Robert
Inskip, who was transferred from the _Victory_ as principal naval
instructor. He had long been associated with Captain Harris in
advocating the new scheme, and was, in fact, Cadet Harris's master
during his year of training.
With two such enthusiasts at the head of affairs, there was likely to
be no lack of "go" about the start; and although the idea was by no
means in universal favour among the captains and admirals of those
days, the new step attracted attention in many quarters, and was the
subject of laudatory leaders in the _Times_ and other "dailies," to
say nothing of magazine articles.
The keynote in these publications is the same throughout: while
approving of the general scheme--which perhaps in most instances the
writers were not very well qualified to discuss--they all with one
accord declare that no man could be so well fitted for the post of
commander as Captain Harris.
"Parents may well rejoice," says a writer in _Fraser's Magazine_
(September, 1857), "to have it in their power to bestow on their
children the results of the long experience of a man who has passed
through all the dangers of the position with credit to himself and
advantage to his country."
The _Illustrious_ was moored off Haslar Creek, on the west side of
Portsmouth Harbour, near the entrance, and there on August 5th, 1857,
the first batch of cadets, twenty-three in number, joined her.
The staff was as follows:--
Captain Robert Harris.
Lieutenant Geo. Y. Paterson.
Lieutenant Marcus Lowther (in command of _Sealark_, brig).
Lieutenant F. T. Thomson (in command of _Bullfinch_, tender).
Chaplain and Naval Instructor Rev. W. R. Jolley.
Chaplain and Naval Instructor Rev. R. M. Inskip.
Naval Instructor Kempster M. Knapp.
It is not easy to obtain very precise information as to the routine,
but a good deal may be deduced from the subjects of study, as laid
down in the Admiralty circular; and the general principle, no doubt,
was alternate days at study and seamanship.
The recollection of some survivors of the first batch of cadets is
entirely favourable to the ship; very great pains were taken with
their education, there was little or no bullying, and the food was
good and plentiful.
Lieutenant George S. Nares,[3] when he joined in January, 1858, was
placed specially in charge of the cadets, and remained there for about
five years (in _Illustrious_ and _Britannia_), as Captain Harris's
senior executive and right-hand man. Before he joined the cadets were
in charge of a gunner; of course the actual instructors in practical
seamanship were seamen petty officers, the lieutenants superintending,
and conducting the examinations in this branch.
[3] Now Vice-Admiral Sir George S. Nares, K.C.B., etc.
Probably Lieutenant Nares was as good a man as could have been
obtained for the post of senior executive. Like his captain, he could
combine the _fortiter in re_ with the _suaviter in modo_, and was
always liked by the youngsters, in spite of being compelled to come
down on them pretty sharply at times. He was a thoroughly practical
seaman, and his seamanship book was always considered the most
complete and useful work of the kind in existence. He also patented a
life-saving kite, for rescuing people from a wreck on a lee shore,
which was ingenious, and perhaps deserved more attention than it
received.
Ideas have altered considerably in regard to discipline since those
days; and the arrangement at the time was that the cadets should be
placed in charge of ships' corporals for disciplinary purposes. These
men were, of course, taken from the ordinary ships' police, and great
care was no doubt exercised in their selection; but there are obvious
pitfalls in such a system, both for the corporals and the cadets, into
which both not infrequently tumbled.
A corporal who was apt to be too familiar would suffer from the enmity
of some, while with others he would be on terms of undue intimacy; a
man who was in the least degree retiring, or afraid to assert his
authority when necessary, would speedily find himself fitted with an
appropriate nickname, which would be shouted after him from hammocks
in some obscure corner of the cockpit.
Whether the corporals were open to bribery or not is doubtful; some
probably were, and in any case it could not be expected that men of
this class would exercise their authority with the strictly judicial
mind of an officer of education and experience, especially when
dealing with young gentlemen who were their superiors by birth, and
would in a few months become so in discipline.
However, good or bad, there they were, and there they remained, as an
institution, for years, taking a lion's share in the discipline of the
establishment, while at the same time some at least were permitted to
keep a little store of "tuck" and odds and ends, which they sold to
the youngsters at a heavy profit.
The prevailing impression left on the minds of some survivors of the
early training ship days is that the ship was "run" by the corporals.
This, however, is probably over stating the case; youngsters are not
able to discriminate accurately in such matters, and the fact that
they were brought into more close and frequent contact with the
corporals than with the superior officers would be liable to mislead
them as to the influence really exercised by the latter.
A vast amount of power was, however, undoubtedly vested in the
corporals, who were able, if so disposed, to spite a cadet who might
be obnoxious to them in a hundred ways: and, on the other hand, to
favour those who thought it worth while to make up to them, calling
"Good-night, Corporal Smith!" as he passed under their hammocks, in
place of the muttered nickname or ribald rhyme indulged in by the more
reckless. As, for instance, the following, aimed at the supposed
verdance of the corporals in the matter of seamanship:--
Corporal Stumps and Corporal Taylor
Went to sea in an old tin bailer:
Stumps took the oars and Taylor the sails,
And that is how they got on in the gales.
Withering sarcasm, from some young hero who had just learned to make a
bowline knot, and climb over the "futtocks" without blenching!
Needless to say, seamanship days were more in favour with the majority
than those devoted to the solution of problems in spherical
trigonometry or the pursuit of the unspeakable "X." The seamanship,
pure and simple, of those days contained much that was attractive to
youth. Going aloft to loose, furl, or reef the topsails; sitting
astride of the yardarm, in the post of honour, and calling "Light out
to windward" or "Haul out to leeward" in an authoritative, if shrill
and immature, voice; learning intricate knots, and getting well
besmeared with tar and grease in the process of splicing a rope or
stropping a block: all these were welcome instructions, during which
time would fly.
Then there were occasional cruises in the _Sealark_ brig, when the
first lieutenant would take out some of the more advanced cadets and
make them work the vessel, learning to "haul, reef, and steer," like
Dibdin's proverbial "jolly tar"; though it is doubtful whether any of
them could aspire to the counsel of perfection laid down in the same
song, and "laugh at the winds as they roar."
A playing-field for the cadets was provided at Haslar; but what they
played and how they played is more or less a matter of conjecture, as
no records are forthcoming. Certainly, there could have been nothing
like the systematic pursuit of cricket and excellent coaching which
has since become a _sine quâ non_ in every big school, and which was
to be very enthusiastically carried out on the _Britannia_. Nine boys
out of ten, however, will play some kind of cricket if they get a
chance, and the sort of cricket played by most naval men and boys in
those days was not exactly "county form." Here and there you will come
across a lad who cannot help playing cricket well, and appears always
to be in good trim, even after a long voyage; and no doubt there were
some such among the early cadets: indeed, it is certain that there
were, for there are those who can recollect them.
On board the ship one game in particular was in favour; it was
exclusively a sea play, and probably is not known in shore schools. It
rejoices in the title of "sling the monkey." The boy who was selected
to represent the intelligent quadrumanus was seated in a bowline-knot
formed at the end of a rope from a stay overhead, just long enough to
permit his feet to touch the deck when at rest. He, and all the others
who joined in the game, were armed with a hard-knotted handkerchief,
or sometimes a bit of rope--anything in the form of what was known as
a "cob" or a "togey"--and the mutual effort of the monkey and the
crowd was to get in a good one with the "cob." The monkey, naturally,
came in for pretty severe punishment, which he would endeavour to
repay, swinging wildly in the air as he rushed at his tormentors, who
had a good chance at him as he swung back, more or less helpless;
eventually, however, he would get a resounding whack in on one of the
others, who was then installed in his place.
New comers were, of course, subjected to inquisitorial treatment,
which gradually took a more or less traditional form as time went on
and numbers increased; sometimes they were made to "pay their footing"
the first time they went aloft--a time-honoured custom in the Navy, as
Captain Marryat testifies; but if the toll took the form of cash, it
would certainly bring down condign punishment on the tax gatherer if
detected; probably the exaction of "tuck" was the prevailing practice.
Captain Harris had, however, usually a very accurate idea as to what
went on in his ship, especially while the number of boys was small,
and it is safe to assume that nothing like vicious bullying was
carried on.
Meanwhile he and his executive officers, together with the two naval
instructors--for Mr. Jolley only did chaplain's duty--had all their
work cut out; the whole system being an untried innovation, everything
had to be organised _de novo_, and it naturally took some time to make
all run smoothly.
Mr. Inskip, who remained altogether thirteen years in the two ships,
is a very well remembered character among the earlier cadets. He took
an immense interest in the lads, and knew them all intimately,
discoursing with them on all kinds of subjects out of study hours. It
was no uncommon occurrence to see his keen, good-humoured face the
centre of a little crowd of cadets, pacing the deck with him, some
walking backwards in front, and following up behind as he went
back--many of them taller than he was, for he was a little man, with a
large heart; and many were the strange sea-tales related during these
pleasing promenades. He always had a kindly word for any lad whom he
might casually encounter: "Well, Smith, we tackled that chronometer
this morning, didn't we?" or, "How does the Great Circle sailing get
on?" He was a very capable instructor, with the knack of imparting his
knowledge to others, and many a problem of formidable aspect at
starting would assume quite a kindly guise under his hand, as he stood
by the black board and dexterously chalked in meridians, parallels,
and what not; or came behind some blunderer and reduced the chaos of
his mind--and his diagram--to something like order.
One of Mr. Inskip's sea yarns may be given here as a sample; it is to
be presumed that he occasionally amused himself by trying how much the
ordinary cadet would swallow--or pretend to swallow.
He related how, when he first went to sea--apparently in some other
capacity than that of naval instructor--his outfitter deemed it a good
plan to place a layer of bricks at the bottom of his chest. This
appeared peculiar, no particular reason being assigned for it.
However, he went to sea, bricks and all. When becalmed one day in the
tropics, the ship being, of course, surrounded by voracious sharks of
enormous dimensions, he suddenly recollected his bricks, and was
seized with a remarkable inspiration. Hurrying down to his chest, he
took several bricks to the galley, and got the cook to heat them; then
wrapping them up, all hot, in a blanket, he watched his opportunity
when a monster shark approached, and threw the bundle overboard. The
shark immediately seized and bolted it, and apparently felt quite
happy--as, indeed, any reasonable shark would under the circumstances.
After a time, however, the hot bricks came through the blanket, and
the fun began, the monster's agonies being described in the most
graphic style!
[Illustration: REV. R. M. INSKIP AND MR. K. KNAPP.]
Mr. Knapp, his assistant, was an equally capable man, but a different
character altogether. Very kind of heart and painstaking in his work,
he was, at the same time, of an exceedingly irritable temperament, and
anything in the shape of inattention or fidgeting among his pupils
would certainly bring down retribution in some form on the offender.
He possessed remarkable skill in drawing a large circle on the black
board--a proceeding very constantly required, of course, in
demonstrating problems in nautical astronomy, etc.--and would, unaided
by a string or pivot of any kind, produce, after a few preliminary
flourishes, like a golfer "addressing" his ball, a perfect circle with
one rapid sweep of his hand, and then, after regarding it with a
complacent twinkle in his eye for a few moments, dot in the centre
with unfailing accuracy. "Knapp's circles" became a by-word in his
class, and all would watch with breathless interest the few little
trial strokes in the air, followed by the swift and masterly
consummation, which would often be hailed with a murmur of applause,
not unpleasing to the master. Those who used to be in his class will
recall, however, some occasions on which, after a few preparatory
flourishes, he would suddenly drop his arm, and walk, with quick,
impatient stride, round the class-room, his hands clasped in front,
the chalk in one, and a two-foot rule, resting in the hollow of his
arm, in the other. The old hands knew very well what was coming, and
sat still as mice while Mr. Knapp perambulated behind their chairs,
until, coming to the unfortunate who was fidgeting with his parallel
rulers or some such thing--whack! would come the edge of the Gunter's
scale across his knuckles! "Oh, _sir_!" the victim would exclaim; but,
with never a word, the instructor would complete his circuit of the
room, and draw a better circle than ever, to the accompaniment of
suppressed sniggering at the expense of the fidgeter.
These little amenities did not, however, militate in the least against
a very general appreciation of Mr. Knapp's many good qualities, and as
time went on it came to be regarded as an excellent thing to be put in
"Knapp's study," his boys usually coming well to the front in passing
out, besides learning some valuable lessons in repose of deportment.
Although there is, unfortunately, a great dearth of actual record
during these times, there is abundant evidence of an implicit nature
that the new experiment was turning out a complete success. The letter
of Sir Charles Wood to Captain Harris, already quoted, after the
training-ship had been established about nine months, testifies to the
fact in no stinted terms; and in July, 1858, the staff was increased
by two naval instructors, Messrs. J. G. D. Barton and W. D. Hay.
Moreover, about the end of 1857 the ship was devoted exclusively to
the training of cadets, the novices being abolished for the time.
Among Captain Harris's pupils was Prince Alfred (the late Duke of
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha), who entered the Service August 31st, 1858.
He did not, however, take up his quarters on board the _Illustrious_,
but attended daily for instruction in seamanship, navigation, etc.
[Illustration: MODEL OF THE FIRST "BRITANNIA," BUILT IN 1682.
_Photo: Cassell & Co., Ltd._]
He evidently retained a lasting impression of the excellence of the
instruction he had received in the training-ship, for on March 23rd,
1862, when he was getting on towards the time of his examination for
sub-lieutenant, he writes to Captain Harris thanking him for a number
of questions and answers in seamanship, for which he had evidently
applied, and which he states will be invaluable to him for his
examination.
Towards the end of 1858 it became apparent that a larger and more
commodious ship would soon be required for the increasing number of
cadets, the batches necessarily overlapping one another, and the
vessel selected for the purpose was the _Britannia_, a fine
three-decked ship of 2,616 tons, carrying 120 guns. She was launched
as far back as 1820, and was a large vessel for that time, and
considered an excellent sailer. The name has since been associated
with the training of young officers, no modern vessel having received
it until quite recently.
[Illustration: MODEL OF THE THIRD "BRITANNIA," BUILT IN 1762.]
There were several previous _Britannias_, as would naturally be
expected, the first being launched in 1682. She was of 1,739 tons, and
carried twenty-four brass 42-pounders, thirty 18-pounders, twenty
9-pounders, fifteen 5-1/2-pounders, and five 3-pounders, a formidable
armament in those days. She was broken up in 1715, and her successor
was launched in 1719. She was of 1,869 tons, and carried 100 guns.
The third _Britannia_ dates from 1762, and was also a 100 gun ship,
measuring 2,091 tons. This vessel was a very bad sailer, but was
constantly in commission, taking part in the action off Cape St.
Vincent in 1797, and finally being present at Trafalgar, where she
carried the flag of Rear-Admiral the Earl of Northesk, and had ten men
killed, and forty-two wounded. Her name was, for some reason, changed
after this to _St. George_.
The fourth _Britannia_, selected to take the place of the
_Illustrious_, carried the flag of Admiral Dundas in the Crimean War,
in the early days of steam, when several sailing line-of-battle ships
were employed, being usually towed into action by steamers; she took
part in the bombardment of Sevastopol, October 17th, 1854, and at the
close of the war was laid up, until the necessary alterations were
taken in hand, in 1858, to fit her for her new duties.
All being ready by the end of the year, on January 1st, 1859, during
the absence of the cadets for their Christmas leave, Captain Harris
shifted his pennant from the _Illustrious_ to her successor, thus
commencing a new epoch in the history of the cadets' training ship.
CHAPTER IV.
THE "BRITANNIA" IN THE 'SIXTIES.
A "Three-decker"--Arrangements on Board--The Morning Drum--Persuasive
Corporals--"Cockpit Mess"--"Cheeky New Fellows"--Important
Modifications--Sea-going Training-ship--A Dead Letter--The Question
of Locality--Portland Selected--Its Numerous Drawbacks--Preparing
for Sea--Voyage of the _Britannia_--She Asserts Herself Under
Sail--Arrival at Portland--Great Monotony--A Sad Accident--Good
Education--French and Drawing--Sample of a French Lesson--Messroom
Songs--"The King of Otaheité"--Going Aloft--A Foolhardy Feat--A Swift
Descent--Fatal to Clothes--Reading at the Yard-arm--Captain Powell
Appointed--Departure of Commander Nares--Corporal Punishment--A Cool
Young Hand--The Royal Marriage--Another Change Decided Upon--Voyage to
Dartmouth--A Busy Time--Sailors as Navvies--The _Hindostan_--Captain
Randolph Appointed--A Futile Complaint--Stern Measures--Parliamentary
Interference--Humanitarian Fads--Flogging Abolished--Cadets' Sailing
Cutters--Gymnasium Built--The _Bristol_--Competition on Entry--
Reduction of Numbers--A New _Britannia_--Statistical Results.
The new decade starts under the most favourable auspices, with a new
and roomy ship, well suited for the purpose (according to the ideas of
the time), and with the encouraging results of the first two or three
years to incite the captain and his staff to fresh exertions.
The _Britannia_--it may be explained to the uninitiated who may read
this book--differed from the _Illustrious_ in that she was a
"three-decker," while the latter was a "two-decker"; and in case this
does not convey a sufficiently clear impression to the non-nautical
mind, it is advisable to point out that a two-decker has actually four
decks, while a three-decker has five; and this without reckoning in
either case the poop, or raised deck at the after end, large enough to
afford a considerable amount of accommodation.
The designation of the ship went, in fact, by her gun decks, which in
a three-decker were termed the main, middle, and lower decks; the
upper deck and orlop deck, or cockpit, completing the number. The
orlop, though a complete deck, was in a sea-going ship somewhat dark,
being lit only by small round "scuttles," and the actual deck was,
when the vessel was down to her load-line, below water. On the
_Britannia_, however, the scuttles were enlarged to the dignity of
small ports. The head room was less than on the other decks, so that a
person of ordinary stature had to be wary, while a tall man had a
wretched time, the corners of oak beams being cruelly hard.
The orlop deck was in these early days used as the dormitory; all the
cadets' chests were there, and shortly after the ship went to Portland
a sort of open bathing-place was formed at one end, with large roses
overhead for shower-baths.
On the lower deck there were four studies at the stern; then a large
space was occupied by the cadets' messroom; forward of this was the
"galley" or kitchen; and then the mess deck for the ship's company,
which was a small one, only including a sufficient number of seamen to
keep the ship in order, and the seamen instructors, etc. On the middle
deck at the after end was the wardroom, and further forward the French
study. Service was held on this deck on Sunday, and seamanship was
also taught there. The after-part of the main deck was occupied by the
captain's quarters, and there was one small study there also. At the
fore end was the sick bay. Under the poop was the drawing study, and
also two others; and these were utilised for some time as a place of
recreation in the evening, one of the cadet captains being on duty
there to keep order--which, if he chanced to be one who had been
promoted rather for mental and moral than physical qualifications, he
sometimes found a little beyond his powers.
The cadets were roused from their morning slumbers by a long roll on
the drum. Lying half awake, in sad consciousness that turning out time
was very near, one would hear the marine drummer come down the ladder,
his drum giving out unmistakable sounds as it touched a step or two;
then the drummer could be heard settling himself and his instrument of
torture into a firm and convenient posture against a stanchion; and,
after a preliminary double tap, the hideous sound reverberated through
the cockpit. And it is a hideous sound, whether from the point of view
of a sleepy cadet or a person of any station in life with a sensitive
or musical ear.
No sooner had this aggressive salvo died away, than a chorus of
corporals would ensue, as they marched along the deck between the
chests, shaking a hammock here and there if the occupant appeared to
have been oblivious to the drummer's dulcet strain: "Turn out, sir,
turn out, if you please! Now, young gentleman, are you going to rouse
out over there?" Then, in a persuasive, almost regretful tone, "Come,
sir, come, show a leg, now, _do_!" There used to be one corporal who
indulged in flights of fancy, such as--"Now, sir, make a stir, do!
'Ere's the sun a shining through the scuttle fit to burn your eyes
out!"
There were, of course, always some incorrigibles, to whom turning out
promptly was a moral or constitutional impossibility, and repeated
offences of this nature were liable to end with a mandate to "muster
under the half deck at seven bells"--_i.e._ to come before the first
lieutenant at half-past eleven, and receive sentence, which usually
took the form of turning out an hour earlier for a week.
Among the most severe punishments were "cockpit mess," and "lower deck
mess," the former being awarded for somewhat serious offences. The
culprit took his meals--which were of extreme simplicity--at a table
rigged up under the eye of the marine sentry in the cockpit, and
various privileges were stopped in addition. It was a particularly
dreary sort of punishment, unless there happened to be two or more
brothers in affliction, when they would make it a little more lively
for themselves, and sometimes for the sentry, who might if unwary, be
induced to pursue one of the evil-doers, who persisted in making an
excursion towards the other end of the deck, while his companion would
receive some "tuck" from a confederate on the ladder, at the risk of
being himself sent below for a few days, if detected.
It was in the early days of the 'sixties that the most appropriate
title to be bestowed upon new arrivals was tacitly settled. No one
ever knows how these matters get decided; but certain it is that about
this period a boy arriving on board would find himself styled a
"cheeky new fellow." He might be the most retiring and timid of
youths, but the adjective was applied all the same; by way, no doubt,
of keeping him in his place, and making him understand how
immeasurably inferior he was to an individual who had entered six or
nine months before him.
On the arrival of the next batch he would, however, receive a sort of
negative promotion, and become simply a "new fellow"; in which
capacity he was at liberty to lord it over "cheekies," if they would
stand it from him. Another three months would see him raised to the
dignity of "six monther"; the next step was a "nine monther," and at
the end of a year he would become a "passing out number."
This, however, is anticipating somewhat; and it is now time to hark
back a little, and see how it came about that a boy should of
necessity be over a year in the ship.
The initiation of this change was actually in the 'fifties, for it was
inaugurated by an Admiralty circular dated October 23rd, 1859; which,
however, did not come into force until April, 1860.
Some important modifications were introduced: the limit of age was
altered to between twelve and fourteen; the easier form of entry
examination was retained, and any lad who failed was to be allowed a
second trial within three months.
The somewhat lax and unpractical provisions of paragraphs VI. and VII.
in the former circular were amended. Quarterly examinations were to be
held, but merely for the purpose of ascertaining progress; and after
twelve months a cadet who was found proficient was to be discharged
for three months to a sea-going training-ship. At this examination a
first-class certificate conferred twelve months' sea time, a
second-class six months, and a third-class no time: the three months
in the sea-going training-ship was to count as sea time, and the cadet
was then to join his ship as midshipman.
[Illustration: THE FOURTH "BRITANNIA," BUILT IN 1820.
_Sailing into Plymouth Sound._]
It appears extremely doubtful whether this was ever carried out, at
least in the fashion implied in the circular. The brig _Sealark_
continued to be tender to the _Britannia_ up to the end of 1861, and
no doubt the "passing out numbers" were taken out in her occasionally;
but there is no evidence that they were discharged regularly to a
sea-going training-ship; and, as a matter of fact, the paragraph
referring to this is quietly dropped out of the circular as printed in
the Navy list for March, 1862. This in itself is significant, for a
close examination of the Navy lists at that period reveals the fact
that there was a great reluctance on the part of the compositor to
interfere with the type; so the withdrawal of the order probably came
about a good deal earlier. Certainly, from the beginning of 1862 a
cadet remained in the ship for fifteen months as a matter of course,
and was then appointed to a sea-going ship, no such thing as a
sea-going training ship being heard of at all; moreover, the cadets
who joined in December, 1860, remained on board, without doubt, until
March, 1862.
In establishing a training-ship for young lads, the sons of gentlefolk
in a good position, the question of locality would appear to be of
considerable importance. It was taken for granted, presumably, at
first, that the ship should be stationed at Portsmouth, as the start
was there made in the _Illustrious_; and possibly some advantage may
have been imagined to exist in the naval surroundings, the Dockyard,
etc.
The disadvantages were, however, pretty obvious. The ship was moored
in close proximity to somewhat unsavoury mud at low water; there was
no country, worth the name, within reach; while the moral atmosphere
of a town like Portsmouth was not calculated to have a very beneficial
effect on the youngsters.
Whether any particular cause brought the question of moving the ship
under consideration, it is not easy to say; but towards the end of the
year 1861 the authorities decided to take her away from Portsmouth;
and the spot selected as her future station was--of all possible and
impossible places--Portland Roads.
Those who are acquainted with the locality--among whom every naval
officer may be included--are aware that, but for the breakwater, there
would be practically no harbour at all, nor even a moderately
sheltered roadstead in which any master would anchor his vessel, save
with a westerly wind. The breakwater, though it certainly forms a
shelter against the sweep of the swell in the Channel, cannot in any
degree break the force of an easterly gale; and even the Chesil Bank
does not modify to any great extent the fury of winter gales from the
south-west, though it ensures more or less smooth water; while
northerly gales sweep across from Weymouth Bay with unrestrained
violence.
If plenty of open air and a generous supply of ozone were particularly
in request, Portland is a very good place to go to; but other
considerations will naturally crop up in selecting an anchorage for a
training-ship.
As a port of assembly for a large fleet it is, by virtue of the
breakwater, admirably suited; but they have to take their chance of
being occasionally cut off from communication with the shore for a day
or two. A good many years ago, the Channel Squadron was so cut off
during the best part of a week, while an easterly gale was raging;
only one vessel, favourably situated, contriving to send in a cutter
under a close-reefed sail, from the stern, the crew and officer using
the rope ladder suspended from the taffrail.
There was no possibility of acquiring ground for decent playing
fields; the island--so called--of Portland presented no great
attractions for walking or anything else; there was a stupid little
town, with one steep street, climbing up the hill; and Weymouth was
too far off for landing the cadets, save on exceptional occasions, and
when they got there, there was little or nothing to do, except get
into possible mischief.
Notwithstanding these drawbacks, however, Portland was determined
upon; and when the cadets rejoined on February 2nd, 1862, after their
Christmas leave, they found their floating home in the unwonted bustle
of "preparing for sea"; and a very welcome distraction it proved to
them, in place of the ordinary hum-drum of alternate "seamanship" and
"study" days.
By February 6th all preparations were complete; at 3 p.m. a lumbering
dockyard tug, the _Lucifer_, took the _Britannia_ in tow, and slowly
dragged her out of the familiar harbour, making for the eastern end of
the Isle of Wight. The voyage was not, however, to be made alone; at
Spithead the _Trafalgar_, steam two-decker, was in waiting, and took
her station about half a mile astern of the _Britannia_, where she
hovered during the whole passage, in case of any accident. The
undertaking was not, indeed, without some risk, at that season, and
anything in the shape of a gale would have been serious; the ship
"flying light," with small frigate's spars, and with only a handful of
bluejackets and a few dockyard riggers on board.
However, the fates proved propitious; the wind blew fair from
east-north-east, the sea was smooth, and none of the cadets were
seasick; though they had the unwonted experience, afterwards to become
so familiar, of hearing the gentle complaining "creech" of the oak
timbers, and the rattle of small-arms and other odds and ends in the
racks, with the slight motion of the ship.
In the small hours of the morning it was decided to utilise the fair
wind, which was freshening a bit, by making sail, and dispensing with
the services of the tug. Accordingly, the jib was hoisted, the
topsails loosed and the sheets dragged home; there was not enough
"beef," as Jack would say, to hoist them, so they bellied out, all
loose and baggy, with the following breeze, a sorry sight for a
man-o'-warsman; that smart seaman, Captain Harris, must have found it
go sorely against the grain to leave them so. He had a certain
compensation, however; for no sooner did she feel the old familiar
pressure on the masts, than the _Britannia_ asserted herself as a ship
with a reputation under canvas, and came tumbling after the tug, which
had just been cast off, and whose best speed, unencumbered, was
probably about six knots, in such lively fashion that she almost ran
over her.
Along the chalk cliffs from St. Alban's Head the little squadron
passed in the dim light of early morning, the long snake-like
breakwater, and the wedge-shaped island of Portland gradually showing
up more clearly.
The cadets began to come up in twos and threes, their hands stuffed
well into the pockets of their monkey jackets; soon, however, they
were summoned to "bring ship to an anchor," as the _Britannia_, with
the _Trafalgar_ still in close attendance, rounded the breakwater and
approached her moorings, already laid down. Not even Captain Harris,
however, would venture on the experiment of picking up moorings of
this class under sail, in a three-decker, jury rigged, with her
topsails on the cap; so the anchor was in readiness for letting go.
"Fourth division, up on the poop, and man the spanker outhaul!" Up
they went, and realised immediately how extremely cold a fresh east
wind can be on a February morning, as they held the rope in their
benumbed fingers awaiting the order.
"Haul out the spanker! Hard down with the helm!" and the _Britannia_
gracefully rounded to, topsails all shaking; as she lost her way, the
anchor splashed, the cable rumbled out, and she brought up, close to
the dockyard "lump" supporting the heavy moorings.
In such fashion was the arrival of the _Britannia_ on her new station;
and as the present writer happened to be one of the fourth division
above referred to, and has a vivid recollection of that
morning--particularly of the biting wind--the account may be taken as
moderately accurate.
The cadets were sent for a run on shore in the afternoon, while the
dockyard men, assisted by a party of seamen from the _Trafalgar_, got
in the moorings.
Of the period at Portland--which, as will be seen, was not very
long--the principal characteristic was its monotony. All the cadets
who were in the _Britannia_ during that time will probably agree in
this. There was but little fun to be got out of Fortune's Well, as the
village was called; and even the "tuck" was indifferent--a man used to
come to the field with ices and various unwholesome stuffs in the
summer; there was not much cricket or football worthy the name.
True, there were the "blue gigs"; they were greatly in demand in fine
weather, but in such an exposed place a very moderate amount of wind
would render their use impossible; the sailing launch was rarely used
except for instructional purposes. The captains--twelve in
number--were allowed to visit Weymouth on half-holidays, but the
remainder only on rare occasions.
A small steamer used to come alongside to take the cadets on shore to
Portland, and a larger one, plying regularly to Weymouth, would call
when required to take cadets or officers there.
Among the amusements indulged in by some of the more adventurous among
the cadets was the search after sea-birds' eggs on the cliffs at the
west side of Portland; and this resulted, not very long after the
arrival of the ship, in a sad fatality, a cadet named Cox losing his
life by a fall from the cliff.
Whatever may have been the drawbacks of Portland as a station, the
captain and his staff pursued the chief end and aim of the
establishment with unremitting vigour, and great success. Seamanship
and navigation were thoroughly well taught, and any lad who was even
moderately industrious might go to sea with every detail of standing
and running rigging, reefing and furling, etc., at his fingers' ends,
only needing a little experience afloat to render him--_malgré_ the
prophecies of the malcontents of the old school--a most useful young
officer. Some of them were very respectable boat-sailers as well;
while all were able to take a tolerably accurate observation for
latitude or longitude, and work it out correctly: no mean equipment
with which to start in a sea-going ship.
The weak part of the scheme was in French and drawing, as it usually
was in those days in almost all educational establishments.
The drawing-master, though an accomplished draughtsman, did not appear
to have much idea of imparting his knowledge to his pupils; systematic
teaching in form and perspective was unknown; so that a lad who
possessed considerable natural talent in this direction usually found
himself at the end just about where he was at the beginning.
Of the French instruction it can only be said that it is difficult to
conceive how such a farce could be permitted to drag on year after
year. The French lesson was a time for every mountebank trick
imaginable, little heed being paid to the half-hearted remonstrances
of the good-natured professor. It would commence with some feeble
attempt at one of Ollendorf's exercises, which, of course, contain
abundant material of merriment for the youthful mind.
Sometimes the professor would press for a little more variety; and was
invariably met either with "Avez vous etez on board le _Colossus_?"
(the guardship at Portland), or "Avez vous etez a Weymouth?"
There was a cadet at one time who possessed an abnormal development in
the matter of aural appendages; and who, moreover, was able to fold
his ears in, and cause each in succession suddenly to unfold. His
appearance was naturally most grotesque under these circumstances, and
his performances in the French study were a source of unfailing joy to
his companions. He would "furl" his ears before commencing the
stereotyped conversation with the professor, and solemnly let one out
in the middle, gazing at the master meanwhile with an expression of
childlike innocence.
Among the evening recreations, in the winter especially, there were
frequently songs and choruses in the messroom, particularly if there
happened to be one or two cadets with an aptitude for singing and a
good repertoire of songs. There was one lad there in the latter part
of the year 1862 who was remarkable in this respect, and his songs
were always in request. One of the prime favourites was an
extraordinary "descriptive" ballad about a certain "King of Otaheité,"
in which a variety of well-known airs were introduced. As it is
probably quite out of date and unknown to our readers of the present
generation, it shall be immortalised in these pages.
THE KING OF OTAHEITÉ.
Once on a time there lived a king
Of Otaheité, of Otaheité;
Once on a time there lived a king,
A king of Otahei_ty_
Who, when he only frowned, 'tis said
The people all were filled with dread
For fear that each should lose his head
By the king of Otahei_ty_.
Now this monarch's name was Tanta-paran
Mesopotamia, Cou-di-caran,
And some people thought him a fine-looking man,
A remarkably fine-looking man.
His nose was large, so was his mouth;
When one eye looked north, the other looked south;
His face was as broad as a big frying pan;
Such a beautiful monarch was Cou-di-caran!
Now this king called his messengers
And picked out two or three,
Saying, "Rascals, stir your stumps, and tell
My friends to come to me
At half-past five for tea.
Mind that you've everything fit for my table:
Human flesh, herbs, and rice,
Everything else that's nice.
Run now, you rascals, as fast as you're able;
Run, run!"
Then there came both great and small,
Handsome, ugly, short, and tall;
Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers,
Friends, relations, and many others.
Some were dressed in Sunday's best,
Gaily, too, were all the rest.
Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers,
Friends, relations, and many others.
But a lady who was present
By the crowd was jostled so,
That she kept treading, treading, treading
On the king of Otahei_ty_'s toe!
On his bad toe!
On the king of Otahei_ty_'s toe!
I grieve that I should mention it,
Or that it should be heard;
It was not her intention; it
Was not, upon my word.
The king he had an ugly corn,
Which sorely did him fret;
If you had heard the row he made
You never could forget.
Now, the king, in a terrible riot,
Sang out to his guard down below,
Saying, "Rascals, how can you keep quiet?
Some villain has trod on my toe!
Go out into all my dominions,
Search well every corner and cell!
If I find out the rascal who's done it,
By Jingo, I'll tip it him well!"
But a guard who stood close by,
And cared for no man, cared for no man,
Said, "So please your Majes_ty_,
That's the woman! That's the woman!"
The king then took her by the hair,
And would not let her go,
Saying, "Madam, please to recollect
You trod upon my toe!"
A lord-in-waiting took an axe
And chopped her skull in two.
The king then, with a gracious smile,
Said, "Thank you; that'll do!"
This remarkable effusion was always listened to with breathless
interest, the callous monarch's final pronouncement being greeted with
thunders of applause.
Another ditty which was in great request was a bloodthirsty piratical
song, with a good swinging chorus:--
Hurrah! for a life of war and strife,
A pirate's life for me!
My barque shall ride the foaming tide,
The demon of the sea.
"Brave Broke" of the _Shannon_ was as popular as in "Tom Brown's
Schooldays"; and there was a youth--said to be partially of Swiss
extraction--who gave a song with a most piercing "yodel" to each
verse; and there were a great many verses. The other cadets greatly
envied him this accomplishment, and the messroom would sometimes
resound with embryo endeavours to produce a similar result; causing,
on one occasion, a sudden eruption of the lieutenant on duty, who blew
a boatswain's whistle to attract attention, and declared that a
repetition of these singular noises would involve a muster of the
cadets on deck.
The _Britannia_ was, as has been stated, fully rigged in those days;
and the cadets were allowed, and encouraged, to go aloft at all times:
the "cheeky new fellows," indeed, had to go over the topmast head
every morning, _nolens volens_.
In summer there were always a number of lads climbing about on the
mainmast and mizenmast, and the more active and venturesome used to
compete with one another in the performance of sundry more or less
dangerous feats. One cadet endeavoured to immortalise himself by
coming down over the "futtocks" with one arm and one leg. Probably the
reader is aware that the "futtock shrouds" are the short, stiff,
standing ropes from the edge of the "top," the traversing of which
involves a more or less reversed position; it is easy enough for any
ordinarily active boy, and the alternative, of going through "lubber's
hole," was regarded as more or less of a disgrace. It will be obvious,
however, that the full complement of limbs is essential to the safe
passage of the "futtocks"; a fact which was forcibly impressed upon
our young hero by a very hasty involuntary descent into the main
chains, resulting in concussion of the brain and a pretty bad scalp
wound. However, he came up smiling after a week or so; but did not try
it again.
Another aspirant for celebrity conceived the idea of coming down the
mizen royal stay "hand over leg"; this stay being a very small rope,
and--as it was not called upon to stand the stress of sail--certainly
a pretty old one, it was quite on the cards that it might have given
way, especially as the gymnast was a good lump of a boy. However, he
escaped, and landed in the main-top triumphantly; whence he was called
down by the first lieutenant, admonished as a "young fool," and
received some slight punishment, _pour encourager les autres_.
[Illustration: OFFICERS AND CADETS, 1861.]
A favourite pastime was sliding down the two parts of the topsail
halyards, which passed through a great block within reach of the
main-top. You got hold of the two ropes, which ran parallel, about a
foot apart, to the bulwarks, one in each hand, twisted your legs round
them, and then, embracing the ropes with your arms so as to avoid
skinning your hands, down you went like a flash. It was advisable,
however, to tie your trousers round the ankles first, or they rucked
up and the friction of the rope would inflict a very nasty burn on the
leg; one cadet, in fact, was on the sick-list for a considerable time
as the result of this manoeuvre.
Dear old Dibdin tells us how William, the favoured of Black-eyed
Susan, was aloft when she came alongside; upon which,
The cord glides swiftly through his glowing hands,
And quick as lightning on the deck he stands.
No cadet, certainly, except a very green "cheeky new fellow," would
try this experiment, knowing that he would arrive on deck with a good
deal more than the cuticle burnt off his "glowing hands"; William,
however, came down by "poetical licence," which no doubt makes all the
difference.
If the cadet's cuticle escaped, however, the clothes, which his
parents paid for, did not!
On a fine half-holiday those who did not wish to go on shore would
often spend the time aloft with a book; many an hour has the present
writer spent at the main-yardarm, where the studding-sail boom
afforded a seat of more or less comfort and security, with a book; one
arm clasping the lift, legs hanging down below the yard. It probably
never occurs to youth that to doze off in such a position would
certainly be fatal!
The year 1862 was an eventful one for the _Britannia_, two most
important figures disappearing from her history.
It became known in September that Captain Harris was to leave shortly,
and the news came as a sort of shock, he was so completely identified
with the institution. The report turned out to be true, and on
October 1st he was succeeded by Captain Richard Ashmore Powell. This
officer had, in a letter to Captain Harris, dated May 27th of the same
year, written as follows: "I am much pleased with the lads from the
_Britannia_; they are well behaved, and are well grounded in the
fundamental parts of their profession."
He had now to try his hand at turning out similar youngsters, and,
though he found the way paved for him by the results of his
predecessor's forethought and experience, he probably felt that he had
his work cut out.
Shortly afterwards Lieutenant Nares was promoted to commander, and,
though he retained his post as senior executive for a time, he was
superseded in December by Commander William H. Edye,[4] a very smart
and energetic officer, who was held in great respect by the cadets.
[4] Now Admiral W. H. Edye.
Nares' departure was doubtless a great loss to the ship; he identified
himself very heartily with the cadets in their games, etc., and
displayed remarkable activity in playing "Sling the Monkey" and "High
Cockolorum" with them.
A very pleasant reminiscence in connection with him is an excursion
which he "personally conducted" at Easter, 1862, taking about fifty
cadets, whose homes were too far distant for them to avail themselves
of the brief holidays, for a three or four days' trip to Wells,
Glastonbury, Cheddar, etc. The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and
made a good show at the service in Wells Cathedral on Easter Sunday,
where the preacher "gie'd 'em a sight o' gude advice."
On one occasion a number of the cadets were on the west side of Chesil
Bank, watching the rollers coming in after a heavy gale: a very fine
sight. The beach--entirely composed of large loose pebbles--runs down
steeply, so that the sea breaks in one great "comber," coming in like
a wall, and dragging back the pebbles in the "undertow" with a
tremendous clatter. Some of the lads thought it good fun to run down
after the receding wave, as far as they dared, right under the next
advancing one; a most dangerous amusement.
Lieutenant Nares unexpectedly came on the scene, and, arming himself
with a long piece of tough seaweed, something like a South African
sjambok, he gave chase, and scored heavily off several, being very
fleet of foot. Having afforded this practical proof of the probable
consequences of being caught at such games, he gave them a lecture as
to the far more serious results of losing their footing, or being
dragged out by the undertow--which, indeed, one or two had narrowly
escaped.
It was not long after the appointment of Captain Powell that the
Admiralty decided to introduce corporal punishment for serious
offences among the cadets. It is not quite clear at the present time
what gave rise to this innovation, but there were probably some
unusually reckless spirits among the youngsters, of whom it was deemed
necessary to make an example.
There was considerable awe among the cadets the first time they were
assembled to "witness punishment"--for it was publicly inflicted--and
the culprit was lashed, in true man-o'-war fashion, on one side of the
deck, facing a port, while his comrades were drawn up opposite.
The deterrent effect was probably somewhat discounted by the amazing
_sang froid_ of the young gentleman under punishment, who took his
birching without a murmur, and, having a good view of Portland Roads
through the port, had apparently been interesting himself in the
manoeuvres of a merchant vessel which was beating in; for, as the last
stroke was given, and the corporal advanced to release him, he
remarked, in a genial, conversational tone, "Ah, she's missed stays! I
thought she would!"
This lad naturally became rather a hero in the eyes of his fellows,
especially as he was already rather a favourite, being of the breezy
type, which sailors call a "Jack-shilloo." It must be said, however,
that birchings were few and far between, at least in the days of
Captain Powell.
In March, 1863, came the marriage of the Prince of Wales, the day
being observed as a holiday, and white "favours," with the portraits
of the Prince and of Princess Alexandra on them, were distributed to
the cadets, who were also allowed leave to go to Weymouth--though they
found nothing particularly amusing to do there. Indeed, a more
uninteresting town for a lad to spend some hours in could not well be
imagined.
The numerous disabilities of Portland began about this period to be
brought home to the Admiralty, chiefly through the representations of
Captain Powell, who eventually received instructions to look round for
a more suitable station. In recommending Dartmouth he probably made
the best selection possible. The only objection that could be raised
to it was that it might not be sufficiently bracing, and this was more
or less of a "faddy" idea; in all other respects it appeared--and has
proved to be--most admirably suited for the purpose.
Smooth water--for it would take something like a tropical cyclone to
raise a sea at the head of the harbour--beautiful surroundings, easy
access to the shore, land available for good playing fields. All these
good things, as it were, going a-begging, while the gales howled round
the ship in her exposed quarters at Portland.
And so, though she had been only eighteen months there, it was decided
that it should see the last of her in September, 1863.
On the 28th all was in readiness, and 108 cadets--about half the full
number--were sent on leave.
At 7.45 a.m. on the 29th the _Britannia_ set out on another little
voyage. This time, however, there was more towing power provided, the
_Geyser_, an old paddle-wheel sloop, taking the hawsers, with the
_Prospero_, Admiralty tug, ahead of her; and between them they pulled
the old ship along at quite a respectable speed. The sails were
available if required, but the _Britannia_ was not destined again to
spread her wings, though she and her escort had to remain at sea, off
Dartmouth, for the night, entering the beautiful harbour at nine
o'clock next morning, amid the enthusiastic cheers of the inhabitants,
and to the extreme satisfaction, no doubt, of the cadets, as they
realised the contrast of their future surroundings with what they had
left. As it turned out, the day selected for the voyage was a lucky
one, for that night it blew a fresh gale outside, and the handling of
so large a vessel, in light trim, by the tugs would have been
difficult, probably involving the parting of hawsers.
The spot selected was about half a mile above the town, and the ship
was securely moored, head and stern, to four heavy anchors, so as to
be absolutely stationary, and quite close to the western shore.
There was a busy time then for all hands: clearing away rocks abreast
the ship, making a beach for the cadets' boats, a landing place and
cricket ground, with direct access up the steep bank, so as to avoid
the town, and so on. A great deal of this work was done, more or less
in the rough, by the ship's company, under the boatswain, who, in huge
sea-boots, superintended the engineering of zig-zag paths and steps
and various other unaccustomed achievements. Tars take a delight in a
job like this, outside their ordinary duties, and bring a remarkable
amount of ingenuity and common sense to bear upon it.
Their 'prentice work has, of course, been long since superseded by
that of contractors, the magnificent playing fields, etc., being now
approached by flights of concrete steps of great solidity; pier,
boatsheds, bathing place, etc., all in keeping.
The number of cadets on board at this time was about 230; but this
number proved insufficient to keep up the supply of lieutenants
required, so the entries were considerably increased, with the result
that the number, after a few terms, reached 306, causing inconvenient
crowding on the sleeping decks and in the messroom, to say nothing of
the studies.
After many representations from Captain Powell, the Admiralty in 1864
decided to supplement the _Britannia_ with another ship, and the
_Hindostan_, an old two-decker, was selected for the purpose, and sent
round from Devonport. She was one of several vessels built of Indian
teak, a wood which far surpasses British oak in durability and freedom
from rot; it is, in fact, practically everlasting.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN R. A. POWELL AND OFFICERS, 1863.]
The new ship was moored ahead of the _Britannia_, a bridge being
constructed between the two, making them practically one vessel, which
proved to be of the greatest value.
There was not much history made during the next year or two. There
was, of course, a great deal done in improvement of arrangements and
organisation after the advent of the _Hindostan_; and, as a proof that
the extra accommodation was needed, it may be mentioned that the
number of cadets entered in 1864 was 217, as compared with 122 and 183
of the years 1863 and 1862 respectively. This large number was not
maintained, however; for it fell to 159 in the following year. The
sudden and temporary augmentation of entries was due, no doubt, to a
state of alarm in which the authorities found themselves as to the
probable paucity of lieutenants during the next few years.
In 1865 Captain Powell was succeeded by Captain George Granville
Randolph,[5] an officer who enjoyed a great reputation for strictness,
and of whom his subordinates always stood in awe. Though disposed to
err, perhaps, on the side of severity, Randolph was always perfectly
fair and just, and was a most capable officer. The frigate _Orlando_,
which he commanded in the Mediterranean before he went to the
_Britannia_, was a marvel of smartness, and some of the performances
of her crew in handling spars, sails, etc., still remain as
time-records for the very smart Mediterranean Fleet of those days.
[5] Now Admiral Sir George G. Randolph, K.C.B.
There is little doubt, however, that his appointment to the
_Britannia_ fluttered the dovecots a little, and he soon made his
somewhat "dour" character felt. He was one of those men who are not
afraid to accept responsibility for their actions, or to carry out any
threat or promise to the bitter end, even though it may involve the
antagonism of the whole of his subordinates.
On one occasion during his command the cadets took it into their heads
to protest against having the meat left from the previous day served
up as hashes, etc., for breakfast; and as there was some little
agitation among them, it was brought to the captain's notice. The
cadet captains were accordingly mustered, and invited to state their
grievance. The captain heard them patiently, and then, to their
delight, he replied, "You are quite right, boys, it shall be stopped."
The boys, thinking they had scored completely, chorused, "Thank you,
sir!" until the captain added grimly, "But you will have nothing in
its place!" As they knew perfectly well that he would not swerve from
his decision, they retired crestfallen, and put up with the hashes,
which probably did them no harm.
Another incident had rather an unexpected result. On a wet and
cheerless holiday in the spring of 1867, going on shore being out of
the question, the boys were skylarking about the decks, rather at a
loose end, and some of the bigger cadets began to amuse themselves by
a form of bullying, joining hands and rushing the smaller boys along
the deck with considerable violence, regardless of possible serious
injury from falls, etc. This amusement being carried to rather cruel
extremes, the officer of the day thought it right to call the
attention of the commander to it, who in turn reported it to the
captain. Possibly the captain may have been aware of some previous
cases of bullying, and determined to make an example of the offenders;
however this may be, he resorted to drastic measures on the spot. The
cadets were called to divisions, and the culprits, four or five in
number, received then and there a good birching. There is the
authority of a naval instructor who was then in the ship for the
statement that bullying was very promptly stopped by this proceeding;
but apparently it was resented by the friends of some of the cadets,
an agitation in Parliament was organised, and in July of that year Mr.
Corry, the First Lord of the Admiralty, was interrogated by Mr. Bass
on the subject. On July 25th the matter was dealt with in the House as
follows (reported in the _Times_ of July 26th):--
"Mr. Bass asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he had made
further inquiry respecting the mode of punishment of cadets on board
the _Britannia_. It was alleged from a great many quarters that
excessive cruelty was practised on board that ship; and it was stated
by gentlemen acquainted with the practice, and who had given their
names, that when a cadet was punished his legs and arms were tied to
ringbolts so that he could not move, and that he was flogged with a
birch broom which had been previously steeped in water to make it more
pliant; that fifteen cuts were inflicted with it on the back, and that
the doctors invariably attended. He wished to know whether the First
Lord had made further inquiries on the matter, and if he retained the
opinion he formerly expressed.
"Mr. Corry said, in consequence of the statement of the hon. member,
he had thought it necessary to make minute inquiry on the subject of
the punishment on board the _Britannia_, and the result was a complete
denial that the punishment of cadets was accompanied by the cruelty
described. Punishment was inflicted, not with a birch broom, but
precisely similar to that used at schools. There was a complete denial
of any such cruelty as had been alleged.
"Mr. Bass: The arms are not tied to ringbolts?
"Mr. Corry: Certainly not. It is hardly necessary that I should go
further into the case, as the Admiralty, having taken the whole
subject into consideration, have thought it desirable that the
practice of punishing naval cadets should be discontinued. (Cheers.)
An order to that effect was issued by the Board of Admiralty last
Monday. (Cheers.)"
Mr. Bass and his friends thus scored off the Admiralty in a degree to
which they were not intrinsically entitled. The use of the birch, or
other means of corporal punishment, is a legitimate subject of
controversy, upon which many diverse opinions have always existed;
but, granted the advisability of its use, the allegations of Mr. Bass
are mere humanitarian padding. If you are going to inflict corporal
punishment upon anyone, man or boy, there is certainly no cruelty in
securing him so that he cannot move; birch rods for the punishment of
young seamen in the Navy were most frequently made by splitting up an
ordinary birch broom into convenient small bundles for the purpose;
and the soaking in water had the effect of preventing the ends flying
off during the first few strokes; while the attendance of the doctor
is merely an obvious precaution, in the event of a fainting fit, which
may possibly occur, even in the case of an apparently robust subject.
Needless to say, a delicate or weakly boy would not be subjected to
such punishment.
Mr. Bass, it will be noticed, did not agitate for the abolition of
flogging. Mr. Corry and his colleagues must, however, be credited with
having investigated the matter in an independent spirit, and with
arriving at their decision upon adequate grounds; though the general
impression produced must have been that they were more or less
truckling to a piece of unnecessary meddling.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN JOHN CORBETT.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Captain Randolph was superseded in September, 1867, by Captain John
Corbett, after having held the appointment for a period of only
eighteen months.
Among other useful institutions introduced in this decade should be
mentioned the sailing cutters and the gymnasium.
To be capable of handling a boat under sail is, of course, a very
necessary qualification for a naval officer, and most of it is done by
midshipmen. The ordinary rig of a Service cutter is what is known as a
"dipping lug," _i.e._ a lug sail which has to be shifted to the other
side of the mast whenever the boat goes about; and as a cutter may be
required to use oars or sails at very short notice, it is undoubtedly
the best adapted for the purpose. A smart boat's crew will have the
masts up and sail on the boat in a very few minutes. It is, however,
somewhat cumbrous to work, and has no special value in regard to the
general principles which govern boat-sailing. In order, therefore, to
afford the cadets every opportunity of acquiring skill and readiness
at the helm, a number of small cutter-rigged vessels--a ship's cutter
_not_ being "cutter" rigged--were provided in 1867, with simple sails
and fittings, so that three or four cadets could, by permission, take
one out on a free afternoon and sail about the harbour, thereby
gaining the practical experience, combined with due responsibility,
without which neither boat-sailing nor any other art may be adequately
mastered. The cadets have to hoist the sails, seeing that they are
properly set, according to certain immutable laws; to get the boat
cleverly away from her moorings without getting foul of anything, to
run, beat, or reach, as occasion may require; and finally to pick up
the moorings again in a seamanlike fashion, this last being certainly
the crucial test of the coxswain's ability.
These little vessels have answered their purpose admirably, and are
frequently in such request that there is quite a struggle to get the
use of one for the afternoon. Many of the lads become very proficient
boat-sailers, and an occasional mishap is not severely visited, but
taken advantage of to explain what ought to have been done.
A properly fitted gymnasium is, of course, regarded as a necessity at
any modern school, and the _Britannia_ has been by no means behind the
times in this respect, all the various exercises being taught by an
efficient instructor, including fancy acrobatic displays such as the
"living tower," etc.
The closing years of the 'sixties are marked by two important
innovations: the institution of a _bonâ fide_ sea-going training-ship
for the cadets, and the introduction of a competitive entry
examination.
In February, 1868, the _Bristol_, a fine steam frigate, recently paid
off as commodore's ship on the coast of Africa, was recommissioned as
a sea-going training-ship for cadets, in which they were to spend one
year after leaving the _Britannia_, the period of training in the
latter being at this time one year, making the maximum time of
probation two years.
On August 3rd, 1869, however, a new circular was issued by the
Admiralty, in which the whole system was reorganised,[6] the most
important change being, as has been stated, the adoption of
competition in the entry examination. Two other points are included in
the preamble of the circular: an increase of the time under training
and a further reduction of the number of cadets entered annually.
Since the rush of entries in 1864, already alluded to, the numbers had
come down from 217 to 121, the authorities being evidently afraid of a
superfluity of executive officers.
[6] See Appendix III.
The necessity--real or imaginary--of reducing the number of entries
presumably caused some difficulty, owing to the number of applications
for nominations, so somebody hit on the happy idea of giving many more
nominations than were needed, and making the examination a limited
competition. Any influential person who had received a nomination for
his son would then have the ground cut from under his feet in case his
boy's name never appeared on the Navy List: "You asked for a
nomination for your son, and we gave you one. What more could you
want?"
This, at any rate, appears to be the only possible reason for giving
148 nominations during the year, of which it was certain that only 74
could be effective, for it would be absurd to contend that any benefit
could accrue to the Service from such a step.
The happy aspirant for the honour of serving his country in the Navy
had, practically, two examinations to pass, for a preliminary test had
to be successfully negotiated before he was permitted to engage in a
competition in which he might, after hard grinding, come out
thirty-eighth, and be compelled to seek some other vocation in life.
It is difficult to refrain from dwelling at some length on the anomaly
of this method of obtaining suitable officers, which, as will be
seen, was abolished a few years afterwards, only to be reintroduced
later on. Suffice it to say, that it has always been condemned by a
number of officers whose opinion should carry weight, as men who have
devoted their lives to the study of the efficiency of the Service, and
how best to ensure it; and if their opponents seek to convince them by
pointing to results, it is certainly within their right to maintain
that these might have been better without limited competition.
The maximum limit of age on entry was reduced, as will be noticed,
from 14 to 13 years, leaving only one year's margin between this and
the minimum.
The whole scheme, in fact, tended to reduce the number of entries,
while a show of maintaining a larger number was kept up by 50 per
cent. of ineffective nominations.
In spite of the smaller numbers on board, and the prospective further
decrease foreshadowed by the new circular, modern ideas as to
accommodation, and a demand for more studies, etc., caused the
_Britannia_ to be condemned as too small for her office, and about
July, 1869, the fifth _Britannia_ made her appearance at Dartmouth.
She was laid down as a sailing three-decker in 1848, but was
subsequently lengthened while still on the stocks, and eventually
launched as a screw-ship of 131 guns in 1860, under the name of the
_Prince of Wales_, assuming, however, the title of her predecessor.
She was a much larger vessel, and was fitted up in a manner suited to
modern requirements: only one mast was supplied, so that she presents
much more the aspect of a "sheer hulk" than the old ship, in spite of
a very handsome hull.
The average number of cadets entered each year during the 'sixties was
153, though this does not include 1860 or 1861, of which there is no
record available. The total for these eight years is 1,223, who are
accounted for, approximately, as follows:--
ACTIVE LIST.
Admirals, 18; captains, 107; commanders, 20.
RETIRED LIST.
Admirals, 2; captains, 93; commanders, 168; lieutenants, 56;
sub-lieutenants, 30.
Leaving a balance, either dead or removed from the Navy List, of 629,
or 51 per cent.
The number of cadets who passed out of the _Illustrious_ and
_Britannia_ from 1858 to 1861 was 559, which are accounted for thus:--
ACTIVE LIST.
Admirals, 29.
RETIRED LIST.
Admirals, 22; captains, 61; commanders, 66; lieutenants, 54.
Leaving a balance of 327, or 58 per cent.
[Illustration: THE FOURTH "BRITANNIA" AS TRAINING SHIP.
_Photo: Smale and Son, Dartmouth._]
CHAPTER V.
THE "BRITANNIA" IN THE 'SEVENTIES.
Mr. Inskip Departs--His Statistical Diagram--Vindication of
_Britannia_--Final Examinations a True Test--A "Facer" for the
Old Salts--Mr. Inskip Triumphant--Captain Warry's Recollections--
Lieutenants' Duties Ill-defined--"Goose" Dinners--Fighting by
Authority--The _Dapper_--The _Ariadne_--A Tragic Incident--A Plucky
Boatswain--The _Ariadne_ Abolished--A Possible Explanation--Mr. Knapp
Resigns--An Unexpected Successor--A Generous Appreciation--Committee
of Enquiry--Recommends Abolition of Competition--An Academic
Proposal--Unanimity of Cadets--Admiral Ryder's Evidence--Dr. Woolley's
Evidence--A Plausible Contention--New Regulations--French at a
Discount--Site for a College--Dartmouth Recommended--A Dissatisfied
Parent--The _Britannia_ in Parliament--The Royal Cadets--Lieutenant
Mainwaring--Beagles Started--The Grave of "Jim"--A Phenomenal
Admission--_Britannia_ Regulations--The Officer of the Day--The
Cadet Captains--No "Hampers" Allowed--Punishments--A Drastic Health
Regulation--Captains in the 'Seventies--Statistical Results.
[Illustration: READING OFF THE SEXTANT.]
The decade included in the 'seventies is somewhat bare of incident as
compared with its predecessor.
The first event of importance was the departure of the Rev. R. M.
Inskip, in 1871, after being connected with the institution for over
thirteen years. The keen interest which this gentleman took in his
work has before been referred to; and it is well illustrated by a very
elaborate diagram which he prepared, and which, together with some
explanatory notes, is now in the possession of his brother, Captain
G. H. Inskip, R.N., of Plymouth.
Mr. Inskip, always intensely solicitous for the proper advancement of
his late pupils in the service, conceived the idea of constructing a
diagram from which, in conjunction with an alphabetical list of the
names of all the cadets included in the period under consideration, it
could be seen at a glance what class any individual took when passing
out of the _Britannia_, and how he fared afterwards up to the time of
passing for sub-lieutenant, and in some cases beyond this.
The heads under which this information is imparted are as follows:
Died; Left the service; Passed for sub-lieutenant at the proper time;
Lost time; Class obtained when passing for sub-lieutenant; Promotion
for passing well, and all distinctions obtained, including the Royal
Humane Society's medal, the Beaufort Testimonial, etc.
This remarkable diagram, containing particulars concerning all cadets
who passed out of the training-ship from 1858 to 1871, is far too
cumbrous to be reproduced in this volume; but, in an explanatory paper
printed in 1875, the author sets forth the object he has in view, as
follows:--
The Navy being the right arm of our national defence, it will be
satisfactory to those who take an interest in the welfare and
efficiency of the young officers who are in future to command our
ships and fleets, to be enabled to form some correct idea as to
what extent the cadets sent out from the training ship since her
first establishment have maintained the classification assigned
them on leaving--that is, whether on passing their examinations
for sub-lieutenant they have or have not kept the position they
were considered to merit, as indicated by the certificates
originally awarded them.
Mr. Inskip then proceeds to a minute analysis on these lines, with
regard to the cadets who passed out up to December, 1868, and who
would have been qualified by age and servitude to pass for
sub-lieutenant by June, 1874; the total number under consideration
being 1,606. Not content with a general analysis, he institutes a
comparison between the first four in the first class, the first and
last four in the second class, and the last four in the third class,
in each year's examinations out of the _Britannia_; in other words,
the best, medium, and worst results of the training.
With his diagram--measuring nearly six feet in length--spread out
beside him, he embarks upon an elaborate and convincing vindication of
his beloved _Britannia_--for this is what it amounts to--and there is
no getting away from his figures. Without reproducing the tables,
which are rather numerous and complex, it is interesting to note that
the following facts are clearly established:--
LEFT THE SERVICE AS CADETS OR MIDSHIPMEN.
1st class 7·8 per cent.
2nd class 14·3 per cent.
3rd class 27·4 per cent.
ATTAINED THE RANK OF SUB-LIEUTENANT.
1st class 88·1 per cent.
2nd class 82·7 per cent.
3rd class 69·6 per cent.
PASSED SUB-LIEUTENANT'S EXAMINATION AT THE PROPER TIME
(ALL CLASSES).
Period from 1858 to 1863 61·9 per cent.
Period from 1864 to 1868 70·3 per cent.
SELECTED EXAMPLES.
Passed at the Obtained Promoted for
proper time. 1st class at passing
College. examination.
First four of
1st class 88·1 per cent. 26·2 per cent. 15·1 per cent.
First four of
2nd class 74·4 per cent. 4·2 per cent. 1·9 per cent.
Last four of
2nd class 56·4 per cent. 0·0 per cent. 0·0 per cent.
Last four of
3rd class 44·7 per cent. 0·0 per cent. 0·0 per cent.
OBTAINED FIRST CLASS ON PASSING FOR SUB-LIEUTENANT.
_Britannia._ Seamanship. Gunnery. Navigation.
1st class 51·2 per cent. 36·8 per cent. 14·7 per cent.
2nd class 28·7 per cent. 10·1 per cent. 2·2 per cent.
3rd class 17·5 per cent. 2·6 per cent. 0·0 per cent.
COMPARISON OF SELECTED EXAMPLES.
_Britannia._ Seamanship. Gunnery. Navigation.
First four, }
1st class }
First four, } 9·0 per cent. 8·1 per cent. 8·2 per cent.
2nd class }
_Above_ average }
of class }
Last four, }
2nd class } 7·6 per cent. 4·8 per cent. 2·2 per cent.
Last four, }
3rd class } 7·0 per cent. 1·3 per cent. --
_Below_ average }
of class }
From these and similar data Mr. Inskip draws the following perfectly
justifiable deductions:--
(1) Assuming that the ability of a midshipman to pass his examinations
for sub-lieutenant the moment his time is served may be considered as
evidence of proficiency, it is seen that in this respect each class
has maintained its relative position with regard to original
classification.
(2) That the comparison of selections with whole classes shows that
the original certificates were distributed on an equitable scale, or
strictly in accordance with merit.
(3) That this argument is confirmed by the general results of the
final examinations for sub-lieutenants.
In connection with this, he makes a very good point; speaking of the
seamanship examinations for sub-lieutenant, he says: "The certificates
awarded may be taken as the collective opinion of all the captains who
have been actively employed during the past eleven or twelve years,
and we find that of the midshipmen sent from the training ship with
first-class certificates, no fewer than 51·2 per cent. have been
considered to merit first-class certificates; of the seconds, 28·7 per
cent.; and of the thirds, 17·5 per cent."
This was rather a "facer" for the captains--and there were not a
few--who held that the _Britannia_ training was useless, or worse than
useless, in regard to seamanship.
"The evidence given above," continues Mr. Inskip, "abundantly proves
that each original class falls into its natural place at the final
examinations, from which fact we can only infer that unless the
original certificates had been awarded with the utmost care, and a
scrupulous regard to the individual merits of each cadet, a
coincidence so remarkable could not have occurred."
In his final summing up Mr. Inskip says:--
"Having now shown that the young officers have maintained their
original classification up to the time of passing their final
examinations for sub-lieutenant, we may allude to the opinions
entertained in some quarters respecting the education of the cadets:
it having been asserted that their knowledge was of a superficial
character, and that when they first joined a sea-going ship they were
deficient in many branches of study relating to their profession.
* * * It was shown by examinations held in the Flying and Detached
Squadrons (some years ago) that the knowledge of the midshipmen was
inversely as the time elapsed since leaving the training-ship, the
seniors as a body standing at the bottom. (Report of the Rev. J. B.
Harbord, M.A., Inspector of Naval Schools.) This state of education at
sea may in some measure be accounted for by the fact that in many
ships no attempt had been made to keep up any subject but navigation,
the others not being given at the final examination; it proves,
however, that the younger officers possessed the most information, and
among these were included all who had recently left the training ship;
and it also removes any just reason for asserting that they had learnt
but little while there."
In such fashion does this champion wield his statistics in defence of
the institution which he had such a large share in starting; and it
must be admitted that anyone who wished to refute his arguments would
have a very tough task; though he lays himself open to the reply, that
a clever or industrious cadet would in all probability turn out a
clever and industrious midshipman or sub-lieutenant. This, however,
only touches a portion of the case; his contention that the training
ship was satisfactorily fulfilling its object is fully borne out.
It will be observed that this diagram, and the arguments based on it,
are completed and printed in 1875, four years after Mr. Inskip
retired; so he must have employed his leisure time in compiling these
statistics after he had practically severed his connection with the
Service.
An officer who was first lieutenant of the _Britannia_ during the
early seventies--Captain A. W. Warry--gives his impressions of the
ship at that time as follows:--
"I joined on January 22nd, 1870. The boys had not returned, and I had
time to look round. The new ship had not been long at Dartmouth--a
year or so--and was certainly a great improvement on what the old
Black Sea flagship must have been. Captain John Corbett had, I
understood, been appointed to the command with a view of establishing
a milder rule than prevailed in Captain Randolph's time, when I
believe there was a good deal of corporal punishment. There was none
in Captain Corbett's time, nor has there, I believe, been any since.
There did not seem much for the three lieutenants to do. We took
alternate day duty, and on these days heard and dealt with minor
offences, or remanded them for the commander next morning. We attended
at meals, looked round the seamanship classes, saw to the boys going
and returning from recreation, received any applications and went the
rounds, etc. As first lieutenant I had a more special supervision of
the seamanship classes and periodical examinations. I also had the
superintendence of the games and recreations, and was entitled to draw
on the cadet fund for any requirements for them. Everybody who has
been in any way connected with the _Britannia_ must have felt the
great inconvenience and waste of time in going and returning from
recreation; a lumbering old pinnace was used; I trust some quicker
mode of transit has since been adopted. The air on the sleeping decks,
when the boys were turned in, was, I thought, far from being as pure
as was needful; nor did it appear to me that, situated as the ships
were in a narrow tidal river with high land on either side, the
general state of the atmosphere was sufficiently bracing. The studies
were as good as circumstances would admit, but at best a ship is a
noisy place, and the partitions were far from sound-proof. A college
on shore was constantly spoken of, and it seems strange that upwards
of thirty years have elapsed since then, and this great need is only
yet under construction. The question of "bounds" was always a source
of trouble and constant punishment, for any extension of a walk beyond
these was an offence; and Corporal McEwen had a disagreeable knack of
turning up at most inopportune moments from behind some hedge, and
pouncing on the youthful offenders.
"Previous to my time I heard that "goose dinners" (four to a goose)
were provided at a farmhouse in the direction of Dittisham, at 2s. 6d.
per head. Beer, too, was provided, the effect of which led to its
discovery, and a more rigid institution of bounds. The cadets could
not land on the Kingswear side unless with an officer in charge, so on
Sunday afternoons I frequently got a lot to join me in a walk, which
they liked. In this way I got into closer conversation, and it is my
pleasant recollection of the boys generally that they were a
delightful lot of little chaps, with whom it was a pleasure to be
brought into contact. Fighting occasionally took place beside the
rocks in the field above the cricket ground. Permission was asked, and
if granted the fight was carried out in due form under the cadet
captains. I never heard of any bad result, though I am not sure that
it would not be better to try and avoid it.
"On January 24th, 1871, I took command of the _Dapper_. Occasionally
in the fine weather I took the senior classes outside the harbour and
cruised for the afternoon under sail. Dinner was served as we steamed
out, but any motion outside caused sea-sickness, which interfered with
the interest in the work. More often the _Dapper_ was employed in
going to Plymouth for stores, etc. Twice in my summer we had a general
picnic, to Slapton Lee and Salcombe Harbour; both were very
successful.
"During my time there was no bullying to speak of; the boys were
happy, and used to say they liked the _Britannia_ much better than
their former schools; the food, they all agreed was excellent."
The _Dapper_, alluded to above, was one of the old 60-horse-power
gunboats, built during the war in China, 1857 to 1860; she was rigged
as a barque for instructional purposes, but apparently was not very
freely used; and, indeed, a craft of that size and build would be so
exceedingly lively in the slightest approach to a sea-way, that
inexperienced lads would not be able to "lay out" on her small spars
with much advantage, or without a certain amount of danger.
[Illustration: THE "ARIADNE" DISASTER, MARCH 8, 1872 (_p. 91_).]
Her consort, the _Ariadne_--to which the officers and crew of the
_Bristol_ were turned over after a short time--was, however, a very
fine frigate, and performed good service as a sea-going training-ship,
making voyages to the Cape, Madeira, the Azores, etc., so that the
youngsters saw "blue water" in abundance, and even made old Neptune's
acquaintance in crossing the line. Those who served in her maintain
that she fulfilled her purpose admirably; and no one could doubt that,
after passing through the _Britannia_ and spending the best part of a
year at sea in this manner, a lad of ordinary capacity must be of
considerable value as an officer in his first regular man-of-war.
There was a very tragic incident during one of the _Ariadne's_ cruises
early in 1872. She was bound for the Mediterranean, and one morning,
while under sail off Cape Finisterre, the hands were turned up about
7 a.m. to reef topsails, the wind rising rapidly with an ugly sea. A
man fell overboard from the main-topgallant yard, and the second cutter,
a ten-oared boat, was immediately manned, as is customary under such
circumstances, at the davits, and, in spite of the heavy sea, was
safely lowered and pulled for the man, who had got hold of the
lifebuoy. Sub-Lieutenants Jukes and Talbot both sprang into the boat
when she was being manned, vying with each other in being first at the
post of danger. It was immediately decided to get up steam, which,
however, took three hours or more, and the cutter being compelled for
safety's sake to head the sea, while the ship drifted to leeward, they
were separated by about four miles by the time the ship commenced to
steam to windward.
As she neared the boat the latter was turned round in order to steer
alongside, and was immediately caught on the broadside by two heavy
seas, the first of which filled her with water, while the second
capsized her, all the crew being thrown out. Some got hold of oars,
while others held on to the boat.
The first cutter was immediately manned, Lieutenant Bromley and Mr.
Egerton, midshipman, jumping into her; but ill-luck attended this
attempt at a rescue, as the boat, when being lowered, was lifted by a
sea, and one tackle came unhooked, leaving her dangling by one end.
All managed, however, to get safely on board, except one seaman, who
was unfortunately drowned.
Meanwhile, men slung over the side were doing their utmost to get hold
of the crew of the second cutter, and everything handy that would
float was thrown to them; the ship, however, could not be kept up to
the wind, and dropped once more to leeward. Half an hour elapsed
before she could regain her position, and then it was quickly apparent
that only a few of the unfortunate crew of the cutter had been able to
hold on; two were clinging to the bottom of the boat and two or three
to the floating gear. The ship stopped close to windward and gradually
dropped down; the two men on the boat managed to get safely on board;
one man who had secured himself to two oars floated close to the stern
of the ship, and Mr. Ellis, boatswain, made a gallant attempt to save
him, going overboard with a rope round him. He seized the poor
fellow's flannel singlet, the only garment he had on, but the ship
lifted away from them, dragging both out of the water, the flannel,
alas! giving way, and the huge hull of the frigate, reeling back again
and plunging downwards, caught them both under the flat of the
counter. The gallant boatswain was dragged on board insensible, but
the man he had risked his life to save had disappeared.
The sad death-roll included the two sub-lieutenants and eight men from
the second cutter and one man from the first cutter, both boats being
lost.
Mr. Ellis had been specially promoted to boatswain for his coolness
and courage when the ill-fated _Captain_ went down, he being one of
the few who got on shore in the launch, steering the boat with great
skill in a heavy sea.
It is remarkable that at this period there were two sea-going training
ships for naval cadets, the _Trafalgar_--the same vessel which
escorted the _Britannia_ on her voyage to Portland in 1862--having
been commissioned in August, 1870, by Captain Thomas B. Lethbridge for
this purpose. She did not, however, make such long voyages as the
_Ariadne_, and her headquarters were at Portland. This vessel was
only kept going a short two years, for in June, 1872, she was paid
off, thus foreshadowing the subsequent disappearance of her consort, a
year later.
The _Ariadne_, of which Captain the Hon. W. C. Carpenter was in
command, with Commander Robert Woodward as his senior executive, was
abolished in 1873. On January 6th of that year a new Admiralty
circular was promulgated, containing some slight amendments in the
regulations with regard to naval cadets--among others, increasing the
maximum age on entry from 13 to 13-1/2 years--and a brief clause
cancelling the orders concerning a sea-going training-ship. The
_Ariadne_ completed her cruise and was paid off in the summer. It is
not easy to account for this apparent caprice on the part of the
authorities; it was not until considerably over twenty years
afterwards that sail instruction was finally abolished in the
_Britannia_, and many rigged vessels were in commission long after
1873.
There was a whisper at the time--to be accepted, perhaps, _cum grano
salis_--that a certain "sea lord," whose son had failed to negotiate
his final examination as cadet, had formed the opinion, on these
somewhat slender premisses, that the ship was "no good," and that he
was mainly instrumental in bringing about the change. This may be a
fabrication, but, on the other hand, it may be perfectly true; for it
is quite certain that stranger things than this have come to pass in
the "Navy trade," and at later dates than the 'seventies.
Mr. Inskip was succeeded as Chief Naval Instructor by Mr. Kempster
Knapp, who, however, did not hold the post very long, ill-health
compelling him to resign in 1875, and the appointment of his
successor, in April of that year, caused no small commotion among
naval instructors in the _Britannia_ and elsewhere.
For some reason the Admiralty decided to go outside the Service in
seeking a suitable man, and the gentleman selected for the post was
the Rev. J. C. P. Aldous, who had never had anything to do with the
Navy, and was a much younger man than some of those over whom he was
called upon to exercise a certain authority, and to whose advice and
guidance he had nevertheless to look in the discharge of his duties.
Whatever motive the authorities had for this unusual step, it might
very well have caused incalculable mischief; they must, however, be
accorded credit for considerable insight in their selection, for Mr.
A. C. Johnson, one of those over whose heads he was placed--the very
man, in fact, who might reasonably have expected promotion to the
post--writes thus of him:--"Fortunately, he was a man of estimable
character and good sense, so that there was little or no friction
between him and the naval instructors and others," which is at once a
generous appreciation and a high meed of praise to Mr. Aldous.
[Illustration: REV. J. C. P. ALDOUS.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Possibly the introduction of "new blood" in the naval instructor's
department was the outcome of an inquiry which was held in 1874. It is
not quite clear on whose representation the Admiralty took this step,
but an inquiry certainly took place by a committee appointed by the
Admiralty, and composed as follows:--
Rear-Admiral E. B. Rice.
Captain the Hon. W. C. Carpenter.
Rev. H. A. Morgan, M.A.
Captain Wm. Graham.
Rev. Osborne Gordon, B.D.
Geo. Busk, Esq., F.R.S., F.R.C.S.
Jas. Vaughan, Esq., R.N.
The Lords of the Admiralty addressed to each member of the committee
the following memorandum:--
A question has arisen as to whether the conditions under which
naval cadets are trained on board H.M.S. _Britannia_ are
favourable to their health and physical development. Their
lordships are desirous that this matter should be investigated by
a committee, and your attention is drawn to the following special
points:--
I. (_a_) The effect of confinement on board a stationary ship.
(_b_) Ventilation.
(_c_) Sleeping arrangements.
(_d_) Diet.
II. (_a_) The course of study as regards the subjects, the number of
hours, and the routine.
(_b_) The nature of the examinations, including that of entry.
Under I., heads _a_, _b_, _c_, _d_, the committee report most
favourably, and have no improvements to suggest, nor is this at all
surprising, since the number of entries had fallen from 131 in 1869 to
an average of 62 in the five following years, and there should
certainly have been no difficulty in providing adequate cubic space
and ventilation in the two large vessels for numbers not exceeding
100.
Under II., however, the committee have something to say. They consider
that the hours of study are by no means excessive, but they recommend
that the midday interval for dinner, etc., be increased from fifty
minutes to an hour and a quarter at least in summer, as it is
injurious to proceed to study so soon after a full meal. They consider
that the brains of the cadets are overtaxed more by the number of
subjects than by the length of hours, and recommend the abolition of
the following subjects of examination: Grammar, literature, history,
Scripture history, physical geography, physics, and the introduction
of Latin. A very drastic measure, and, with the exception of the
introduction of Latin, too utilitarian, perhaps, in its tendency as
compared with accepted ideas in schools of that period. A boy on
joining the _Britannia_ after a year or so of special study under a
"crammer" to enable him to pass the entry examination, certainly could
not be said to have even approximately completed his education in
general subjects.
[Illustration: MR. A. C. JOHNSON, NAVAL INSTRUCTOR.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
However, the committee had a still more important recommendation in
connection with examinations, for they held that the competitive
examination on entry was "hurtful to the boys and injurious to the
Service," and urged the substitution of a qualifying examination
forthwith.
Here they probably had the whole Service with them; for, as has been
pointed out, there could be no valid reason for the introduction of
competition in 1869, no one could seriously maintain that the most
suitable boys would be thereby obtained for the Service, and only one
witness has much to say for it, having been partly instrumental in
introducing it.
Before going to Dartmouth the committee visited the Royal Naval School
at New Cross, the Greenwich Hospital School, and Eton College, and
they found the physique of the cadets rather superior, age for age, to
that of the boys in these schools.
The head of the Naval Medical Department had evidently been making
strong representations about the _Britannia_, and his evidence is
rather that of a faddist who is determined that nothing can be right
about the ship or the place. Certain figures on which he had partially
based his objections were found to be erroneous, and this was pointed
out to him, but he stuck manfully to his guns notwithstanding.
The committee found that the cadets excel in manly sports, and more
than hold their own in cricket against school elevens of older boys.
Constant reference is made to the desirability of having a college on
shore, and most of the witnesses are in favour of it, while a few,
rather of the "old sea-dog" type, advocate sending boys straight to
sea without any previous training.
The recommendation of the committee is that the cadets spend three
years in the college, broken by two trips in a sea-going training
ship.
Their reason for recommending the introduction of Latin is that by
giving a few hours a week to it an intelligent boy, reasonably well
grounded on entry, would at the age of fifteen be able to read Cæsar,
Horace, and Virgil without effort, and that this would be a source of
pleasure to him in after years; but this appears to be a purely
academic and unpractical view; it might apply to a boy here and
there, but certainly not to the generality, and some better reason is
needed for its introduction.
One of the recommendations of the committee has been tardily adopted
in the last year or so, viz. the institution of a board by whom all
candidates should be approved before being permitted to undergo the
examination; they think that defects which are not discoverable by an
educational test might be patent to such a committee.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN THE HON. F. A. C. FOLEY.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Captain Foley, who was appointed in August, 1871, appears to have set
about improving the sanitary condition of the ship in a very thorough
fashion, and not before it was needed. By clearing out the ballast in
some places, and by a rearrangement of the structure of the bilges, he
had arrived at a very satisfactory result, which is highly approved by
the committee.
The seven or eight cadets who are examined are practically unanimous
in their views.
They found they were "seedy" after the strain of grinding for the
competitive examination, and felt very tired every day while it was
going on.
They were not tired or seedy on board the _Britannia_.
They preferred a hammock to a bed.
They did not like the idea of a college on shore.
They found the food very good, and liked the ship much better than
their former schools.
One of them was asked,
"How would you like to be put into a house on the top of that hill?"
"Not at all."
"You think you would feel like a schoolboy?"
"Yes."
"And now you feel like an officer in her Majesty's service?"
"Yes."
This question was put, no doubt, on account of the view, expressed by
two witnesses, that it was a bad thing to have a training ship, as the
boy's first acquaintance with a captain would place him, to them, in
the light of a schoolmaster; but this is surely a fantastic idea, and
one which no one who has been through the _Britannia_ would endorse.
"The captain" is always a distinct and novel personality to them,
while the naval instructor is as distinctly a schoolmaster.
The evidence of Admiral A. P. Ryder was very interesting. He was well
known in his time as a good mathematician, and his views in regard to
the examination papers were characteristic. He did not see anything in
them to frighten anybody, especially as many of the questions which
appeared difficult for boys of this age were in reality based on what
was learnt in the text-books in use.
The most instructive part of his evidence, however, was in connection
with the establishment and maintenance of a training ship or college.
He was of opinion that the need of a training institution of some kind
arose in great measure from the fact that, after the abolition of the
college course in 1837, a very large percentage of young officers came
to no good, either voluntarily or involuntarily leaving the Service;
and he quotes some of Mr. Inskip's figures in support of the view that
a very great improvement has ensued in this respect after the
institution of the _Illustrious_ and _Britannia_. Furthermore, he
related how, when he was private secretary to the First Lord--the Duke
of Somerset--in 1863, a letter was addressed to every captain then
serving, or who had been serving within six months, asking for their
opinions, as follows:--
Are you in favour of a naval educational establishment, or should
boys go straight to sea?
Thirty-nine were in favour of it, and two against it; thirteen did not
reply.
Shall it be on shore, or afloat?
The captains were only asked for a reply to this in case they had any
decided view; twenty-four were in favour of a college, and one only of
a ship: the remainder did not reply.
It will be realised from this that the fate of the _Britannia_ hung in
the balance in 1863; and it is quite probable that the Duke of
Somerset counted on an adverse decision, or at any rate on a majority
upon which he could act.
Several witnesses alleged that the cadets, when they went to sea, had
to begin at the beginning, both in seamanship and other subjects; and
this, no doubt, is what Mr. Inskip alludes to in his final remarks,
above quoted.
There is abundance of contrary evidence, however, in letters already
quoted; and the captains and naval instructors who had this experience
must surely have been exceptionally unfortunate in the youngsters sent
to them.
Dr. Woolley, late Director of Naval Education, stated that in 1868 the
examinations on board the _Britannia_, which had until then been
conducted by the staff of the ship, were undertaken by his department:
a far more satisfactory arrangement, one would imagine, for all
concerned. Dr. Woolley, while as reticent as the committee would
permit him to be, distinctly gave the impression that the examinations
failed in some degree as a true test, in consequence of the examiners
knowing too much about the capabilities of individuals; and though he
repeatedly disavowed any implication of unfairness, he pointed out,
with some show of justice, that where the answers to a paper were
below what might have been expected of the individual, there was a
tendency to give him a lift if possible.
This contention, though plausible on the surface, is, however, greatly
discounted by Mr. Inskip's figures, already quoted, which show that
the cadets retained their relative places in subsequent examinations
with quite remarkable regularity; and it is all to the credit of the
instructors on board the _Britannia_ that, although called upon to
conduct an important examination of their own pupils, they should have
arrived at a result so obviously just. The papers were, it is true,
distinguished only by numbers, the key to which was held by the
captain until the examination was over; but this would, in the
majority of instances, prove but a flimsy disguise.
He also made the somewhat disturbing statement that the discipline was
not satisfactory, and that a considerable number of cadets had
misbehaved, or wilfully done badly in the examinations, in order to
obtain their discharge from the Service.
The committee presented their report on October 6th, 1874, and in
February of the following year a new circular appeared, commendably
brief as compared with the last one of importance.
The whole machinery of competition is wiped out, and a qualifying test
substituted as follows:--
Marks.
Writing English legibly from dictation 100
Reading English intelligently, parsing, etc. 100
Arithmetic: Proportion, and vulgar and decimal fractions 200
Latin: reading, translating, and parsing, and to render
English into Latin 200
French: reading, translating, and parsing; or, as an
alternative, modern geography 100
Scripture history 100
---
Total 800
Four-tenths of the total marks to be obtained in each subject, 320
marks in the aggregate.
The recommendations of the committee bear fruit in the prominence
accorded to Latin; but they did not stipulate for the relegation of
French to the background, which is rather a surprising step,
considering the relative importance of the two languages to a naval
officer, who may not unfrequently find himself deputed to deliver
complimentary messages to the captain of a French ship. He may get
safely through the little sentence he has prepared, in which his
captain or admiral _fait ses compliments_, etc.; but when the
Frenchman replies, with the politeness and volubility characteristic
of his nationality, the British officer is more often than not at a
loss.
[Illustration: ROYAL GALLEY. PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR (DUKE OF CLARENCE)
COXSWAIN, PRINCE GEORGE (DUKE OF YORK) PORT BOW OAR.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
This being an undoubted fact--at least in those days--it scarcely
seems a wise policy to impress the young aspirant, hard at work with
his crammer, with the idea that he must "mug up" his Latin, but may
take geography instead of French, which "does not matter"!
However, there were the orders, signed by the permanent secretary, "by
command of their Lordships," and one can only marvel who it is that
engineers some of these curious circulars, which, while usually
inaugurating some beneficial innovations, almost invariably contain
others which any one who has any accurate knowledge of the necessities
of the case must inevitably condemn.
The recommendation of a college on shore, although no notice was taken
of it, apparently, at the time, bore fruit later on. A committee was
appointed in 1876, composed of the following gentlemen: Admiral George
G. Wellesley, Captain Charles T. Curme, Captain W. E. Gordon,
Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets Jas. Dornet, and Jno.
Sutherland, Esq., M.D., to ascertain the best site for a college.
In their report, dated November 30th, 1876, they state that they have
inspected possible sites at Milford Haven, Hayling Island, Westward
Ho, the Isle of Wight, Dartmouth, Southampton Water, and Poole. At the
last-named place a choice of three sites was very generously offered
by Sir Ivor Guest, the one selected to be a free gift to the nation;
but the committee did not find that they were able to recommend the
situation.
Finally, they selected Dartmouth as the most suitable in every
respect, and Southampton Water _proxime accessit_. Probably a very
fine site might have been found there, and it is a more bracing
situation than Dartmouth; but the long association of the _Britannia_
with the latter perhaps turned the scale in its favour.
The _Britannia_ attracted a good deal of attention in Parliament
during the 'seventies. There is a Parliamentary Paper called for in
1877, which gives a correspondence between Mr. Penry Lloyd, whose son
was in the _Britannia_ in 1876, the Admiralty, and the captain of the
_Britannia_.
From this it appears that, on December 16th, 1876, Captain Graham
wrote to Mr. Lloyd, informing him that the chief naval instructor
reported that his son, Cadet J. E. Lloyd, was idle and troublesome,
had very little ability, was worthless, and unfit to be an officer;
and he requested Mr. Lloyd therefore to remove his son from the ship.
This communication called forth an unexpected reply, Mr. Lloyd
declaring that he wished to withdraw his son, but that he first
demanded an inquiry into sundry charges preferred by the latter
against certain cadets, who, it was alleged, had cruelly bullied him,
and so hindered him thereby in his studies that he was unable to
pursue them to advantage.
One cadet, it was stated, compelled young Lloyd to sing in the
messroom, contrary to regulations, whereby he incurred punishment;
another kicked and knocked him down without provocation; and on more
than one occasion he was compelled to give up his pocket money under
threats of personal violence. His fear of being beaten by the cadets
was greater than his fear of punishment by the authorities, etc.
Captain Graham replies that he and his officers will investigate the
matter when the cadets return from leave.
Eventually, however, the Admiralty appointed a committee, presided
over by Admiral Willes, to inquire into the matter, on board the
_Britannia_, with the result that Mr. Lloyd was informed that there
was not sufficient ground for these charges. He applied for the
minutes of the inquiry, and was refused; but the Admiralty upheld him
in deprecating the application of the term "worthless" to his son, in
Captain Graham's first letter.
There appears to be little doubt that there was some bullying of a
somewhat gross nature at this time; like all other large schools, the
_Britannia_ has suffered from occasional outbreaks of this kind,
probably instigated as a rule by one or two big boys; and as the small
boys are afraid to report it, there is often some difficulty in
convicting the culprits.
On June 18th, 1877, an attack was made by Mr. Shaw Lefevre in the
House of Commons on the regulations of 1875, when, as has been
described, competition was abolished as a result of the report of the
committee.
[Illustration: THE ROYAL CADETS AT SEAMANSHIP.
_Photo: W. & D. Downey, Ebury St., S.W._]
This gentleman maintained that the substitution of a test examination
for competition was an unmixed evil; that a far better class of boys
was obtained under the latter system: and quoted Lord Macaulay, who
held that competition automatically preserves a high standard.
Mr. Childers, supporting Mr. Shaw Lefevre, said that when he became
First Lord of the Admiralty (in 1869) his predecessor, Mr. Corry,
urged him to reform the _Britannia_, which he thought was in a bad
state; and Mr. Childers further states that, although competition was
abolished on the recommendation of the committee of 1874, ten of the
witnesses were in favour of competition, and only three against it;
which is certainly not borne out by the report.
[Illustration: PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Mr. Ward Hunt, the First Lord, in replying, admitted that the test, as
first laid down, was too easy, but it had since been made rather more
stringent. He does not, however, give any reason for doing away with
competition, other than on the score of injurious brain work; but
probably Admiral Sir A. Cooper Key's remark when before the Commission
sums up the matter pretty correctly; he says that he disapproves of
competition for boys so young, but, as the number of applications
exceeds so greatly the number of vacancies, he thinks it is
inevitable.
Mr. Shaw Lefevre's amendment was negatived on a division, but only by
41 in a house of 301; showing thereby that competition had a goodly
number of supporters.
In January, 1877, the Prince of Wales's two sons, Prince Edward--then
known as Prince Albert Victor--and Prince George, joined the
_Britannia_. They had special quarters allotted to them, but in other
respects they were "in the same boat" with the remainder of the
cadets, to whom they were a source of much interest. The "divinity
that doth hedge a king," or its equivalent in the case of a prince, is
considerably discounted among a lot of boys, and the two Royal cadets
often found themselves the target of endless interrogations, resulting
from the curiosity of their shipmates.
"I say, how do you like being a Prince?" "What do you do when you're
at home?" "Do you ever get licked?" and so on.
Prince Edward, having recently recovered from a severe illness, and
not being really intended for the Navy, was left to do pretty much as
he pleased in the matter of study, etc. He was sent to the _Britannia_
principally with the object of benefiting by the change and healthy
outdoor life.
Prince George, however, went through all the work, and the impression
he produced was that he was a sharp lad, and, though very backward on
joining, turned to with a will, and passed out very creditably. He
used to tell the seamanship instructors not to bother about his
brother, who was not going to sea, but to devote their attention to
him.
[Illustration: PRINCE GEORGE.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
In the summer of 1878 the Prince and Princess of Wales visited the
_Britannia_, and distributed the prizes.
During the last year or two of the 'seventies the _Britannia_ owed a
good deal to Lieutenant (now Captain, retired) Guy Mainwaring, who
joined as first lieutenant in 1878.
It was at his suggestion that the custom was inaugurated of having two
photographs taken of each term, on leaving the ship: one of the
captains, and the other of the remainder of the term, to be framed and
kept on board as a record. This practice has been continued ever
since, and an interesting series of groups has now accumulated, some
of which are reproduced in this book. In the pioneer group, taken at
his instigation, Lieutenant Mainwaring himself figures, seated on the
gunwale of one of the gigs, with the passing-out cadet captains round
him.
[Illustration: "JIM THE PIONEER'S" GRAVE.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
A far more important institution, of which he was the founder, is the
pack of beagles. Being blessed with a good deal of energy and of
sporting instinct, Lieutenant Mainwaring was the first to make any
effort in this direction. It is astonishing how keen naval men are on
following beagles when they get the chance.
The Gosport and Fareham Pack in bygone days--and, it is to be hoped,
at the present time--used to be followed by quite a crowd of sailors;
captains, commanders, lieutenants and sub-lieutenants, to say nothing
of athletic paymasters and surgeons, all vying with each other for the
front rank, and all returning in the afternoon, caked with mud and
exceedingly cheerful, especially those happy ones who had succeeded in
"pounding" their dearest chums at a muddy ditch, or had glanced back
to see the said chums, not to be daunted, make a futile jump into
tenacious mud, and draw out their legs with a sound as of cork
extraction.
[Illustration: LIEUTENANT MAINWARING AND CADET CAPTAINS.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Lieutenant Mainwaring, deeming it a drawback that the youngsters in
the _Britannia_ should be deprived of these joys, proceeded to
negotiate for the nucleus of a pack, and succeeded in obtaining as a
start two and a half couples of fourteen-inch hounds, from the kennels
of the late Mr. Thomas Cartlich, of Woore, Staffordshire; these were
supplemented by the ship's terrier, "Jim," and they commenced in a
humble way by "drag" hunts, varied by badgers, when available, sent by
neighbours and friends from the numerous "earths" in South Devonshire.
This began in the winter of 1878-9, and before long another couple was
presented by Admiral Stokes, who hunted a pack of beagles in South
Wales. Another addition was a hound bought from the Home for Lost
Dogs, at Battersea, and consequently named "Homeless"; and in three
years, with incidental additions and breeding, the pack numbered
twelve and a half couples, and was firmly established as an asset of
the ship, under the recognition of, and eventually subsidised by, the
Admiralty.
The kennels were at first by the racquet court, but this was found to
be a bad situation from a sanitary point of view, and lacking
sunshine, so they were subsequently transferred, on a much more
ambitious scale, to their present site on the lower edge of the
cricket ground; and there, as you pass, you are greeted by the voices,
at present, of some two and twenty couples of lively little hounds,
tumbling over one another inside a wire enclosure.
They are under the especial care and patronage of the commander, and
it is an interesting fact, illustrative of the zeal with which this
unusual duty, for a sailor, is performed, that when he was expecting a
guest to dinner one summer evening the commander did not arrive on
board until the hour had struck, having been detained by an
"interesting event" at the kennels, of which he felt himself bound to
witness the happy consummation!
"Jim," the pioneer of the pack, died in 1886, full of years and
honours, and was accorded a tombstone under the shadow of the racquet
courts;
And there it stands unto this day,
To witness if I lie.
The officers and cadets, to say nothing of the farmers and others in
the vicinity, have enjoyed many a good run since those days, and an
annual "hunt breakfast" has been established. The landowners have been
very generous in affording every facility for sport, and at the hunt
breakfast they always declare that the privilege has never been
abused, which is in itself phenomenal as an admission on the part of
the landowners, and also a tribute to the sportsmanlike spirit of the
cadets. We may hear more about the beagles later on.
The earliest book of regulations extant on board the _Britannia_ was
printed in 1873, but is brought up by manuscript emendations to 1876.
It would obviously be too tedious to transcribe these in detail, but
some of the more interesting points may be touched upon here, while
the cadets' routine, and other matters without which this story could
not be considered complete, will be found in the Appendix.
The regulations, which are the outcome of past experience extending
over nearly twenty years, cover every conceivable point of discipline,
instruction, recreation, leave of absence, sickness, etc.
The officer of the day--one of the lieutenants--is the person chiefly
responsible to the captain for the due performance of all routine
duties and the maintenance of discipline, except in the studies, which
are under the chief naval instructor, who reports direct to the
captain any irregularities in his department.
The officer of the day has, among other things, to turn out at 5.30
a.m. and see that cadets under punishment are present--these unlucky
ones having to stand one hour between decks before the usual time of
turning out--also to receive reports, investigate complaints, attend
while the cadets are bathing, from the shore, see that they do not
land if the weather is bad, and that they change their clothes if they
come on board wet. He has, furthermore, the responsibility of seeing
that only third and fourth term cadets use the sailing cutters, that
they do not go out in squally weather, and that they are recalled if
it turn out squally afterwards. In a landlocked harbour such as
Dartmouth very fierce squalls may come down if the wind rises
suddenly.
The cadet captains and chief captains have to assist their superiors
in maintaining discipline; as the difference in age is not great, it
has always been a somewhat difficult matter to get them to do their
duty, especially if it entails reporting another cadet. One or two
were asked, when giving evidence before the committee in 1874, whether
they had ever reported a cadet, and the reply was always in the
negative. Still, they are useful in many ways, for mustering and so
on, and some are found with that natural aptitude for command, which,
like the gift of poesy, _nascitur non fit_.
In 1876, however, and for a good many years afterwards, the cadets'
corporals had so large a share in the discipline that the captains did
not come in very much. The cadets before the committee were unanimous
as to their dislike of the corporals, though it must be acknowledged
that they had no very definite reasons to adduce. At this time a
"cadet sergeant-major" had taken the place of the master-at-arms,
probably with beneficial results, for a soldier is a more
"understanding" sort of man in such a position, and would know how to
assert his authority with tact and discretion.
The regulations for the cadets were such as would exist in any
schools, substituting seafaring words where necessary. They received
one shilling per week pocket-money--the captains and chief captains
two shillings and half-a-crown respectively--and were not allowed to
have in their possession at one time a larger sum than ten shillings;
nor were they permitted to receive parcels containing eatables, or to
bring sweets, fruit, etc., on board when returning from leave.
Those who recollect the earlier days of the _Britannia_ will
understand how this prohibition arose. Cadets were allowed at that
time to receive "hampers" from home, and of course the lucky recipient
felt bound to share the good things with his friends. The offer was
usually delicately couched in the words, "Bring your plate to my table
at tea," and as there were frequently a good many hampers, with a
circle of chums to each owner, there was a great deal of running about
the messroom at tea-time, also some jealousy and searchings of heart.
Some lads who were general favourites might be seen visiting three or
four tables, returning with their plates heaped with a curious
assortment of jam, sardines, potted meat, cakes, etc., all elbowing
each other in one indigestible conglomeration--if, indeed, anything is
not digestible by a naval cadet. No doubt the confusion to which this
practice gave rise was the chief reason for its suppression.
[Illustration: A CLASS AT THE SEAMANSHIP INSTRUCTION MODEL.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Bullying or annoying other cadets is laid down as one of the most
serious offences that can be committed, and subject to the most severe
punishment.
The heaviest punishment was reduction to the third class for conduct.
Cadets under this penalty wore a white stripe on each arm and were
obliged to conform to the following rules:--
Get up at 6 a.m. in winter and 5 a.m. in summer, and half an hour
later fall in and drill until prayer time (8 o'clock).
Stand apart from other cadets at all musters.
One and a quarter hour's drill every afternoon; leave stopped,
except one hour on shore under charge of a corporal.
Stand on the middle deck one hour after evening prayers.
Alternate days in cell, on bread and water; other days to take
their meals at cockpit mess table. Not allowed soup, beer, or
second course.
To sit on a stool between decks when not in the cell, and kneel
apart at prayers.
This is a pretty hard programme for a boy, and could, of course, only
be prescribed by the captain, for six days as a maximum.
Second class for conduct was of a similar nature, but with
considerable modifications. A white stripe had to be worn on the left
arm; no cell or bread-and-water diet was involved, and a second-class
table in the messroom took the place of cockpit mess; the same
restrictions as to soup, beer, and second course. This could be
imposed for from seven to fourteen days.
There is a manuscript note in this book to the following effect:--
"When reduction to second or third class seems to be non-effective
with troublesome cadets, caning over the breech has been tried and
found most beneficial."
On a cadet being reduced to the second or third class, the fact was
reported to his parents or guardians.
Another captain's punishment was cockpit mess, which was the same as
third class, but no stripes were worn. One day in cell on bread and
water; dry bread for breakfast and tea, and other restrictions of diet
the same; limit, three days.
Then, again, there was No. 4, which involved six days' extra drill,
leave stopped--except the penitential hour's march with a
corporal--turn out one hour earlier, stand on deck one hour after
evening prayers, and one week's pocket-money stopped.
Finally, an offender was liable to be "admonished by the captain,"
which, though not an actual punishment, was duly recorded, and that
cadet would not interview the captain as cheaply a second time.
The commander's punishments include: Copying the regulation broken,
turning out one hour sooner, extra drill, standing on middle deck one
hour after prayers, messing at defaulters' table (on reduced diet),
confined to the cricket field, stoppage of leave.
Serious offences were not very common, and during the whole period
since the training ship was first instituted there has not been a
single instance of anything like concerted insubordinate action, such
as may be found in the history of a large number of schools.
The health regulations include, as might be expected, vigorous
measures against the introduction of contagious diseases from outside,
especially when the cadets are returning from leave.
One precaution of a decidedly drastic nature is prescribed in this
book of 1876:--
On the return of the cadets from leave the whole of their clothes
and bedding are disinfected; the cadets themselves are also
marched by terms into the bathroom of the _Britannia_, which for a
time is made into a sulphur room for disinfecting, and they remain
in from five to ten minutes.
This clause is in manuscript, and does not appear in the next edition
of regulations, so it was presumably deemed to be ill-advised; and no
wonder. Imagine forty or fifty lads crammed into the bathroom,
coughing and choking with sulphur fumes!
The officers who commanded the _Britannia_ during the 'seventies were
as follow:--
Captain John Corbett, appointed September 19th, 1867. (He held the
appointment for nearly four years, but this is unusual.)
Captain the Hon. F. A. C. Foley, appointed August 31st, 1871.
Captain William Graham, appointed August 31st, 1874.
Captain Henry Fairfax, appointed August 31st, 1877.
The total number of cadets entered during this decade was 731, who
are accounted for as follows:--
ACTIVE LIST.
Captains, 100; commanders, 162; lieutenants, 50.
RETIRED LIST.
Captains, 11; commanders, 38; lieutenants, 28.
thus leaving 339, or 46 per cent., to be reckoned as dead or removed
from the Navy List.
CHAPTER VI.
THE "BRITANNIA" IN THE 'EIGHTIES.
Competition Reintroduced--Reduction of Numbers--A Ferocious
Examination--The _Britannia_ in the _Times_--"Rule of Thumb"
Instruction--"Fire" and "Sword"--"Veritas" at Sea--The _Britannia
Magazine_--Editorial Introduction--The Politics of Naval
Cadets--Editorial Difficulties--A Questionable Pseudonym--Popular
Advertisements--The _Wave_--A True Prediction--An Original Poem--Jones
Takes a Lesson to Heart--The _Wave's_ Holiday Trip--A Warning to
the Reckless--"First Catch Your Cadet!"--Ambulance Lessons--How to
Tell a Toadstool--The Electric Light--Another Committee--It Makes
Recommendations--Also Suggestions--Very Unpractical--Captains in the
'Eighties--Statistical Results--A Rapid Rise.
This period of our story commences with a considerable reduction in
the number of entries; and, as was the case in 1870, this reduction
coincides with the introduction of competition, but with more rigorous
conditions, both with respect to the proportion of nominations to
entries and the nature of the examination.
The test examination had already been made more stringent, as stated
by Mr. Ward Hunt in the House of Commons, the total number of marks
being 1,200, and French a compulsory subject, to the exclusion of
geography; indeed, the farce of minimising the importance of the
former did not long survive. The number of marks necessary for passing
had been augmented, six-tenths, or 720 in the aggregate, being laid
down as a minimum, which is a pretty strict test.
However, it being considered necessary, apparently, to reduce the
entries, a new circular appeared, in January, 1881, of which the
principal conditions were as follow:--
Appointments to naval cadetships to be made by limited
competition, except four annually to sons of gentlemen in the
Colonies, and five Service nominations, selected by the Admiralty
from sons of officers of the Army, Navy, and Royal Marines who
have been killed in action, lost at sea, killed on duty, or died
within six months of injuries received in action or on duty.
These cadets will be admitted on passing the preliminary
examination, as detailed below.
Except in special circumstances, only _one-third_ of those
nominated will be entered.
Limits of age on passing, 12 to 13-1/2.
The preliminary examination will be as follows:--
Arithmetic, to proportion and vulgar and decimal
fractions 200
Geometry, definitions, etc., and 26 propositions
first book of Euclid 200
Algebra, to fractions and simple equations 200
Dictation 100
Reading English intelligently 100
French: reading, translating, etc. (with dictionary) 200
Scripture history 100
----
1,100
Candidates must obtain four-tenths of full numbers in each
subject, and may then select two out of the following subjects:--
Miscellaneous questions in arithmetic, algebra
(including quadratic equations) and Euclid,
the whole of the first book 300
Latin 300
Geography and English history 300
The Colonial and Service cadets must obtain 600 in the preliminary
examination.
This is not an excessively severe examination, especially as the
latter half of the first book of Euclid, and the quadratic
equations--at neither of which are boys of this age usually
strong--can be discarded; but to deliberately nominate three times as
many lads as are to be entered appears inexcusable, not to say cruel.
However, much worse was in store, for in March, 1882, yet another
circular was promulgated, in which it was laid down that the
examination was to be held by the Civil Service Commissioners; and in
May, 1887, the ideas of these gentlemen have apparently been adopted,
and an examination of absolutely ferocious severity is prescribed:--
Arithmetic: proportion, vulgar and decimal fractions 250
Algebra: fractions, simple equations with problems,
and quadratic equations 200
Geometry: first book of Euclid, with exercises and
questions 200
English: reading, writing, dictation, composition 150
French: translating both ways, questions on grammar,
speaking, dictation (no dictionary) 250
Scripture 100
Half marks to be obtained in arithmetic, and four-tenths in other
subjects.
FURTHER EXAMINATION.
Mathematics, harder questions 300
Latin: translation, grammar, prose composition (no
dictionary allowed) 300
Geography, based on Grove's Primer 150
English history, a selected period 150
Drawing: freehand and rectangular model 100
This for boys of an average age, under thirteen! What benefit to the
Service was likely to result from such measures it is not easy to
perceive; and their unpractical nature was evidently speedily
realised, for two months later came fresh regulations, altering the
limits of age from 12-1/2 to 14, and subsequently 13 to 14-1/2,
abolishing quadratic equations, the latter half of the first book of
Euclid, and exercises thereon, and allowing a dictionary for French
and Latin.
These regulations had, however, scarcely been in operation for twelve
months before another alteration was made--a circular dated June,
1888, reintroducing the harder examination of May, 1887.
There may have appeared to be some good cause at the time for these
extraordinary vicissitudes, but it is difficult to trace them at the
present day.
Naval education appears to have attracted a good deal of attention in
1882, for several letters and a long article are to be found in the
_Times_ on the subject.
[Illustration: THE "BRITANNIA" AND THE "HINDOSTAN." CADET RACQUET
COURTS IN FOREGROUND.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
In January of that year a writer, over the signature of "E. E. Bowen,"
deprecates the early age at which boys are subjected to competitive
examination (then recently introduced for the second time); and in
April, "Flag Officer" writes in reply to a suggestion from some
quarter that cadets should not be entered until the age of 16, and
then go straight to sea. After pointing out that they could not then
have sufficient time to qualify for lieutenant at 19, he goes on to
say that complaints are made of the inappropriateness of the subjects
taught in the _Britannia_. These, he says, should include rigging,
from the lower masts upward, stowage of holds and magazines, laying
out anchors, steam, a little gunnery, and, as a matter of course,
navigation, geography, and drawing. This officer is evidently a
"Collegian" of the old days, under Inman, for he refers to what they
learnt in 1824 and 1825. In conclusion, he says, "No, sir, let us keep
the education in our own hands; we know better than any schoolmaster
what we want."
An article in the _Times_ of August 12th, 1882, condemns the whole
system pretty severely; says that the subjects taught in the
_Britannia_ are not properly learnt, and that navigation is taught
entirely by "rule of thumb" without knowledge of the principles which
govern it. The writer quotes Professor Laughton in support of his
views, as having said, in a lecture at the Royal United Service
Institution, that any lad of 16 with an adequate knowledge of
mathematics would learn more navigation in a month than the "poor
little fellows" in the _Britannia_ learn in two years.
Well, there are some men who are regarded as authorities in these
matters, quite in favour of "rule-of-thumb" navigation, and gunnery
also; and if a boy--or a man, either, for that matter--can take and
work his sights accurately, and make a straight shot from a gun, it
really is not of much consequence whether or not he is well versed in
spherical trigonometry or ballistics. It is a fact, however, that
cadets in the _Britannia_, in the times of Captain Harris and Mr.
Inskip, did learn, in considerably less than two years, to work a
day's work, and the ordinary sights usually required in navigation,
with facility; and also got a pretty accurate idea of the theory. They
could, for instance, draw a diagram illustrative of the working of a
chronometer, a meridian altitude, or an amplitude, show what sort of
spherical triangle was involved, and state the rule for its solution.
If this could not be done in the _Britannia_ in 1882, there would
appear to have been a sad decadence.
Some light is cast upon the introduction of competition in 1881 by a
naval instructor who was there at the time. He says that an idea
prevailed at the Admiralty that the test examination did not supply
boys who were capable of successfully negotiating the exceptionally
difficult papers set for boys in the third and fourth terms. There
were two examiners who were noted for their hard and crochety papers,
and who, moreover, were known to have stated their intention of
cutting down the first classes; in which laudable endeavour they
succeeded to the extent of reducing the proportion of "firsts" from 30
to 10 per cent., and were known on board the ship by the nicknames of
"Fire" and "Sword."
This reduction of first classes aroused alarm at the Admiralty, and
was, it is said, largely instrumental in procuring the change from
test examinations to competition.
In the _Times_ of August 24th, 1887, there is a letter over the
signature "Veritas," in which the writer compares the cost per head
per annum in the _Britannia_ with that of the Naval Engineer Training
Schools at Portsmouth and Devonport. An engineer student, according to
this gentleman, cost the Government about £54 per annum, while a cadet
cost £95; and, moreover, the engineer students, he contends, were able
to do useful work in the fitting shops, etc., and so saved the
Government something in this way. The expense of the _Britannia_ is,
he says, incurred in teaching the cadets "knots and splices," and the
"now almost obsolete art of seamanship." It is to be feared that the
_nom de plume_ which this writer assumes is scarcely justified by such
an assertion, as the following details of the curriculum on board the
_Britannia_ at this time demonstrate pretty clearly:--
SUBJECTS TAUGHT.
Arithmetic.
Euclid.
Navigation and nautical astronomy.
Spherical trigonometry (theoretical).
Spherical trigonometry (practical).
Charts.
Steam.
Drawing (model and freehand).
Algebra.
Plane trigonometry (theoretical).
Plane trigonometry (practical).
English.
Use of instruments.
Natural philosophy.
French.
Drawing (mechanical).
Seamanship.
Too many subjects, perhaps; but certainly not seamanship to the
exclusion of all else, as is clearly implied by "Veritas." Moreover,
the art of seamanship--_i.e._ of handling a ship on all occasions to
the best advantage--can never become obsolete so long as there are
ships afloat; it may change its nature, and the consequent
requirements of a good seaman, who is still, however, _par
excellence_, the man who can efficiently manage the ship or boat
committed to his charge.
There are some who should know better than "Veritas"--as, for
instance, Captain (now Admiral) Fitzgerald--who at this very time
complained that seamanship was too much sacrificed in the _Britannia_
to a multiplicity of other subjects.
However, it is time to drop this more or less academic discussion, and
see how the general story goes on in the 'eighties.
One of the most important events was the establishment of the
_Britannia Magazine_, in February, 1884, and its _raison d'être_,
together with the hopes and fears of the editor, are clearly set forth
in the opening article as follows:--
We are going to have a magazine. Certainly! Every flourishing body
has its organ. We have opinions far too good to be limited to
sanctuary chairs, far too noble to be confined to the narrow
limits of the messroom. Why should we not bring them out to the
world?
But first, who will read our magazine? The fellows! Yes, of
course, we expect every cadet to have a copy, even if it means one
visit less to a certain pink house. The officers? Yes, perhaps, if
we do not write about them. Some of the fellows at sea? Yes, we
hope so, if there is plenty about the games, boats, and beagles.
Parents, brothers and sisters? Yes, we should not wonder; but
perhaps for that we ought to put in every fellow's name as very
much distinguished for something, as the family will not care for
the number in which "Bobbie's" name does not appear.
And who are to be our writers? Why, ourselves, of course. We want
to write, and hope we shall not be considered too ambitious. But
if some of our officers will help us with one of the yarns they
occasionally spin, we shall be only too glad to print it. It will
give an air of respectability to our efforts.
At the same time, we would ask the kind indulgence of our readers,
our elder readers, and our officers. Boys will be boys, and we
hope our seniors will remember that we are only boys, and that
our magazine is written for boys. Though they may very likely
think most of it weak, still we ask them not to be too hard upon
us, nor to run our paper down too mercilessly:
"Be to our faults a little blind."
True, there are plenty of other papers, but we want one for
ourselves. And if our correspondents were not using their pens for
us, they would probably be cowering over a lantern reading a
novel; or their spirits, instead of leaking through their pens,
might be after some perilous skylarking. If they find our magazine
too feeble altogether for their taste, we would ask them to help
us with an occasional article, and so to raise our standard of
literature, and help us to improve our writing.
[Illustration: A BEAGLE MEET.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Well, then, what will our paper be filled with? There will be
news, of course--plenty of it, and of the best kind. No murders
and horrors--that is not news--but reports of games, racket
matches, runs with the beagles, sports of all kinds; authentic
reports, where the right fellows win, not the people that the
reporters choose to make win the day after. What we want to know
and remember is which watch is the strongest, who plays the best
hand at rackets, makes the biggest score at cricket, and is in at
the kill.
There is not a school in England that has such a variety of
sports. Why, we want a whole _Bell's Life_ to ourselves. We thank
the newspapers very much for occasionally noticing our athletics
and our regattas. We want to see them in full. The news may be of
merely personal interest, but that is just what we want. This is
_our_ magazine!
But, of course, we must have some politics. Boys are hot
politicians. We don't care about long debates in Parliament, but
we can tell you who is right and who is wrong. We know that well
enough. Our line of politics may be described as strongly _loyal_;
it is our duty, of course, to support the Government of the time,
because they support us. But--well, murder will out--boys always
were Conservatives. They can't help it. They are made so. We know
that you, at any rate, Mr. Gladstone, will pardon us graciously
when we say, as we must, that the sooner the great Conservative
reaction takes place the better we shall be pleased.
[Illustration: THE KENNEL.
_Photo: W. M. Crockett, Plymouth._]
In such fashion is the _Britannia Magazine_ introduced to its public.
The editorial arrangements are probably unique, the commander, and
subsequently one of the lieutenants, being editor _ex officio_.
Sometimes an individual of a literary turn of mind would join the
ship, and take it on for the pure joy of scribbling; but this only
made the difficulty of obtaining volunteers more apparent when he
left. It was, in fact, the old story: everybody likes to read a light
and amusing periodical, but few care about assisting to run it,
unless, of course, there are emoluments attached to the office; so the
purely honorary editor had the onus of selecting the most suitable
compositions presented for each number; and sometimes, like Oliver
Twist, he had to ask for more; while of him was expected an able and
well-written summary of news, etc., every time.
On some occasions he was compelled to have recourse to the
time-honoured subterfuge of devoting considerable space to a wail over
the dearth of material; a process which does not bear repeating too
frequently. Some people always commence their letters in this fashion,
and get comfortably over the first page before they start, as it were.
One always looks with some suspicion--such is the frailty of editorial
and other samples of human nature!--on an item headed "a positive
fact"; or, still worse, with an asterisk, and "fact" tersely inserted
as a footnote.
The following appears with these credentials in the _Britannia
Magazine_:--
Two countrymen were heard discussing a cadet who was swaggering in
his brand-new uniform: "What is he, Bill?" "Don't you know? 'E's
the new telegraph boy!" (Exit cadet.)
This may be capped by another story--of equally unimpeachable
veracity, of course--of a cadet who, many years ago, was making a
journey in his uniform. A discussion arose between two of his
fellow-passengers on some more or less technical point concerning
railways; and, to the young hero's surprise, it was referred to him.
His audience appeared to be both surprised and grieved at his
professed ignorance on the subject, and ventured a remonstrance: "Why,
you're one of 'em, ain't you?" (No exit available.)
Whether a naval cadet would prefer being taken for a telegraph boy or
a railway porter is an interesting question, which might with
advantage be propounded in the magazine.
One of the earliest contributors was a "new," who describes his first
night on board, as follows:--
Sir,--I came on board about 7 p.m., in a small steam pinnace,
with thirty-two others, on the 25th January, 1884. The first thing
to be done was to get ready for mess. After falling down a
hatchway, and jamming my fingers in the lid of my chest, I went
down to the messroom, but not before I had somehow got muddled and
gone into an officer's cabin, as I thought (I found out afterwards
that it was the barber's shop), out of which I retreated, not
daring to look whether its occupant was there, expecting in all
probability the nearest movable object hurled at my head. After
mess there was not much to do except pace the deck and ask fellows
their names (which was not unfrequently answered by "What's
yours?"). When the bugle sounded we had to turn in; but I found
that getting into a hammock for the first time is not one of the
easiest things, and after several vague attempts, which generally
ended in getting in at one side and out at the other, I was at
last helped in by my servant; and when once in, dare not move in
case I should be capsized. After we had turned in about a quarter
of an hour the next fellow to me began to swing most violently,
which swung me also, and in the fray my pillow fell down; and I
decided that it was safer to do without, as I was told that I
should not get helped in again. Shortly after this I fell asleep;
and as this little history is only about my first night, I must
end at sleep.
New.
[Illustration: CADET MESSROOM.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
It is sad to be compelled to say that this pseudonym cannot be
accepted as genuine. Observe, that the writer represents himself as
arriving on January 25th, so that in February, when the first number
was published, he would, in the parlance of former days, have been a
"cheeky new fellow," and it is extremely improbable that any cadet in
that humble position would venture upon so bold a step as a
contribution to the magazine. And as to "pacing the deck and asking
fellows their names"; shade of Marryat! What would happen to a "new"
who so presumed?
Furthermore, the writer's familiarity with steam pinnaces and
hatchways is not altogether compatible with "newdom." No doubt he
enclosed his card to the editor, "not necessarily for publication, but
as a guarantee of good faith"; but we are all well aware of the heroic
inviolability of editors under these circumstances, and a team of wild
horses would probably prove quite futile.
The following is a specimen of the style of advertisement inserted for
the special delectation and advantage of "news":--
Stodge! Stodgers!! Stodged!!! In the magnificent and capacious
shop kept by Cadet Corporal Baker, amongst a large and
miscellaneous assortment of sweets, the following will be found
delicious:--
Yellow and pink snakes, warranted to last the most experienced
sucker half an hour, and to give him an awful stomach-ache, all of
which enjoyment can be obtained for the ridiculously small sum of
one halfpenny!
Manila cigars.--These will be found extremely mild, and there is
not the slightest danger of the most utter novice in the noble art
of smoking being turned up; and there is also the subtle delight
of greening the cadet corporals that you are smoking. The cost is
one-eighth of a penny, but they are retailed at a halfpenny.
The grammar of the last "par" cannot be commended; the writer is weak
in the matter of conjunctions. But one must not be hypercritical over
advertisements.
In May, 1884, the _Wave_, a small barque-rigged vessel of about 300
tons, and 250 horse-power, arrived to take the place of the ancient
_Dapper_, before alluded to. She was not much larger than her
predecessor, but had considerably more steaming power, and was of
finer dimensions. She was afterwards relegated to steam instruction
only, but when first instituted was designed for instruction in
working yards, masts, and sails, tacking and wearing ship, steering,
use of log and lead, etc.
"The poor old _Dapper_," says the _Britannia Magazine_ of this date,
"looks very sad in winter garb alongside her new sister, who has taken
all the life from her, and we suppose her funeral is not far off."
There is another paragraph concerning the arrival of the _Wave_, which
hints, in the most delicate and refined manner, at certain
possibilities:--
"The _Wave_ has really started at last, and now we shall all have to
order basins, or else have her commander foul of us when we are at
sea, and the ship's side is nicely polished."
This foreshadowing was, as we shall see, only too literally fulfilled.
The magazine was frequently made the publishing medium of verses, the
authorship of which is usually religiously veiled; youthful poets are
proverbially shy, and prefer to blush unseen. The following is the
pioneer poem:--
YE MIDDLE WATCHE RELIEFE.
Rouse him out at dead of night,
Take away his bedclothes,
Shove his head from left to right,
Hit him on his red nose.
Tug his hair and pull his ear;
Whisper to him, "Zounds, sir!
Come, turn out now! don't you hear?
Or I will let you down, sir!"
Ease away his foremost clews,
Round his hammock wander,
Tell him gently the (false) news,
"Here is the commander!"
See him start and ope his eye,
Eye that hath no vision;
Watch the sentry standing by
Laughing in derision.
Seize him smartly by the neck,
Turn his hammock over;
Leave him there upon the deck,
He will soon recover.
Lash him round the arms in time,
Douse him well with water.
Should he still to sleep incline,
Haul the lashing tauter.
Should this treatment not succeed,
Take no further bother;
Go and seek the rest you need;
Turn thou in, my brother!
The moral--that the midshipman of the preceding watch should turn in
without being duly relieved--is questionable; but the hypothetical
conditions under which he is ultimately recommended to adopt this
course are certainly exceptional. No one could, with any show of
justice, accuse him of having failed to make use of every legitimate
device to rouse his relief!
Contributions were invited, as has been hinted in the editorial
preface, from fellows who have gone to sea; and one of these avails
himself of the opportunity to draw a comparison between his reception
on board his first sea-going ship and that usually accorded to a fresh
arrival on board the _Britannia_; considerably to the detriment of the
latter.
He presented himself, in fear and trembling, on a cold and wet
evening, to the officer of the watch, who received him with great
courtesy: "Oh, you must be Jones? Come and report yourself to the
first lieutenant. What a beastly night for you to join!" "No. 1"
greets him with, "You poor little chap, you must be frozen!" calls a
senior of the gunroom, and gives strict injunctions that Jones is to
be made as happy as possible immediately; and the officer of the watch
invites him to share his "watch" dinner at eight o'clock.
Jones, pondering over these things, makes some resolutions concerning
his future conduct towards his juniors; which, let us hope, he did not
fail to carry out.
The prosperity and popularity of the beagles in November, 1884, may be
inferred from the fact that on one occasion there were no fewer than
thirty-four mounted followers, including seven or eight officers of
the ship; and a great following on foot besides. Of course, by this
time "drags" and badgers had long been abandoned, and the swift and
legitimate hare was always the object of pursuit. There usually
appeared to be little difficulty in starting one, and not a few
instances have occurred of the hounds getting on a fresh scent
crossing the original one.
November is a good month for beagles; but scarcely as well suited for
a trip in the _Wave_. This diversion was, however, arranged on
November 8th, 1884, this being a holiday in honour of the Prince of
Wales' birthday.
The excursion was to Plymouth, and a good number of light-hearted
youngsters put down their names for it, recking little of the vagaries
of Channel weather at this season.
Perhaps the most appropriate and heartfelt description of the cruise
is contained in a poem (a long way after Longfellow), which appeared
subsequently in the magazine:--
THE "WAVE'S" TRIP TO PLYMOUTH.
It was the little tender _Wave_
That sailed the wintry sea;
She had on board a score cadets,
A goodly companee.
Bright were their hopes on that winter morn
As they thought of their coming trip;
Gaily they skipped along the decks
Of the "_Brit_" and the "other ship."
The helmsman stood beside the wheel,
Where "Deeds, not words" is writ,
And mentioned to his dearest chum,
"We'll have a time of it!"
And so we had, for, once outside
And in the troubled sea,
The _Wave_ by waves was tossed about
In manner strange to see.
Colder and louder blew the gale
(Force _five_) from the south-west;
But the gallant boiler boiled away,
And the engines did their best.
Down came the storm, and smote amain
The vessel in its strength;
She shuddered and paused, like a frighted steed,
Then leaped her cable's length.
"Come hither! Come hither! my dear cadet,
And do not look so pale;
For we can weather the roughest sea,
And this is _not_ a gale!"
He wrapped him up in his warmest coat
Against the stinging blast;
He raised the collar round his throat,
And leaned against the mast.
"Oh, steward, I hear a small bell ring!
Oh, say, what may it be?"
He answered in a cheery tone:
"The bell, sir? That's for tea!"
"Oh, steward, I hear the sound of plates!
Oh, say, what may it be?"
"What, don't you want your supper, sir?"
"No, thank you: none for me!"
"Oh, steward, I feel a rumbling pain!
Oh, say, what may it be?"
'Twas the tribute claimed from all the "new"
To Neptune's realm--the sea!
Over the vessel's leeward side
Steadfastly then looked he.
We didn't ask what he wanted there,
For we could plainly see.
Then that sailor clasped his hands, and wished
That safe on land was he;
And he thought of cadets at peace on shore,
Or under Dartmouth's lee.
How few of those who saw us sail,
And out of Dartmouth steam,
Could know our joy to see the Start
Broad on the starboard beam!
"Oh, joy! I see a light ahead.
Oh, say, what may it be?"
'Twas the welcome gleam of the breakwater light,
And west-nor'-west steered we.
And ever the fitful gusts between
We heard the leadsman's voice:
"Mark ten!" "Deep eight!" "And a quarter seven!"
Which made our hearts rejoice.
When anchored safe in Plymouth Sound
We came round by degrees--
With tea, then bed, then ten o'clock:
"Out lights, sir, if you please!"
Such was the winter trip of the _Wave_
On that dull November day;
But that we had a merry time
How few of us could say!
The writer, it will be noticed, has adhered very closely to the
pattern he selected, quoting one verse in its entirety, and displaying
a certain recklessness in respect of the number of feet in a line
which is so characteristic of Longfellow.
There were many other cruises, both winter and summer, in the _Wave_
after this, and apparently the weather was more propitious, for we do
not hear any more sad wailings about it; though one of the party, on
this first occasion, was heard to declare that if he were twenty years
in the ship he would not again be caught going for a "pleasure trip"
such as this in the winter months.
The magazine was not confined to descriptions of this kind, or
laudatory articles and accounts of successful sports, etc.--of which
more anon--but warnings, editorial and otherwise, on various points of
conduct and etiquette are not infrequent.
A letter, signed "A Cadet," enlarges on the undesirability of certain
prevalent pranks when travelling by rail:--
If the cadets continue to play the fool with the porters, shoot
off catapults and squibs at travellers, etc., they will be getting
all leave stopped, or a corporal in attendance; or the railway
company will refuse to stop the trains at the level, and they will
have to walk round from Kingswear Station.
This last allusion is to the accommodation of having certain trains
stopped opposite the ship for the convenience of officers and cadets.
Those who are not acquainted with the locality may not be aware that
the railway does not run into Dartmouth, Kingswear, on the opposite
side of the harbour, being the terminus.
Curiously enough, there is a letter in the same number from an
outsider on precisely the same subject over the signature "Old
Meddler," who is evidently a somewhat irascible old gentleman residing
in Torquay. He concludes his letter as follows:--
I don't know whether corporal punishment has been abolished on
board the _Britannia_; probably, like many good things, it has.
But I carry a good stout cane myself.
This ferocious old boy would, however, have first to "catch his
cadet"!
The editor takes occasion to remark that "Old Meddler's" letter would
not have been inserted but for the corroborative remarks of "A Cadet."
Whether or not the double warning was productive of beneficial results
is not stated. Probably, as long as the world lasts, boys and young
men will continue to exercise their ingenuity in this fashion, to
their own gratification and the discomfort of their fellow creatures.
It is their nature to!
A number of the cadets had been through a course of "first-aid"
instruction, under the St. John Ambulance Association, and here is an
account of the result:--
A fellow broke his arm up in the field the other day, and the
medical staff turned it to splendid account and lectured to a
crowded audience over the prostrate body of the wounded cadet.
"Now, what do you call this?"
"Broken arm, sir!"
"How do you know it is broken?"
"Because we waggled it about, sir."
"Simple or compound fracture?"
"Simple, sir."
"Why?"
"Because he did it so easily, sir!"
"What ought I to do?"
Then came out a volley of all the stored up information acquired
at the late classes:
"Stick a mustard plaster on the back of his neck, sir!"
"Put him in a hot bath, sir!"
"Walk him up and down as fast as you can, sir!"
"Hold him up by the heels, sir!"
"Tie him to a broom-handle, two billiard cues, and a rifle, sir!"
"Tickle his nose with a feather, sir!" and so on.
The prostrate hero must have had lively anticipations during this
exchange of ideas!
We are not informed what course would be adopted by a "first-aid"
cadet under certain alarming conditions which apparently might arise
when out "mushrooming," though it is recorded in the magazine that the
process by which a cadet distinguishes a mushroom from a toadstool is
to eat it. If he dies, it is a toadstool; if he lives, it is a
mushroom!
Towards the end of the 'eighties the electric light was installed on
board both ships, and the only marvel is that it was not done earlier.
Those who have experienced the endless worry of lamps and candles on
board ship will understand what a boon the electric light is.
The dynamo was first placed on board the _Hindostan_; but a wooden
vessel is one huge conductor of sound and vibration, and before long
it was shifted to a small vessel specially provided, and moored just
above the ships. This was, in fact, one of the old mortar vessels
constructed for use in the Baltic during the Crimean War.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN BOWDEN-SMITH.
(Now Admiral Sir N. Bowden-Smith, K.C.B.)]
No one who has thus far perused these pages will be surprised to learn
that the 'eighties did not pass without a committee being specially
appointed to consider the vexed question of naval education. There has
always existed, as we have seen, a sort of chronic dissatisfaction
with the existing condition of affairs; and this again reached a
climax in 1885.
On March 26th in that year the Admiralty appointed a committee,
constituted as follows:--
Vice-Admiral W. G. Luard; Commander the Right Hon. the Earl of
Dalhousie; W. D. Niven, Esq., Director of Studies at the Royal
Naval College; Rev. J. M. Wilson, Head Master of Clifton College;
Rev. W. Rogers, Rector of St. Botolph; and Captain Charles
Johnstone.
POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED.
(_a_) Limits of age and subjects of examination for the entry of
cadets.
(_b_) Course of study and instructional arrangements on board the
_Britannia_.
(_c_, _d_ and _e_ concern later examinations not connected with
the _Britannia_.)
(_f_) To consider and offer opinions or suggestions for the
improvement of the education of naval executive officers.
In their report the committee point out what they consider to be
defects in the present system:--
(1) The failure to get the best material in the country. The
material is good, but it is not the best that could be had; and we
feel convinced that the special preparation of boys before coming
to the _Britannia_ does not tend to improve that material.
(2) The attempt to teach in the _Britannia_ what cannot be
properly learnt at the age of the cadets on board; the result
being that the knowledge is mechanical, and that the principles
are unintelligently acquired and soon forgotten.
They also fall foul of the seamanship instruction, and consider the
_Wave_ of very little use, as she is not well adapted for drills, and
cannot conveniently go out for more than a day at a time.
They recommend that a ship-rigged corvette should be substituted, to
be moored abreast the present ships, with a bridge across, so that her
upper deck would be available as a playground during short intervals
when the cadets cannot land.
Under the head of Suggestions, they are bold enough to advocate the
abolition of nominations, which they think place artificial
difficulties in the way of getting into the Navy; and they suggest
that the first test should be the lower certificate of the Oxford and
Cambridge Local boards, at about the age of 15, with a further
examination at 16 by the Civil Service Commissioners, after which the
cadet should have one year's training in practical navigation and
seamanship, in a stationary ship or a college. And they consider the
Solent a more suitable place for a training-ship than Dartmouth, as
the harbour at the latter place would be inconvenient, if not
dangerous, for sailing brigs, which they consider necessary.
[Illustration: POOP OF THE "BRITANNIA." CADETS AT PRAYERS.
_Photo: W. M. Crockett, Plymouth._]
Well, the result of all this inquiry and suggestion appears to be, so
far as the _Britannia_ is concerned, almost nil.
Admiralty nomination continues to be the necessary initial step for
entry: there are no Oxford and Cambridge Local certificates required,
the _Wave_ is retained, no brigs are attached, nor is a ship-rigged
corvette moored alongside with a bridge across; finally, the
_Britannia_ remains at Dartmouth.
A "recommendation"--apart from "suggestions"--is that nominations
should be given at any age after 11 (this with the view of previous
preparation); and yet one of the defects said to exist in the present
system is special preparation before coming to the _Britannia_!
It is a fact that recommendations of specially appointed committees
are very rarely acted upon to any great extent; they are frequently
very unpractical, or they involve extra expenditure, to which the
Admiralty demur.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN F. G. D. BEDFORD.
(Now Admiral Sir F. G. D. Bedford, G.C.B.)
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
The suggestion of the Solent as a more suitable locality than
Dartmouth appears to require a good deal of explanation; the
committee, in the same breath almost, deprecates the want of a
spacious deck for the boys to run about on during short intervals of
recreation, when they _cannot land_. There would be plenty of long
intervals in the Solent without landing!
It is obvious that if a stationary ship, instead of a college, is
used, she must be so placed that easy communication with the shore is
never interrupted by weather.
And then the brigs. Why _brigs_? Why not a steam vessel, larger and
more commodious than the _Wave_, and fully rigged? She would be able
to sail in and out of Dartmouth sometimes, when there happened to be a
"soldier's wind"--by no means unfrequent there--and at other times
there is the screw to fall back upon.
The suggested substitute for nominations also strikes one as
impractical in the extreme. Where are the boys to go after they have
intimated their desire to enter the Navy, and have produced an Oxford
and Cambridge Local certificate? There must be a list of such
candidates at the Admiralty, and they would be scattered all over the
kingdom at various schools when notice would have to be given of the
examination by the Civil Service Commissioners.
On the whole, one gets somewhat weary of committees; and very weary
work indeed is the reading of the thousands of questions and answers
so scrupulously recorded in the Blue Book.
Meanwhile, the _Britannia_ got on pretty well in the 'eighties, and
turned out the usual proportion of efficient executive officers. Out
of 763 who presented themselves for the passing out examination, 36,
or 4·7 per cent., failed; which, considering that the _Britannia_ is
admittedly a probationary establishment, and that it was being
constantly alleged at this time that the cadets could not learn their
work properly, is a very small proportion of failures.
The officers who commanded the _Britannia_ during the 'eighties were
as follow:--
Captain R. Wells, appointed August 31st, 1880.
Captain N. Bowden-Smith, appointed September 20th, 1883.
Captain F. G. D. Bedford, appointed August 16th, 1886.
Captain Noel S. F. Digby, appointed September 7th, 1889.
The total number of entries during this period was 883, of whom the
Navy List gives the following record:--
ACTIVE LIST.
Captains, 5; commanders, 132; lieutenants, 431.
RETIRED LIST.
Lieutenants, 21.
A total of 589, leaving a balance of 294, or 33 per cent., to be
accounted for as dead or removed from the Navy List.
One of the cadets of the 'eighties--the Hon. Horace L. A. Hood--has
gone up the ladder in remarkably quick time. He entered July 15th,
1883, and in the examinations for sub-lieutenants he was awarded a
first class in every subject, obtaining an aggregate of 4,398 marks
out of a possible 4,600; for this he was immediately promoted to
lieutenant, April 2nd, 1890. He served in a gunboat on the Nile during
Lord Kitchener's operations in 1898, and for his services there was
promoted to commander November 15th, 1898, finally obtaining captain's
rank January 1st, 1903, in less than 20 years from entry as cadet, at
the early age of about three-and-thirty.
[Illustration: THE SCHOONER YACHT "SYREN."
_Photo: W. M. Crockett, Plymouth._]
CHAPTER VII.
THE "BRITANNIA" IN THE 'NINETIES.
Captain Digby--Alleged Gross Bullying--A Lively Correspondence--
Various Uninvited Opinions--A Gleam of Light from Within--"Old
Etonian" and Admiral Richards--Captain Digby Sums up the Case--
"Navilus": His Book--Morning Amenities--"One Day's 'Four'"--A
Typical Day--The Hardships of "Four"--A Day in the _Wave_--"A
Nice Fresh Breeze"--Reefing Topsails--"Man Overboard"--Comfort for
Mothers--A Trip in a Skiff--Forbidden Joys--A "Slippery Hitch"--A
Half-holiday--Tea with "Ma Fox"--A Sunday Outing--"Fearful
Fagging"--The "Baby's" Final Aspirations--Captain Moore--A Hot
Reformer--Lieutenants as "Sea-Daddies"--Abolition of Cadets'
Corporals--Chief of the Staff--Naval Warrant Officers--New Admiralty
Regulations--The _Racer_ Arrives--Ship Struck by Lightning--Jubilee
Day--The Queen's Medal--Captain Marryat's Spectacles--Cadets' Food--A
Hard Case!--Remarkable Physical Development--Influenza Epidemic--An
Ill-informed Parent--Ridiculous Allegations--Visit of the King and
Queen--John Gilpin--"Ye Mariners of England"--Captains in the
'Nineties.
The 'nineties were still very young when Captain Digby--who, as has
been stated, was appointed in 1889--found himself confronted by a
disciplinary problem somewhat difficult of solution.
Captain Digby would be considered by those who knew him to be an ideal
commander for an institution like the _Britannia_. Of a most agreeable
personality, combining great kindliness with the capacity for a due
amount of severity if needed, he appeared to be cut out for the work;
and yet it was his lot to bring to light a rascally sort of bullying
which had, as he himself admits, been going on for a long time, and to
be made the object of repeated attacks in the columns of the _Times_;
for there was a very lively correspondence, to say nothing of leading
articles, on the subject, and all sorts of people had their shot at
the training-ship, some of whom did not very well understand what they
were talking about.
The _Times_ opens the ball with a leader on September 30th, 1891, in
which it is roundly asserted that such doings are only possible in
the _Britannia_--a crude sort of statement, and only permissible after
a very thorough investigation. "Wykehamist," eager to disparage the
_Britannia_ as compared with public schools, joins in the same strain,
though goodness knows there have been gruesome tales told of these
from time to time. He says, with some truth, that the difference in
age between the cadet captains and the other boys is too slight, and
that supervision by superiors is the only safeguard. The cadet
corporals were still in existence at this time, and it is quite easy
to conceive that if these were lax some evil-disposed cadets might
initiate bullying and other practices of a worse nature without much
chance of their reaching the captain's ears, at any rate for a
considerable time.
The principal indictment was to the effect that the elder cadets
"fagged" the younger for money, that this was constantly extorted by
means of menaces and cruel treatment; and there is no doubt that it
was true, though probably not practised to the extent which was
alleged by some.
"E." says that where bullying exists it is entirely the captain's
fault. Let a suitable captain be appointed, and remain as long as his
services are not required elsewhere, and let him select his own junior
officers.
This is all very well, but there are many who hold the view that it is
not desirable to keep one man too long in command, and certainly there
are not wanting instances where, in similar institutions, a long
period under one command has resulted in "grooviness" and a sort of
fool's paradise, to be rudely exposed by an energetic successor.
"A. L. M."--an old _Britannia_ boy--says that in his time a cadet was
dismissed for "fagging" a junior to steal a letter containing a money
order; this, however, cannot but be regarded as a flagrant instance of
individual depravity such as may be encountered in any school. If the
initials of the writer are genuine, his time in the training-ship goes
back a long way, somewhere in the 'sixties. He appears to hold a poor
opinion of the cadets of those days, and says the captains were as bad
as the rest.
On October 14th Admiral Sir Nowell Salmon and "Through the Mill" come
to the rescue, and stoutly defend the _Britannia_, pointing out that,
judging from the officers eventually turned out, the ship cannot be a
sink of iniquity such as is represented, and that bullying will always
go on to a certain extent among a number of boys.
On the 17th the editor of the _Western Morning News_, who appears to
be particularly anxious to show up the _Britannia_ in an unfavourable
light, replies that "Through the Mill" takes much too rosy a view of
the matter, and that fagging and bullying go on to an extent which
would not be tolerated in any public school.
On October 19th a gleam of light from within is afforded by "Olim
Miles," who quotes a letter from his son in the _Britannia_: "About
the fagging for money, two or three cadets have been found out to be
practising this disgraceful form of larceny, and have consequently
been shunned by everyone who calls himself a gentleman."
[Illustration: CAPTAIN N. S. F. DIGBY.
(Now Vice-Admiral N. S. F. Digby.)
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
This is much more likely to be a true statement of the case. The
youngster tacitly admits that there may have been others who were not
detected, but the general feeling of the bulk of the cadets on the
subject is, no doubt, quite truthfully represented; indeed, one could
not imagine it possible that it could be otherwise.
However, this simple statement did not stem the tide.
"Another Wykehamist" follows with an assertion of his conviction that
the tone is low in spite of favourable appearances; and, among other
things, he deprecates the method of corporal punishment by means of a
cane over tightened flannel trousers, and says he is not satisfied as
to discipline, supervision, and moral training, etc.
October 20th, Admiral G. H. Richards is down upon the last writer,
asking, very pertinently, what right he has to expect to be
"satisfied" on these points; says the best proof of the efficiency of
the _Britannia_ is the officers she turns out; he has had two sons
there, and never found any cause of complaint.
On October 22nd, Mr. T. Gibson Bowles, M.P., stands up for the ship,
and "Through the Mill" replies at length to the editor of the _Western
Morning News_, winding up by advising parents to send their sons to
"one of the best schools in England."
"Old Etonian" says that Admiral Richards naturally avoids reference to
corporal punishment and "second class" punishment, which are brutal.
Would it not be possible to give the headship to a man used to boys,
and with some ideas of managing them beyond the stick and the "second
class"?
One does not quite see why the Admiral should "naturally" avoid
reference to corporal punishment, etc. Probably his sons were well
conducted, and did not need severe measures which, indeed, were not
often resorted to; but in expressing his satisfaction with the ship as
a school for his boys he must in common reason be held to approve the
whole scheme, including the punishments alluded to when they are
needed. The last sentence of "Old Etonian's" letter, as quoted above,
can only be classified as impertinent ignorance--or ignorant
impertinence, whichever may be deemed most suitable. His ideas are
based on a conviction that no one except a public school master knows
anything about the management of boys; which is a great error. There
are plenty of men--and a large proportion among the officers of the
Navy--who have a natural capacity in this respect, which becomes
apparent directly they get their opportunity; and there are others--in
public schools as well as elsewhere--who have been managing boys all
their lives, and have never done it decently.
These are truisms; but in reply to a man who will venture to hold up
to ridicule, as a sort of bugbear with a big stick, such men as
Captain Digby and other captains of the _Britannia_, truisms appear to
be necessary.
Admiral Richards replies, October 26th, that officers of education,
ability, and life-long experience of discipline are the best men to
train young officers in their own service, and asks what Wykehamists
and Etonians would say if he and others of his service were to dictate
as to the management of public schools.
[Illustration: A GROUP OF CAPTAINS (CHRISTMAS, 1890).
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
The editor of the _Western Morning News_ writes again on October 27th,
reiterating his former statements, which he apparently discounts,
however, by a quotation from a letter written by the father of one of
the cadets who was expelled by Captain Digby. He says that his son and
his contemporaries went through it when first they joined, and had
their turn at fagging afterwards; and then, seeing that he has, by
implication, convicted his son of bullying, proceeds to describe how
"one penny was exacted, in a thoroughly good-humoured way, from boys
passing a certain bridge; but there was no thrashing or bullying used
to extort it."
Captain Digby, for his part, says frankly:--"It had, no doubt, been
going on for a long time, and, owing to the reticence of youth, it
took me a year to get to the bottom of it; but I finally succeeded in
getting rid of the principal culprits."
No doubt the "reticence of youth" is a very important factor in all
such cases, and it would be safe to assume also that the captain had
not been too well served by some of his subordinates, who were either
lax in supervision or failed to realise the importance of a growing
evil.
This was one of the unsatisfactory cycles or phases through which most
schools periodically pass; indeed, it is said that they have recurred
with great regularity, and each time, no doubt, experience has
dictated some new measures for the future suppression of
irregularities.
As a picture of "The _Britannia_ from Within," a little booklet
written by a cadet a year or two later may very well be quoted from
here. It is styled "H.M.S. _Britannia_, the Cradle of the Royal Navy:
by one of the Babies," and sets forth in a light vein the experiences
of a few days in the life of a cadet:--
THE PREFACE
Being that part of a book which is seldom or never read, why need
I write one? It does not seem much in my line; but I may as well
remark that these notes, scribbled at odd times, are published at
the request of my friends, and dedicated
To My Mother
By Navilus.
Let us follow our "Baby" throughout one of his specimen days:--
"5.25 a.m.--Bump! Bother the corporal!
'Now then, Mr. Jones, time for you to turn out.'
So Jones has 'twos' again, poor chap! But I wish the corporal
would not bump against my hammock when he is waking other fellows.
I can hear Jones softly swearing to himself as he gets into his
clothes, and I thank my stars that I still have time for another
snooze.
* * * * *
Hullo! There go five bells already, and the bugle. Never mind; the
fourth term go first through the bath.
Time now, however. I struggle for'ard, half asleep, through the
bath. All the fellows come up by degrees. Ugh! how cold the water
is! But it has the effect of waking us up pretty quickly. How nice
it is to be out and drying. I mean to be dressed in good time
to-day, as I have had enough punishments lately.
Now to wash. This time the water is too hot, and it is five
minutes before I can bear it. Jones, having completed his
punishment, is washing alongside me.
There's Smith at his tricks again--throwing water as usual, and a
cold stream pours down my back. I _must_ go for him. Another five
minutes' delay. I fall into conversation with Jones, and am giving
him good advice about his various shortcomings, when first warning
goes. We hurriedly complete our ablutions, and go to our chests.
Second warning. Not half dressed, and here comes the corporal--bad
luck to him--with his pencil and paper.
'Clear off the sleeping deck, there! Now then, Mr. Martin, late
again as usual; go on deck before breakfast, sir,' and my name is
entered on the fateful bit of paper.
Jones is nearly dressed, and is at present engaged in his
devotions. The corporal stares at him, but proceeds on his way. I
have to go on the middle deck carrying my boots, and put them on
there. Just time to lace them up before the bugle sounds 'Fall
in,' and the officer of the day begins his inspection. This over,
we march to the messroom to do an hour's preparation. The Euclid
is awfully hard; I am afraid I shan't know it.
Bugle sounds 'Dismiss studies.' I will not go on deck yet. The
corporal's memory may fail him, or he may be in a soft mood and
let me off. We all sit down, awaiting grace. My spirits rise. But
behold! the corporal's legs appear descending the hatchway, and
worse still, his burly form follows them! 'Now then, sir'
(addressing me), 'go up and fall in on the 'alf deck.'
There is no help for it, so I take up my cap and reluctantly obey.
Lieutenant A---- is the officer of the day, so he will let me off
easy, perhaps. The corporal salutes and addresses him: 'Mr.
Martin, sir, for not being dressed by second warning.'
The lieutenant asks if I have any excuse to offer: I have none,
and he orders me a day's 'four.' This is a fairly easy punishment,
and I return to breakfast somewhat consoled. I expect all the
rolls have been bagged; but I find that Grey, who sits next me,
has secured me three. I thank him and fall to. Here come the
sausages round, followed by ham, and a choice of tea or cocoa.
Sausages are all very well in their way, but they make you
horribly thirsty. I manage, however, to get two cups of cocoa, and
consider I have made a fairly good breakfast. I collect my books
and proceed to my study in the _Hindostan_, to look over my work
for the day.
Hullo! there are some 'news' looking out of the ports; I must give
them a shower bath. I make a paper cone, and filling it with
water, empty it over them. It gets them fairly on the neck: heads
disappear. I try to master the Euclid and trig. Some other fellows
have dropped in by now; they are fairly quiet.
8.50.--Bugle again, and the corporal's mellow tones: 'Clear ship!
Clear ship! Cadets on the poop!' One by one we obey the summons,
and proceed to the poop of the _Britannia_. Soon the bugle sounds
'Fall in'; we are inspected, and prayers are read by the chaplain,
after which we march off to the studies, and the real work of the
day begins. I get questions I know, and manage to stumble through
my work fairly well.
At five minutes to eleven we have a quarter of an hour's interval,
and then do English for an hour, followed by French for another
hour. I am no good at French, so indulge in a game of nibs with my
neighbour, who does not love 'parley-voo' any more than I do. We
are detected, worse luck, and are rewarded with a 'mod' each.
('Moderate attention' in the daily report, involving one hour's
extra drill.)
Bugle sounds 'Dismiss studies.' I am not sorry, as I am famishing,
and it is pudding day, too. The bugle sounds again for dinner, and
we all assemble in the messroom. Grace is said by one of the two
chief captains, and here come the joints and pies, wheeled round
on small tables appropriated to them. Roast mutton falls to the
lot of my table; this is _not_ my favourite dish, and I get the
servant to bring me some beefsteak pie in its place. Meat course
over, I help the tart--cherry, with cream, and excellent. My
enjoyment of it is rather hindered by Brown, who is heaving bread
at me; however, he is spotted by the chief captain, and told to go
to the defaulters' table at tea. Brown says it is all my fault for
looking such an ass, which may be true, but is not polite. I vow
vengeance on Brown: he will avoid me after dinner, I expect. The
tarts being polished off, and grace again said, we get half an
hour to ourselves before muster. I spend it in the 'sanc'
('sanctuary,' a special place in the messroom, reserved for senior
cadets) reading the _Strand_, which has always something jolly in
it. I am in the middle of a blood-curdling tale, when the corporal
comes to clear the messroom. I shove the book in my drawer, and
depart to the middle deck. We fall in, and are marched off to
studies. This afternoon we have mathematics until 3.30, when we
shift into flannels, and make for the boats as fast as we can,
with towels and bathing-drawers. I am lucky, and get a shoreboat
soon, so secure a good place on the bathing stage.
It is a perfect day, just the day for a bathe; and here comes the
officer of the day ashore in a gig, with the bugler.
On reaching the stage they disembark, and the boat waits about in
case of accidents. The bugle sounds 'Advance,' and immediately
there is a sound of great splashing, and the water is alive with
heads. I have a jolly swim out to one of the sailing cutters, and
boarding her get another dive from her bow. Bugle sounds 'Retreat'
all too soon, and out of the water we have to go, _nolens volens_.
When dressed, I go and fall in for my punishment drill; but for
this I should be in the cricket field. There are twenty other
chaps in the same box as myself; poles are served out to us, and
for a whole hour of this blessed afternoon we have to do a variety
of exercises, and double round the drill ground. It is frightfully
hot work, and I am glad when it is over, and I can go up to the
field and get refreshments at Stodger's.
A game of cricket is going on; other chaps are practising at the
nets; and some of the officers are playing, too, at the first
eleven nets. I find one of the tennis courts empty, and get a game
with three other fellows who have been doing drill with me.
After two sets I go on board again, and, shifting out of flannels,
go down to the messroom and finish my story in the _Strand_. I
have time to read another before muster, after which we march into
the messroom for tea.
To-night we get cold meat, cake, bread and butter, and tea or
cocoa _ad lib_. An hour's preparation follows, and there is time
for a quarter of an hour's dancing before the band stops. F. and I
indulge in a wild _pas de quatre_, and have another quarter of an
hour to ourselves before prayers, which take place at 9.15 in the
messroom; and now, instead of turning comfortably into my hammock,
I have to do my fours--viz. to stand for an hour on the middle
deck before undressing. It is precious dull work, as there are
very few chaps at the same business to-night. After half an hour
is up, I am the only one left. I can hear the fellows talking and
laughing on the sleeping deck. I think of many things, but my
thoughts grow confused, and I begin to yawn, and nearly fall
asleep standing. At last the corporal tells me the hour is up, and
I gladly go to my chest and undress and turn in. After all, there
is nothing more comfortable than a hammock; and notwithstanding
the snoring of Jones, which is not melodious, I soon fall asleep,
with pleasant thoughts of to-morrow, for it promises to be fine,
and I am going out for a cruise in the _Wave_.
6.30.--I am wide awake this morning, and the sun is streaming in
through the port, so I know it is a fine day. I turn out with
alacrity, and am not behindhand in dressing; besides, I have only
to put on my flannels. Muster over, my class goes off to the
_Wave_, with a couple of fourth term classes, for shifting the
topgallant masts and yards. The _Wave_ is a barque of about 300
tons, with auxiliary steam power; full speed under steam, 4-1/2
knots. She is noted for her rolling propensities. However, as she
is now in the harbour, just astern of the _Britannia_, she is as
steady as a rock, or nearly so.
[Illustration: FIRST TERM SLEEPING DECK ON BOARD THE "HINDOSTAN."
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
It is not particularly interesting work shifting topgallant masts
in your third term, as only a few of the fourth term go aloft, and
the remainder of us stay down on deck, hauling on ropes. I am at
the foremast, and we get ours done much more smartly than the
fellows at the main, as we chance to be a better lot. This sort of
work goes on for an hour, when we return to the _Britannia_, and
have breakfast, feeling quite ready for our porridge. Cold ham
follows, and I make mine into sandwiches, with rolls, to eat in
the _Wave_, that is if I still feel capable of eating when we are
outside the harbour!
[Illustration: CHAPEL ON BOARD THE "HINDOSTAN."
_Photo: W. M. Crockett, Plymouth._]
There is half an hour to spare after breakfast before we embark
for our cruise. There is a stampede to the gangway to see a German
man-of-war just anchoring in the harbour below Dartmouth. She is a
great white steamer, full rigged, and is used as a training-ship.
We shall get a fine view of her passing in the _Wave_. It is now
time I was getting ready, so I fetch my sextant from the
instrument study, and wrap up my sandwiches in a piece of paper,
tying them up with a lanyard. The wind is freshening, and I ask
old Johnson, the boatswain, what it will be like outside. He says:
'A nice fresh breeze,' and I know what that means! At last we go
down in the boat and are off. I pull the second stroke oar, and we
soon reach the _Wave_ and scramble on board. During the few
minutes which elapse before the first lieutenant arrives, the
instructor shows us the various ropes, explaining the use of them,
and the boatswain tells us off to our respective stations aloft.
My place is on the fore top-sail-yard; and now the lieutenant
comes on board, and we slip from the buoy without delay, and
steam down the harbour. A quarter of an hour sees us outside, and
the _Wave_ begins to keep up her character for rolling. Indeed,
she seems fully determined not to disappoint us in this respect.
We have orders to go aloft and loose the sails, which are then
sheeted home, and we go down from aloft to help hoist them. She is
steadier now the sails are set, and soon the engines are stopped,
and our progress is under sail alone. After a little while we are
sent aloft to reef top-sails, and take in top-gallant sails. I get
on the yardarm, where we have to sit astride. It is splendid up
here; the best place of all, to my mind. The coast line is clearly
visible, from Start Point to Berry Head.
[Illustration: A SIGNALLING EXERCISE.]
Having taken in a reef, we return on deck, and have a quarter of
an hour's 'Stand easy.' By this time several fellows seem to be
curiously drawn to the lee side of the ship! We, whose souls do
_not_ 'sicken on the heaving _Wave_,' begin to feel the pangs of
hunger, and set to work to devour the provisions we have brought
with us, in addition to the ship's biscuit which is provided.
[Illustration: POCKET MONEY.]
Our 'Stand easy' being at an end, an order is given to start the
engines full steam ahead; this is to get more way on for lifeboat
practice. To-day I am one of the lifeboat's crew. The first
lieutenant, throwing the lifebuoy into the sea, raises a cry of
'Man overboard.' Immediately the engines are stopped and the
main-yard squared to stop the way of the ship. The lifeboat is
manned and lowered, and we row towards the supposed drowning man,
and with all promptitude rescue him from his watery grave.
On our return to the _Wave_ there is a friendly rivalry between
the fore and after part of the cadets to hoist up the lifeboat;
the result being that the crew are in the comfortable position of
sitting in a boat at an angle of about forty-five degrees, as the
fore part are the stronger lot. However, we soon manage to get on
board, and we go about and make for home; for so we come to regard
the old hulk lying in the Dart.
The order is given to get our sextants out of the charthouse; we
carry them aft to take the meridian altitude of the sun. This is
rather hard work while the ship is moving, when you are not
accustomed to it, but doubtless will come easy in time. And now we
are sent aloft to shake the reef out of the top-sails; this is the
work of two or three minutes only, and we proceed towards the
harbour mouth with increased speed. The wind is freshening, but
the motion is not felt so much now that it is dead aft. While we
are passing between the old castles of Kingswear and Dartmouth we
go aloft to take in the sails. I am not on the yardarm this time,
but next to it. While the 'Descent of Man' has lost him the
gymnastic properties of his ancestors, a sailor's life brings out
the power of 'Ascent in Man,' judging by the prehensile talent so
quickly acquired by his hands and feet. Think of this and take
comfort, O mothers! whose curly-haired Harrys and Willies are
climbing aloft on the rigging, at the apparently imminent peril of
their necks! We are past the Kingswear pontoon before the sails
are furled, and we are now steaming up the harbour at our usual
breathless speed, at which rate it is not long before we again
make fast to the buoy and return on board, most of us having
thoroughly enjoyed our cruise, and had our appetites whetted for
the good dinner which is awaiting us.
After our meal we do the usual hour and a half's work, which
to-day is mathematics, and then have our dip. F. and I make for
the cricket field, and spend a short time playing at the nets,
there being no game got up for to-day.
It is pretty hot this afternoon, and we should enjoy a bit of the
cool breeze we had outside in the morning. But this being
unavailable, we consider strawberries and cream would be a good
substitute, and accordingly make for the stodge shop, where we lay
in a store of the article mentioned, and feel refreshed.
F. is the fortunate possessor of a camera, and considers this will
be a good opportunity to go down to the dark-room and develop the
photographs he has been taking lately. I suggest getting one of
the blue boats, and rowing out to photograph the German man-of-war
lying in the harbour. We manage to wheedle a skiff out of the
boat-keeper, and are soon making for her. We get two or three
views, and while preparing to return are hailed by one of the
officers, and invited on board.
[Illustration: H.M.S. "RACER," TENDER TO THE "BRITANNIA."
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
This is too fine a chance to lose, and although we have not had
previous leave, we accept the tempting invitation so cordially
given, and, securing our boat alongside, are conveyed to the
gunroom. Here are a few officers, at whom we look with great
interest. All speak English fairly well, and are imbibing lager
beer and smoking. We are at once offered beer and cigars, and
indulge in a weed apiece, but no more, considering discretion to
be the better part of valour. It is difficult to refuse our hosts,
who so cordially press upon us their hospitality. F. imagines he
can speak German, having, when a baby, had a German nurse who knew
no English. I judge, from close observation, that at that remote
period of his existence he was unable to speak in either language
himself. But, of course, he cannot let slip this opportunity of
airing his linguistic proclivities.
He photographs the officers in a group: looking at my watch, I
find it is high time to be off, in fact the recall must have been
up for nearly a quarter of an hour. So, taking a hearty leave of
our genial hosts, we step into our boat, and pull quickly up the
harbour. We have to return the boat to its place, and find the
boat-keeper in a towering rage, promising to report us both. His
promises are always like pie-crust in this respect, so our
equanimity is not greatly disturbed, and we are just in time to
catch the pinnace for returning on board.
The corporal thinks we look suspicious, for some reason best known
to himself, and considers it necessary to search us for 'stodge,'
which it is against rules to bring on board. We are redolent of
tobacco, of course, which does not escape his olfactory sense, but
he has no proof against us, and has to let us go. Sold again!
We go on the sleeping deck to shift, and after muster march to the
messroom for tea. Then preparation, and half an hour to ourselves
till prayers. No 'fours' to-night, and I feel quite ready to turn
into my hammock when the time comes.
There is a slip on my hammock! I feel it going! I try to turn out,
but am too late. I clutch wildly at Jones's hammock. Bump! We are
both down, and the other fellows in great delight at the tableau.
It turns out to have been a trick of Jones's; so he has been well
punished.
Calm once more restored. After a little conversation, I am once
more in the land of dreams.
On board H.M.S. _Britannia_ one day is very much like another,
which, though somewhat monotonous, has the advantage (if it be
one) of making time fly fast. The studies are varied by
seamanship, including signalling by semaphore, flag, and Morse
systems; working anchors and cables, learnt by a model on wheels,
which is kept on the middle deck; knots and splices; working
sailing cutters; the steam picket boat, and other such oily
delights.
To-day, however, we have mathematics all the morning, from nine
o'clock until midday, with an interval at 10.30 for receiving our
weekly pocket money, consisting of the noble sum of one shilling,
which the third and fourth terms are entitled to receive also on
Wednesdays, if their parents see fit.
Next Monday being a whole holiday, however, the chaps who are
lucky enough to have friends in the neighbourhood, and are going
on leave to them until Monday, get extra pocket money, which may
not exceed five shillings, added to their railway fare. Having no
friend to invite me, I have arranged to go up the river to Totnes
in a blue boat with some other fellows, and we are to receive our
extra pocket money on Monday morning.
We fall in according to our terms and march round to the half
deck, the fourth term leading, the others following in order.
Dinner hour on 'halves' is twelve o'clock, and it follows,
therefore, that we are famishing by the time our evening meal is
ready, which is not until seven o'clock. The consequence is that a
great deal of money finds its way into the stodge shop, and our
pocket money is exhausted at a rapid rate. All the better for old
'Stodger,' and for Dawe, whose shop is open on half-holidays only.
The cadets going on leave took their departure before dinner,
rowing ashore to the platform abreast of the _Britannia_, where
trains stop by special order.
I have arranged to walk over to Stoke Fleming this afternoon with
F., and accordingly we start as soon as we can land after dinner.
We take it easy, so it is an hour before we arrive at our
destination. The road leads across the hills at the back of
Dartmouth towards the open sea, which here breaks at the foot of
steep and high cliffs. We are each provided with a book, and
finding a shady place on the cliffs, we have a rest and a read.
We can see the schooner yacht _Syren_ at sea, with a party of
cadets out for a cruise. The schooner _Arrow_, for the first and
second terms, is not yet in sight. I expect she will have some
difficulty in getting out of the harbour, the wind being light and
the tide against her, and the _Arrow_ sailing about as well as an
average washing-tub. The _Syren_ seems to be rolling rather, as
there is a slight swell from yesterday.
It is nearly four o'clock now, and we begin to feel the pangs of
hunger, so consider it is about time to proceed on our way to the
shop held by Mrs. Fox and Mrs. Martin, commonly known as 'Ma
Fox's,' where a capital tea can be obtained for a very moderate
sum. 'Ma Fox' is pretty well up in the manners and customs of
cadets. She sports the Prince of Wales's feathers over the shop
door, having been patronised by the two Royal cadets. F. and I get
the third term room to ourselves, and order a meal consisting of
cocoa, potted meat, sardines, and bread and jam, to which we do
ample justice; and having squared up with the old dame, we walk
slowly back to the field, where we see the last of the cricket
match between our first eleven and one of the neighbouring cricket
clubs. We are victorious again."
The above extract gives a very fair idea of life on board, from the
cadet's point of view. The description of the trip to Totnes on the
"whole" does not intimately concern the _Britannia_; but one or two
more extracts must be given, as throwing a little more light on
certain points.
The writer describes how, on Sunday afternoon, he and two comrades
land on the Kingswear side, taking with them two "news" who are often
in their company.
"Ralston, another of their term, respectfully accosts me, and asks
permission to come too. He is a likely looking lad, so I
graciously consent to his joining us. Arrived on shore, we repair
to our 'sanc,' which is a nook we have chosen in a small wood. It
is roofed over with branches woven together, and the 'news' set to
work to gather fresh bracken for us. When we consider it
sufficiently comfortable, we establish ourselves with our books,
and they proceed to a small 'sanc' of their own, within hail of
us, which they have made in their leisure time. They are also
provided with literature. This is part of the fearful fagging
system, of which so many complaints are made."
This, it will be noted, was three years after the commotion in 1891;
so, apparently, there was still some talk about the treatment of
"news." The subject is once more touched upon by the "Baby":--
"Much has been written and said lately about the _Britannia_--the
system of teaching, the bullying practice, etc. This latter is
fast disappearing under the wise rule of the latest captains.
There will always be something of the kind in a mild form in any
institution in the shape of a public school, and the _Britannia_
is nothing more or less. Fagging for money is now unheard of.
"The discipline is of necessity strict, but not unduly severe; and
the instructors are popular.
"It is almost an impossibility to make the work sufficiently
practical when there are so many subjects to take up; but there
_is_ practical work, as the readers of this paper will see."
The writer concludes as follows:--
"Soon the 'whole' is nothing but a memory, one of the many happy
ones we shall ever retain of our old training-ship on the Dart,
and which will, doubtless, often rise up before us in the years to
come, when we look forward to being, _at least_, useful members of
that profession which is England's glory."
Thus far "Navilus." His little book was written just before the advent
of Captain A. W. Moore, whose period of command was marked by some
drastic alterations.
There are not wanting those who assert that reform was urgently needed
in some respects, and that Captain Moore was expected to assume the
rôle of reformer.
The most important alterations were in disciplinary matters, and one
is embodied in the following orders for the lieutenants:--
Each lieutenant will have special charge of a term from their
entry into the _Britannia_ until they pass out, and will be
responsible for their instruction in seamanship, gymnastics,
boating, swimming, etc., and is to keep a record of each cadet's
progress. He will teach personally the "rule of the road" and
"ship construction," and at times such other subjects as he may
think fit.
One of the lieutenants will perform the duties of officer of the
day, and a second lieutenant will be present at all musters of
cadets, and attend in the recreation grounds when cadets are
landed.
A weekly report of each term will be rendered by the lieutenants,
to be given to the executive officer on Monday morning at
divisions for the captain.
The advantage of this system is at once apparent: each lot of boys,
when they join, find themselves placed under the care of an officer,
who remains as their instructor, monitor, and "sea daddy" during the
whole period of their sojourn on board. He soon gets to know each one
intimately, and they can go to him for advice in any difficulties
which may crop up. He takes an interest in their conduct and progress,
and encourages healthy emulation and a proper _esprit de corps_ among
them; indeed, he may do an immense amount of good, of which the
lieutenants were not afforded the opportunity under former
regulations.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN A. W. MOORE.
(Now Vice-Admiral Sir A. W. Moore, K.C.B., C.M.G.)
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
The arrangement is also a far more satisfactory one for the
lieutenants, who thus have a definite line of work prescribed, instead
of the somewhat vague position which they used to occupy.
It is a curious thing that nobody ever thought of it before! That it
has worked well from the outset everyone is agreed.
Another disciplinary measure was the abolition of cadets' corporals,
with their chief man--master-at-arms or serjeant-major--and the
substitution of a cadets' gunner, known as "chief of the staff," with
four chief gunner's mates under him, one to each term.
[Illustration: THE "VICTORIA AND ALBERT" AT DARTMOUTH.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Everyone who knows anything about naval matters will appreciate the
advantage of having a gunner placed in this position. The warrant
officers are an admirable body of men; they have been "through the
mill" in the lower grades, know their work practically and thoroughly,
and usually display considerable capacity for command and a quite
remarkable amount of tact in the discharge of their duties. The
gunners are the pick of the "warrants," and there would be no
difficulty in finding a man for the newly created post in the
_Britannia_ with every possible qualification for it; moreover, he
ranks in the Navy above a midshipman or cadet, so that there is no
incongruity about his position of authority.
The chief gunner's mates are the "makings" of gunners, and
consequently the best subordinates possible in this department.
The chief of the staff has to keep the cadets' defaulters books, see
all punishments on board properly carried out, take charge of the
sleeping decks, messroom, servants' mess place, and to see that the
cadets' servants are clean and tidy and perform their duties properly;
and is, altogether, a sort of sub-executive officer, and no doubt
invaluable to the commander.
These changes from within were speedily followed by others, of equal
importance, from without; for in January 1897, the Admiralty issued a
new circular, initiating radical alterations in the regulations for
entry and training.
The limits of age for entry were altered as follows:--
Cadets entering January 15th and May 15th, 1897, 13-1/2 to 15;
September 15th, 1897, 13-3/4 to 15-1/4; and January 15th, 1898,
and afterwards, 14 to 15-1/2.
This is in accordance with the views expressed by the committee of
1885, who were of opinion that the subjects taught in the _Britannia_
could not be properly learnt by boys so young. If this new arrangement
was in recognition of the correctness of these views, it was certainly
tardy!
However, this was not the only alteration; there were to be, as
before, four terms spent by a cadet in the training ship; but instead
of there being two terms in each year, involving two years' training,
there were to be three in each year, thus reducing the time spent on
board to about fifteen months.
[Illustration: THE CADETS' HOSPITAL.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
This would appear to involve the assumption that the increased age
would render it possible not only that a cadet should learn the
subjects better, but that he should do so in nine months less time.
There are, however, some slight modifications in the "Course of
Studies," as set forth respectively in the former regulations and the
new ones. In the latter astronomy, pneumatics, light, and electricity
disappear from the regular tabulated curriculum; English--including
English history, naval history, and geography--is also omitted; but
all these subjects still find their place under the heading of
"Lectures," so the alteration is more in theory than practice. Euclid
is modified to a certain extent; but, taking it all round, the course
is a pretty stiff one for fifteen months.
However, it does not appear to be too hard for the boys; it is still
in force, and, out of 979 cadets presenting themselves at the final
examinations since 1897, only twelve, or 1·2 per cent., have failed.
In 1902 and 1903 (to anticipate a little) there have, up to August
last, been no failures, which is highly creditable both to the boys
and their instructors.
In 1896 (as an improvement upon the brigs formerly suggested), the
_Racer_, a barque-rigged screw sloop of 970 tons, was attached to the
_Britannia_ for the purpose of taking out the third and fourth term
cadets cruising in the Channel. She had accommodation for one class at
a time, and was in command of a commander for navigating duties.
The usual routine was that the class should embark from Monday to
Friday; the lieutenant of the term went with his boys, assumed the
duties of executive officer, and instructed the cadets in seamanship;
the engineer taught them steam, and the commander practical
navigation. The vessel cruised under sail as a general rule, using
steam as necessary to make her ports.
[Illustration: ON THE SICK LIST.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
The _Racer_ season extended from April 1st to November 1st, or later
if desirable; she was laid up during the winter, and was ready for sea
by March 15th.
This was a decided step in advance, and there is no doubt the cadets
derived immense benefit from these short cruises, which must,
moreover, in fine summer weather, have been exceedingly
pleasant--after the usual "tribute" had been paid to Neptune!
On March 17th, 1897, while both the captain and the wardroom officers
were entertaining guests at dinner, a sensational incident occurred.
The _Britannia_, it will be recollected, has a solitary mast; not a
large one for a vessel of her size, but sufficiently lofty to be a
target for lightning, and provided with the usual copper strip for
conductor. While dinner was in progress there was a shock, plainly
felt throughout the ship, and a blinding glare, while a tremendous
peal of thunder simultaneously resounded overhead; the ship trembled
from stem to stern, and some of the occupants of the wardroom even
imagined that they saw the lightning flash through the room. There was
no doubt about it, the ship was struck by lightning. It had struck the
copper band round the "truck"--the small round disc which surmounts
the mast, and carries the blocks for the flag halyards--split the
truck, burnt through the wire strap of the signal halyard block, and
travelled down the conductor, which is supposed to run right down the
mast and pass out to connect with the copper sheathing of the ship
under water; perhaps it did, but the lightning apparently stopped
short at the galvanised roof through which the mast passes, and spread
itself out over the iron, which was very wet. The wrecked truck is
kept in a glass case between decks as a memento of this unusual
experience.
In the Jubilee procession of 1897 the cadets played a prominent part,
and were everywhere hailed with enthusiasm. One hundred of them went
to London on this occasion, and were put up for the night at Greenwich
College.
They left Kingswear at 10.50 a.m. on June 21st, six in a compartment,
with an enormous pasty and a bottle of ginger-beer each. At Bristol
buns and ginger-beer were served out during the stoppage, and they
were sustained for the remainder of the journey to Paddington, which
was reached at 5.20. Here there were 'buses waiting to convey them to
Charing Cross, _en route_ for Greenwich.
[Illustration: FOURTH TERM CADETS ON BOARD THE "ISIS."
_Photo: W. M. Crockett, Plymouth._]
An early start was necessary next morning, so they breakfasted at
6.45 a.m., left at 8, and reached Charing Cross at 9, whence they
marched to the Admiralty, where Mr. Goschen, the First Lord, had made
all hospitable provision for them. At 10.30 they marched to Buckingham
Palace to salute the Queen as she drove off; then back to the
Admiralty to a sumptuous lunch. At 1.15 fall in again, and march to
the Palace to mount guard on the Queen's return. Then they returned to
the Admiralty for a "stand easy," and lay about on the grass in the
First Lord's garden, which they found very pleasant; and the enjoyment
of their repose was presently enhanced by the appearance of unlimited
ginger-beer, served out by Mr. Goschen's two sons. Finally, tea was
served in the First Lord's house, and they marched to Paddington in
time for their train, at six o'clock; very tired--and no wonder--but
happy. What time they got on board is not stated; but, doubtless, they
were allowed a good lie in next morning.
Those who did not go to London for the procession were taken to see
the Spithead Review, on the 26th, which was, perhaps, still better
worth seeing.
Jubilee year was further signalised by the institution of the Queen's
medal, to be awarded annually, by the vote and selection of his
comrades, to the cadet who is deemed to be foremost in good conduct
and gentlemanly bearing in all respects.
This honorable trophy was awarded at Christmas, 1897, to Midshipman
J. W. Scott, who had already gone to sea, and was serving in H.M.S.
_Astræa_; Cadet G. B. Alexander receiving the "diploma," which is a
necessary step towards receiving the medal next time.
The editor is busy again asking questions. "How is it," he wants to
know, "that so few cadets are to be seen dancing in the evening?
Hardly one of the third and fourth terms is to be seen. They are hard
at work, no doubt, but a quarter of an hour devoted to dancing every
night, instead of '_x_,' would invigorate their brains to further
efforts in pursuit of that wily letter. They will have sometimes to
attend dances, and if they have to say they can't, what a nuisance
they become to themselves and others."
Most true; and, as we recollect, dancing was included in the
curriculum in the old Academy, and for a considerable portion of the
College time; it is not easy to see where time could be found for it
in the course on board the _Britannia_.
[Illustration: A LESSON IN SEAMANSHIP.]
An interesting gift was made to the ship about this time, being no
other than the spectacles worn by Captain Marryat. The donor was Mr.
Oscar de Satagé, who was a godson of the great naval novelist.
Many reflections are suggested by these relics. Marryat probably wore
them while he wrote some of his novels. Do any of those amazing scenes
which he so graphically describes still linger in the lenses? Shall
we, if we put them on, be able to see Mr. Midshipman Easy strutting
about with the Articles of War under his arm, and laying down the law
to his superiors, or murmuring, "Duty before decency" as the unlucky
Mr. Biggs stands trouserless on the gangway? Or shall we see that
marvellous picture, dear to every seaman, presented in "Peter Simple,"
where the _Diomede_ just weathers the point, and her courses fly in
shivers as she scrapes clear? Well, well, if they were known to have
such properties, those spectacles, it is to be feared, would not last
long!
[Illustration: A TYPICAL FOURTH TERM GROUP: "PASSING OUT" CADETS,
1893.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Another gift to the _Britannia_ in the 'nineties was the magnificent
model of the ill-fated _Victoria_, made for the Naval Exhibition of
1891, and presented by Messrs. Armstrong and Co. It fills up one side
of the model room, and must have taken some getting in there; but
sailors do not stick at trifles: if you confronted them with a camel
and a needle, they would immediately set to work to rig the necessary
tackle for "reeving" the camel through the eye.
The _Britannia_ did not escape discussion in the papers during the
'nineties. On January 10th, 1891, a correspondent, under the pseudonym
of "Blue Jacket," starts the question of the cadets' food, stating
that he understands it is far from satisfactory, and inquires whether
it is as good as they had in their former schools.
"A. L. M.," a former _Britannia_ boy, says he always found the food
good and abundant--and he ought to know.
"A Parent" says his boy informs him that the victuals are of the most
inferior description, the butter and meat being often uneatable; and
alleges that some cadets who complained of the butter on one occasion
were punished.
Possibly "A Parent's" son may not have been quite ingenuous. Any
complaint would be promptly investigated by the officer of the day,
and, if well founded, immediate steps would be taken to remedy the
matter; an unfounded complaint, on the other hand, particularly if
reiterated, would be a likely occasion for a small dose of "fours," as
a reminder not to be unduly troublesome. The allegation that boys who
made justifiable complaints about food were punished for it requires
something more than the authority of "A Parent's" son to make it go
down. "Navilus" does not convey the impression that there is anything
wrong with either the quantity or quality of the food; on the
contrary, he is rather enthusiastic about it.
There are usually, in every school and college, a certain number of
students who, either from perversity or from having been unduly
pampered at home, make a point of finding fault with the food, however
good; they imagine it is "swagger" to know how these things ought to
be done.
A young commissioned officer who was a member _pro tem._ of a very
excellent, not to say sumptuous, mess was once known to insert in the
complaint book a bitter wail because _only three sorts of cheese_ were
handed round at mess. This is the kind of hardship which should not be
silently endured!
Nevertheless, messmen or stewards do undoubtedly go wrong at times, if
not kept very sharply under supervision, and inferior stuff is
sometimes supplied without being discovered for a time by the heads.
Well, we have reached the end of the 'nineties; but there is a small
slice of the twentieth century to be dealt with before concluding this
chapter.
The augmentation in age, by which cadets might enter after January,
1898, as old as 15-1/2, was certain to result, sooner or later, in
some very big boys being entered; and the following remarks in the
_Britannia Magazine_ for Christmas, 1901, appear to indicate that a
contingent had arrived, in September, of cadets who were considerably
more prominent for length than breadth.
"Our latest brand of naval cadets is assuming a weird shape: we are
assured by the doctors and the Physical Development Society that our
recent plague has produced a hitherto unknown specimen of the naval
officer in embryo. It scarcely seems credible; but having the
authorities to back us up with statistics, we feel safe in our
statement--that the various forms of torture have revealed the fact
that, although there has been an enormous increase in height, chest
girth and weight have been sadly on the decrease."
The "recent plague" referred to is possibly a severe epidemic of
influenza which visited the ship in the spring of 1901, and caused a
good deal of talk at the time; it died hard, and there were some
deaths from complications, pneumonia and so on.
[Illustration: H.M.S. "ISIS," SEA-GOING TRAINING SHIP.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
There appears to have been a sort of jealousy or inimical feeling
about the _Britannia_ which is always cropping up, and finding vent in
letters to the _Times_--the indignant Briton's great resource--and
which does not seem easy to account for. In the bullying affair,
before alluded to, the captain was busy detecting culprits and putting
it down before anyone wrote to the Press, and yet the busy newspaper
correspondents persisted in saddling him, and the whole system, with
the blame of it. And similarly, in the case of the epidemic in 1901,
everybody and everything was held accountable except the well-known
capricious nature of the ailment, which crops up unexpectedly in a
household or a community, and as suddenly disappears; no one knows how
it got there, and its very name implies a mystery.
"A Father of Cadets" writes: "I have been informed that for about
sixteen years--_i.e._ since the ships have been at Dartmouth--the
sewage has been discharged from the vessel into the river, where,
though it is mostly washed away by the tide, part must sink into
deeper water."
This is certainly a very ill-informed parent, who should have applied
to his sons for some information before taking up his pen. In the
first place, the _Britannia_ had, in March, 1901, been, not sixteen
but over thirty-seven years in the Dart; and where, in the name of
common-sense, did he expect the sewage to be discharged from the ship
except into the river? This is obviously a case of "any stick is good
enough to beat a dog with."
A refreshing contrast is presented by the letter of another father of
a cadet, Mr. N. C. Dobson, _emeritus_ Professor of Surgery, who says
that he has been on board several times, and is quite satisfied that
the condition of the ship has had nothing to do with the outbreak.
In this he is confirmed by the official report of Professor Corfield,
a hygienic expert, who was requested by the Admiralty to investigate
the causes, and who speaks most highly of the sanitary condition of
the ship, and says, in effect, that the disease got on board in some
manner which it is impossible to detect.
Another writer attempts to put the blame on the food, and sundry
allegations are made against Dartmouth itself, which draw forth a
reply from the town clerk, who produces official statistics to
disprove the statements.
Nothing, in the eyes of some people, can be commended in the poor old
_Brit._ or the place where she is moored. The captains are all
incapable, the officers and masters are worse, the position is
insanitary, and nothing is right, in short, except the excellent
officers which this dreadful institution turns out! It would not be
precisely fulsome if some credit were accorded to the captains and
officers for this result, and a small share to the Admiralty for
selecting, as a rule, the right men for the post.
However, to quote our friend the editor of the _Britannia Magazine_,
"it is not well to be cynical!"
At Easter, 1902, the _Britannia Magazine_ says:--"Rumours of an
increased number in the next entry of cadets are rife, which
intelligence, while possibly gladdening the hearts of some hundreds of
parents, who are naturally selfishly interested, brings to the
authorities' notice that the additional number have somehow to be
accommodated. Various suggestions have been made, but none, to our
mind, feasible. A third term cadet has it from the best quarters that
a brig is to be moored astern of the _Britannia_. Another has heard
that the senior term captains are to relieve the marine orderlies from
their tedious night watch keeping in order to save hammock space."
The rumour was not without some foundation; but, fortunately, none of
the drastic measures alluded to above were found to be necessary.
On March 7th, 1902, the King and Queen came down to lay the
foundation-stone of the new College. This was, of course, a tremendous
fête day for Dartmouth generally, and the _Britannia_ in particular.
Their Majesties arrived in a special train at Kingswear, and crossed
the harbour in the Great Western Railway Company's little steamer the
_Dolphin_, which was profusely decorated. A large wooden pavilion was
erected near the site of the College, handsomely hung with flags,
etc., of various colours. The foundation-stone is a block of Cornish
granite, which is to form the base of a column 60 feet high on the
left of the main entrance. The casket to contain the coins and
records, and the mallet, were made of oak from the old _Britannia_,
and there was, of course, a silver trowel, which was designed by the
architect, Mr. Aston Webb.
[Illustration: THE KING'S VISIT, MARCH 7, 1902.
_Photo: Russell & Sons, Southsea._]
All was going off swimmingly, when it was discovered that the medals,
which the King, after declaring the stone "well and truly laid," was
to present to sundry persons, had been left on board the ancient and
much-bedizened _Dolphin_!
What was to be done? The failure of the captain of the _Britannia_, or
whoever was responsible, to produce the medals at the proper moment
would, of course, be immediately followed by the mandate, "Off with
his head!" or at the least, "To the Tower with the knave!"
However, a saviour was found in the person of Lieutenant Woollcombe,
who was mounted in some official capacity, and who, on learning of the
impending disaster, stuck his spurs in his horse and tore at full
gallop through the town to the pontoon, where the _Dolphin_ was found
lying; he seized the packet and thundered back again, arriving in time
to save the captain's head.
The magazine has something to say about this feat:--
"Blessed with magnificent weather, everything went smoothly, except
for one slight incident, which introduced the Deputy-Master of the
Horse in the character of Gilpin (wasn't it?) in his celebrated ride
to York; and if the shedding of garments had continued, we are not
quite certain that the rôle of Godiva would not better have suited
him."
There is some unkind allusion here which is not quite apparent to the
uninitiated: it would appear as though the wild horseman had hastily
dispensed with some of his garments as he rode; and, for an officer in
full, gold-plated, stand-up-collar uniform, this is indeed a difficult
and daring feat, especially if he contrived, while still at full
gallop, to replace them before he arrived in the royal presence.
When he next rides through the town
May I be there to see!
The magazine proceeds:--"We were lucky enough to witness an excellent
cinematograph a few days after their Majesties had been with us,
showing in detail their movements outside the pavilion; and the
picture showing the arrival of the Royal carriage was greeted with
enthusiastic applause.
"The pleasure of seeing one's own face in print is a mixed and
doubtful one, even when in miniature: but, magnified to about double
the original and working size, it becomes an atrocity, and the King's
guard will, we sincerely hope, forgive the jeers which greeted their
appearance."
Among other competitions instituted in these later days was a poem; at
first sight, it might seem more appropriate to include this among the
_Britannia_ games, but the following prize poem, by Cadet A. H.
Taylor, demands a better fate:--
YE MARINERS OF ENGLAND: UP TO DATE.
Ye submarines infernal
That prowl beneath the seas,
Who ne'er shall brave, in future years,
The battle or the breeze,
Your deep-sea warpath take again
Where you need fear no foe,
And creep through the deep
Where six-pound shells don't go.
Though the battle rages up above,
You're safe down there below.
The tops of conning towers
Start up from every wave,
For you are blind as moles below,
And light and air ye crave.
Where Tryon, Drake, and Shovel lie
Ye submarines now go,
As ye creep, etc.
Now battleships and cruisers
The seas no longer sweep,
Since danger lurks beneath the waves
A dozen fathoms deep;
With Whitehead's fell torpedoes
You pot them from below,
As ye creep, etc.
The meteor flag of England
Shall still terrific burn,
And submarines that start from Brest
Shall never more return:
The T. B. D.'s will nab them when
They rise to get a blow;
Though they creep through the deep
Where six-pound shells don't go,
Their men can't stand the tinned air long,
Though they're safe down there below.
[Illustration: THE "BRITANNIA" DRESSED FOR THE KING'S BIRTHDAY.
_Photo: W. M. Crockett, Plymouth._]
The "tinned air" is a right merry conceit; it is to be hoped that the
prophetic words of the last verse may come true in case of war. We are
doing a good deal of business in the matter of "tinned air" in England
just now, which ought to assist in keeping the "meteor flag" flying.
The officers who commanded the _Britannia_ during the 'nineties--and
after, are as follow:--
Captain A. B. Thomas, appointed September 8th, 1892.
Captain A. W. Moore, appointed April 17th, 1894.
Captain the Hon. A. G. Curzon-Howe, appointed April 21st, 1897.
Captain M. P. O'Callaghan, appointed February 20th, 1900.
Captain C. H. Cross, appointed April 22nd, 1903.
Captain Thomas had to resign his appointment through ill-health.
Captain Cross is still in command, and will probably see the end of
the _Britannia_ as at present constituted.
During the 'nineties no fewer than 1,554 cadets entered, which,
together with 618 in the next three years, makes a total of 2,172 in
the thirteen years under consideration in this chapter. On this head
some details will be found in the concluding chapter.
CHAPTER VIII.
"BRITANNIA" GAMES.
Scanty Early Records--Practice _v._ Precept--Officers _v._ Cadets--
Presumptuous Juniors--A Close Match--Football--Penalty of Punning--A
Decisive Victory--A Demon Bowler--Two Curious Innings--Sports and
Regatta--The Rushworth Seal--The Editor is Sarcastic--His Feelings
are Soured--An Excited Timekeeper--Why Williams Didn't Win--The Pro's
Average--Teignbridge Victorious and Vanquished--W. G.'s Eleven--Some
Fatherly Advice--The Editor is Appeased--A Close Sculling Match--
Foreign Football Matches--A Dry Cricket Season--The Editor and the
Beagles--Lord Harris's Maxims--The Bold Sir Bedivel--Big Third Eleven
Scores--Seventeen Years' Athletics--Huddart Shows the Way--The Editor
on "Stodge"--A Hot Run for the "Footmen"--Youthful Boxers--Glasgow to
the Rescue--An Afternoon's Cricket--Splendid Playing Fields--And
Plenty of Cricket--Teignbridge's Small Score--_Britannia_ Wins All
Round--Third Eleven Makes a Record--A Question of Time--Keep Your
Ground Clock Right--Remarkable Results of the Season--Money Well
Spent.
In this chapter will be included not only cricket and football, but
some account of regattas, athletic sports, etc.
Unfortunately, records are not available very far back, as a regular
account is only to be obtained from the _Britannia Magazine_, which
was started in 1884. There were cricket matches inserted in the local
papers, as referred to in the opening article in the magazine, in
which also it is hinted that they were not always very accurate.
That the _Britannia_ boys and their officers have for many years been
very keen about games is, however, an undoubted fact; and the
formation and subsequent improvement of the playing fields at
Dartmouth has afforded them every opportunity for indulging their
taste in this respect. Portland was, of course, a wretched place all
round, for games or any other purpose: you might arrange a football
match, and find that the weather did not admit of landing, nor were
prohibitory gales by any means unknown even in summer.
Since those days, also, there has been a great deal more attention
paid to these matters in all schools, except perhaps in the chief
public schools, where they have always been pursued with some system.
In 1874, as has been seen, the cadets' professional was called before
the Admiralty committee to give his views as to the physique and
capabilities of the cadets at cricket, and it was there stated that
they took a great interest in the game, and were frequently victorious
against school elevens of older boys.
In those matches, also, in which they play "full strength," with the
"pro." and officers, there appear invariably to have been some among
the latter who were exceptionally good, sometimes nearly the whole
eleven being made up of them. It may be that a certain prowess in
athletics is taken into account at the Admiralty among the
qualifications of a lieutenant or instructor for appointment to the
_Britannia_; it is certainly worth considering, and should turn the
scale between two officers, _cæteris paribus_. Boys are all subject to
seasons of slackness, and do not moreover always realise the value of
games in promoting the _mens sana in corpore sano_, and the importance
of the advice and co-operation of their superiors in these matters can
scarcely be overrated. A little practice is worth a ton of precept,
and when the lads find that the lieutenant who inspects them at
divisions, the instructor who teaches them spherical trigonometry, the
doctor who physics them in the sick bay, or the paymaster who sends in
the account to their parents are well able to take a bat and show them
how to play a fast "yorker," or bowl them with a "break-back" on
occasions, there is sure to be a far keener spirit about cricket than
if they were left to themselves.
In all these branches there have been notable cricketers in the
_Britannia_, nor must the Engineer officers be omitted--of whom more
anon.
One of the earliest matches recorded in the magazine is Officers _v._
Cadets, on May 10th, 1884, of which the score is as follows:--
OFFICERS.
Lieut. Thomas, retired 102
Mr. Finlay, c Johnson, b Nugent 2
Captain Bowden-Smith, b Nugent 0
Lieut. Stokes, b Nugent 10
Mr. Aldous, c Johnson, b Collins 2
Mr. Lane, b Collins 0
Com. Bainbridge, not out 44
Mr. Braithwaite, b Nugent 0
Sergeant Meakin, b Nugent 0
Mr. Mason, b Nugent 4
Mr. Langmead, c and b Nugent 0
Extras 1
---
Total 165
CADETS.
Nugent, b Meakin 11
Collins, b Meakin 0
Grenfell, c Bainbridge, b Meakin 3
Johnson, b Meakin 36
Brock, b Meakin 7
Gurner, c Bainbridge, b Meakin 2
Domville, b Braithwaite 21
Margesson, b Thomas 7
Loring, not out 10
Vivian, c Bowden-Smith, b Thomas 8
Murray, b Meakin 0
---
Total 105
Lieutenant Thomas, who was a mighty batsman, magnanimously retired
after making his century, or the juniors would have come off with a
worse beating; he and Captain Bainbridge, it will be noticed, made 146
between them out of 165. Cadet Nugent appears to have been a deadly
bowler, and had the assurance to bowl his captain for a "duck." This
feat, however, fades into insignificance compared with that of a
stalwart midshipman in the Channel Squadron some years earlier who,
with a tremendously hard square cut, knocked the Admiral off his legs
at point, and sent him limping off the field!
Matches with various clubs and schools in the vicinity of Dartmouth
recur, of course, many times: the balance of victories is greatly in
favour of the _Britannia_. The professional Underwood, whose name
appears so many times in the scoring sheet, was there for a long time,
and did excellent service, both in coaching the cadets and in winning
first eleven matches, frequently making a long score and taking his
full share of wickets.
The following are some among the chief matches played in 1884:--
May 17.--_Britannia_ _v._ Engineer Students: _Britannia_, 121;
Engineers, 94.
May 21.--_Britannia_ _v._ Newton College:
Newton College, 93; _Britannia_, 119 (Cadet Bentinck on this occasion
carried his bat through the innings for 38, Captain Bainbridge making
37).
May 24.--_Britannia_ _v._ Mr. Denison's Eleven:
Mr. Denison's Eleven, 106; _Britannia_, 156 (Lieut. Thomas scored 95
not out).
On the Queen's birthday "whole" there was a very close and exciting
match against the Royal Naval College.
ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE.
Lieut. Johnstone, c Thomas, b Meakin 3
Sub-Lieut. Arbuthnot, b Underwood 9
Sub-Lieut. Hillyard, c Brock, b Bentinck 29
Sub-Lieut. Donner, b Meakin 17
Sub-Lieut. Hardinge, c Collins, b Vivian 7
Lieut. Pyke, c and b Underwood 21
Lieut. Stanhope, b Underwood 1
Sub-Lieut. Bruce, c Bainbridge, b Underwood 0
Sub-Lieut. de Crespigny, b Meakin 7
Sub-Lieut. Booth, not out 5
Sub-Lieut. Wells, b Meakin 0
Extras 2
---
Total 101
"BRITANNIA."
Cadet Bentinck, b Hillyard 24
Capt. Bainbridge, c Booth, b Pyke 5
Cadet Nugent, b Pyke 0
Underwood, c Johnstone, b Wells 15
Cadet Johnson, c Johnstone, b Wells 0
Sergt. Meakin, b Arbuthnot 8
Cadet Collins, b Wells 15
Lieut. Thomas, b Pyke 13
Cadet Brock, b Wells 5
Cadet Loring, b Wells 4
Cadet Vivian, not out 2
Extras 12
---
Total 103
The College score was not a formidable one to face; but when the "pro"
was out for 15 there was considerable anxiety. Lieut. Thomas, however,
the other great "stand by," was still to go in. When he was bowled for
13 there was consternation indeed. The College team were generous in
the matters of extras, however, and the hundred went up amid shouts of
applause, a glorious match being brought to a triumphant conclusion.
May 31st, _Britannia_ _v._ Plymouth Garrison:
Garrison, 65 (Captain Quill, 46); _Britannia_, 257 for seven wickets
(Bentinck, 73, Lieut. Thomas, 62).
This was a great victory, as a Garrison team is usually pretty strong.
In addition to "foreign" matches, of which there was a full programme
every season, a great deal of ingenuity was exercised in organising
both cricket and football contests among the cadets: Port Watch _v._
Starboard; the Admirers of Cambridge _v._ Oxford; Over 5 ft. _v._
Under 5 ft.; Odd Classes _v._ Even Classes; _Britannia_ _v._
_Hindostan_; to say nothing of the various matches between the terms.
No "foreign" football matches appear in the earlier numbers of the
magazine, but a regular programme was instituted later on.
In a match on November 11th, 1884, Over 5 ft. _v._ Under 5 ft., the
game was considered by the "cognoscenti" to be a hollow affair for the
Overs. These heroes, however, received a lesson as to the folly of
holding a foe too cheaply; for the Unders won by 7 goals to 0! The
Overs, no doubt, got well chaffed about it; and the smaller boys must
have played a very good game to win so easily.
Cambridge twice beat Oxford; the Third Term beat their seniors, the
Fourth, by one "corner" only; while the Second Term beat the "News" by
6 goals to 1.
In the first match, Odd Classes _v._ Even, the Odds won by 2 goals and
1 "corner"; but the Evens turned the tables at the return match,
winning by 11 goals 2 "corners" to 2 goals. (It is said that a cadet
made some wretched jokes on this occasion; remarking that though the
odds were against the Evens, they played even better than the Odds;
that it was odd that they had not got even with them before, and so
on. There is no saying what intricacies he might not have got
entangled in, had not some of his comrades mercifully rolled him down
a steep slope and sat on him; while a lieutenant who was told of it
spoke darkly of "three days two" if he didn't drop it. Sensitive minds
cannot stand much of this sort of thing!)
In 1884 the cricketing prospects were decidedly improved by the
appointment of Mr. E. M. Tims, naval instructor, who has been there
ever since, and is now chief. For many years he was a tower of
strength to the eleven; but has now relinquished cricket, and is
resting on his laurels, and urging on his juniors to further
victories.
[Illustration: THE CRICKET PAVILION.
_Photo: W. M. Crockett, Plymouth._]
The cricket season of 1885 opened well, _Britannia_ again beating
Plymouth Garrison on May 6th; while a week later they scored a
tremendous victory over Plymouth Cricket Club.
_Britannia_, 299; Underwood "came off" to admiration, scoring 156; he
and Lieut. Thomas contributed 206 between them; moreover, there was
quite a record in extras--no less than 31. Plymouth went in against
this formidable total, and only succeeded in obtaining 87.
May 16th, _Britannia_ _v._ Torquay:
_Britannia_, 153 (Mr. Tims 40, Lieut. Thomas 32); Torquay, 54; a very
solid victory. But nemesis ensued, for on June 14th Torquay made 167
against _Britannia's_ 37; they brought on a deadly fast bowler, who
wrought havoc in the "timber yard," and established a funk, taking six
wickets for 12 runs.
June 17th. _Britannia_ played the Royal Marines, who can usually get
a good team together; however, _Britannia's_ star was again in the
ascendant, their side scoring 184 (Underwood 55, Lieut. Thomas 32),
against the Royal Marines' 117.
Lieut. Thomas got out in rather a curious fashion: he had a man to run
for him, and, being non-striker, was out "in the country" near the
umpire. The striker drove a ball back hard along the ground; it was
diverted by a fieldsman (who made a grab at it) and hit the opposite
wicket; the "runner" was out of his ground, of course. It is an
extraordinary thing that if you have a man to run for you, you are
almost certain to be run out. He may have the very best intentions,
and be a perfect sprinter between the wickets; no matter, he is sure
to be out of his ground when the wicket goes down.
In a match against the Engineer students in July, 1885, each played
rather a remarkable innings. _Britannia_ went in first, and only
scored 80, of which the "pro" made just three-fourths, leaving an
average of two runs apiece among the remainder of the eleven. The
Engineers, however, were not going to be out-classed in the matter of
eccentricities; they scored 40 for two wickets, and were all out for
60!
Matches in the season of 1885 resulted as follows:--
Played, 17: Won 11, lost 2, drawn 4.
This is a good record, and by no means the only one of the kind, as
will be seen.
* * * * *
We must, however, leave the achievements of the cricketers and the
football teams for a little while, in order to notice some of the
other competitions, which it has been considered advisable to include
under the heading of "Games."
It has been customary for a long time past to hold meetings as
follows:--
The cadets' regatta takes place in the autumn on a Wednesday or
Saturday afternoon.
Sailing matches are also held between the sailing cutters--third and
fourth term cadets only--in each term, in heats, as opportunity
offers.
Athletic sports take place in the cricket field on a Wednesday or
Saturday afternoon before the Easter vacation.
An assault-at-arms is held in July and December.
A tennis tournament is held in the autumn term, and a racquet
tournament in the summer term.
A swimming competition takes place at the end of the summer term.
Prizes are given for cricket: one for the best batting average, and
one for bowling.
The beagle whips each receive a prize when passing out.
This is a goodly list; and a keen interest is taken in all, both by
officers and cadets.
The regatta consists of pulling races only; the most important contest
being that between representatives of the port and starboard watches,
in twelve-oared cutters, for a silver cup, which is placed, after the
regatta, on the port or starboard side of the messroom, according to
the winning watch, and the other watch tries to shift it over next
time. It changes hands with considerably greater frequency than the
America Cup!
The other events in the regatta are as follows:--
Four-oared gigs (a race in each term).
Pair oars, with coxswains.
Single sculls.
Four-oared gigs for study classes, each crew being distinguished by
the name of a master.
In connection with the single sculls there is a curious and unusual
trophy, known as "The Rushworth Seal." This is an old-fashioned gold
seal, presented by the father of Mr. C. E. Rushworth, midshipman, who
lost his life in a gallant attempt to save that of a seaman who fell
overboard from H.M.S. _Agincourt_, in the Levant, in 1877. It is kept
in the messroom, in a glass case, with a small model of a ship's
cutter, and is held by the winner of the single sculls for one year,
thus serving to "keep green" the memory of the youthful hero, and
stimulate others to do likewise.
The regatta has usually been an occasion upon which numerous guests
are invited on board to witness the prowess of the cadets with the
oar, and also to enjoy a little harmless recreation in the shape of
dancing. The editor of the _Britannia Magazine_ evidently considers
that there is too little looking on and too much dissipation in the
way of dancing and attending to fair guests.
The regatta of 1886 was held on a very bad day, the rain coming down
heavily towards the end. The editorial remarks are a little bitter:--
"It is hoped that the next time the officers will have an opportunity
of seeing some of the races, as they are naturally interested in the
performances of the cadets. As at present arranged, we think that
their hospitality to their many visitors must make them utterly unable
to see a single race."
And again:--
"Dancers had been driven by stress of weather from the poop to the
middle deck, and were enjoying 'Sir Roger' when the drowned rats
appeared."
It does appear to be somewhat of an incongruity that the cadets should
row races in pouring rain without the satisfaction of having their
officers and the visitors in the "gallery"; but the editor does not
see any improvement next year, and is down upon them savagely.
After referring in a somewhat caustic vein to the inevitable notice,
"If Wednesday be wet, the regatta will be postponed until Saturday,"
and the folly of holding a regatta on equinox day, he proceeds:--
"Let us for the future have the cadets' regatta on August 12th, and
then we shall have no doubt about it. There need be no cadets here:
that will make little difference. A few blue boats can be set to row
up and down, with crews from the shore, hired for the occasion. The
officers of the ship will entertain the fair ones from the
neighbourhood under a blazing sky, and the only difficulty will arise
at the end, when the finish of the races usually brings an accession
of strength to the dancing men, and ladies who have been without
partners for too many dances find that the opportunity of a valse with
a sailor, which they have looked forward to all the year, has failed
them.
[Illustration: A CLASS AT THE GYMNASIUM.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
"It is not well to be cynical (!), but to row in hailstorms, and to
make sport for spectators who do not look on, has soured our
feelings, and we have only to look forward to our next regatta with
hopes of better things."
This is the editorial sledge-hammer with a vengeance, even the ladies
who love to dance with sailors are not spared. The note of exclamation
above is _not_ the editor's; it is merely inserted as an outlet for
the feelings of the reader of this extract.
The athletic sports include the following events:--
Mile handicap.
Half-mile handicap (sometimes).
Quarter-mile handicap.
100 yards handicap.
Hurdle race.
Sack race.
Obstacle race (sometimes).
High jump.
Long jump.
Pole jump.
Throwing the cricket-ball.
Tug of war.
Most of the events are duplicated as "open," or "under five feet," so
the programme is a long one.
In 1886 the open quarter-mile was run in 62 seconds, and the 100 yards
in very good time. The editor of the _Britannia Magazine_ says,
however: "The 100 yards was won by Cadet Field, two others being
almost neck and neck; the timekeeper was so excited that he gave the
time as 10 seconds, which we have reason for doubting."
It certainly seems a remarkable feat for lads like these, who do not
presumably go in for very extensive training.
The high jump was 4 ft. 3-3/4 inches, which is not remarkable; and the
long jump 15 ft. 2 ins.
Cadet Kennedy won the pole jump with 7 ft. 1 in., which is distinctly
good; and the half-mile was won in 2 mins. 35 secs., Cadet Field, the
winner of the 100 yards, who was scratch, just failing to carry it
off.
The following curious editorial comment appears in reference to the
long jump:--
"Sharp, jumping very well, won easily: Foord was second, a foot behind
him. Williams would have won had he jumped further."
There may be some sporting signification in this otherwise somewhat
glaringly obvious statement; on the other hand, the editor, who found
it necessary at times to be severe, may have been relaxing himself a
little.
In the cricket season of 1886 nineteen matches were played, with
results:
Won, 8; lost, 6; drawn, 5.
Not as good as 1885, but the season was remarkable for the tremendous
average obtained by the professional: 100·9 for 18 innings; the next
to him was 15·8! He made 174 not out against the Navy at Plymouth;
_Britannia_ scoring no less than 337 for 5 wickets, against their
opponents' 83.
In 1887, which was a remarkably fine summer, nearly every match came
off, returns being played in several instances.
Underwood again showed great form, but he failed in the first match,
against the Royal Marines; the cadets pulled off the match, however,
scoring 68 against 53. These are small scores for such redoubtable
teams, and the Marines determined that theirs, at least, should be
larger in the return match, in which they reversed the former
decision, scoring 197 to _Britannia's_ 81. This was largely due to the
fine batting of Lieut. Rait, R.M.L.I., who took out his bat for 119.
The following was played on June 1st:--
"BRITANNIA."
Underwood, c Carr, b Sim 30
Cadet Evans, c Gervis, b Carr 1
Cadet Delacombe, st Arundell, b Sim 0
Lieut. Shortland, c Denison, b Sim 0
Cadet Henslowe, hit wkt., b Sim 0
Mr. Tims, b Sim 24
Cadet Gillett, b Carr 1
Mr. Taylor, c Arundell, b Sim 6
Cadet Watson, c Shrubb, b Carr 0
Cadet Walter, not out 3
Cadet Carr, c Sim, b James 6
Extras 4
---
Total 75
TEIGNBRIDGE.
Sim, l b w, b Underwood 91
James, b Taylor 8
Comming, c Delacombe, b Underwood 43
Denison, run out 12
Ridley, not out 21
Carr, c Underwood, b Shortland 7
Shrubb, b Underwood 0
Bafen, b Shortland 0
Arundell, absent 0
Llewellyn, b Underwood 0
Gervis, b Underwood 2
Extras 6
---
Total 190
[Illustration: REGATTA DAY: TWELVE-OARED CUTTER WINNING A RACE.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Teignbridge are always dangerous opponents, and though the close of
their innings was decidedly of a processional character, Sim won
easily off his own bat. It will be noticed that Underwood and Mr. Tims
made 54 for _Britannia_, the rest nowhere!
On the return, on July 6th, Teignbridge brought an almost totally
different team; perhaps they discounted their adversaries too freely,
but it may have been as good an eleven or better. At any rate
_Britannia_ administered a good beating:--
"BRITANNIA."
Underwood, b Robinson 21
Cadet Delacombe, b Mapleton 4
Cadet Watson, b Mapleton 7
Cadet Evans, c Ellis, b Mapleton 5
Mr. Tims, c Bearne, b Ellis 48
Lieut. Shortland, c Denison, b Robinson 0
Cadet Henslowe, b Ellis 14
Mr. Taylor, c Rendell, b Ellis 11
Cadet Gillett, not out 38
Cadet Carr, c Robinson, b Ellis 5
Cadet Walter, b Mapleton 4
Extras 7
---
Total 164
TEIGNBRIDGE.
H. S. Steele, c and b Underwood 1
A. Bearne, l b w, b Underwood 0
J. B. Denison, c Underwood, b Tims 7
J. T. Warner, c Tims, b Taylor 38
A. Robinson, b Taylor 20
H. B. Mapleton, c Gillett, b Underwood 33
Rev. G. Warner, c Evans, b Underwood 1
W. R. Rendell, st, b Underwood 18
G. Shrubb, b Underwood 0
E. F. Denison, b Tims 3
Ellis, not out 0
Extras 5
---
Total 126
The second eleven played some matches, and came off successfully.
Result of the season in 1887:--
Played, 21: Won, 10; lost, 7; drawn, 4.
The season of 1888 was remarkably successful:--
Played, 17: Won, 12; lost, 1; drawn, 4.
There are not many schools that lose only one match out of seventeen
in a season. For some reason, there are no scores inserted in the
_Britannia Magazine_ for this season; it is mentioned that Captain
Bedford rendered good service with the bat on more than one occasion.
In 1889 there is again a lack of material for comment, the cricket
number for this year having unfortunately been lost.
One very important event, however, has to be recorded.
On July 17th and 18th a two-day match was arranged against M.C.C. and
Ground, and the team was captained by no less a person than "W. G."
himself. Unfortunately, he could not come down for the first day's
play; but let Mr. Grace speak for himself:--
_15th September, 1903._
Dear Captain Statham,--In answer to your inquiries _re_ my visit
to the _Britannia_ in 1889. My son, H. E. Grace, was not then on
the _Britannia_, as he did not join until January, 1890. It was
through Lieutenant Abdy, who had played with me at Lord's, that I
promised to play. Gloucestershire were playing the Gentlemen of
Philadelphia at Bristol on the first day, and it was arranged that
I should get down for the second day if I could not go for the
first. As the match at Bristol was not over, I did not get to
Dartmouth until late in the evening of the first day's play. My
friend Abdy was just leaving the _Britannia_, as he had been
ordered off to the manoeuvres, so took no part in the second day's
cricket. Lieutenant de Robeck was deputed to look after me, which
I need not say he did right well. You will see by the enclosed
score that I was absent the first innings. After the match was
over another was started, in which I took part. It ended in a
draw. I remember the best form was shown by Abdy, de Robeck,
Taylor, and Royds. Underwood, the professional coach, took the
greatest interest in the cadets' cricket, and did wonders for
them, considering he had only had them under his charge for two
years. I am sorry I do not recollect more details, but to go back
fourteen years is a long time.
Believe me, yours truly,
W. G. Grace.
As will be seen by the score, _Britannia_ had to follow on, scoring
only 61 against 156. They did better in their "second venture" (as the
"daily" cricket reporter hath it), but M.C.C. won easily by seven
wickets.
[Illustration: CRICKET, FOOTBALL, AND ROWING TROPHIES, AND THE
RUSHWORTH SEAL.
_Photo: Cassell & Co., Ltd._]
M.C.C. AND G. _v._ H.M.S. "BRITANNIA."
_Played at Dartmouth, July 17th and 18th, 1889._
M.C.C.
_First Innings._ _Second Innings._
L. F. B. Dykes, c and b
Underwood 18
Chatterton, c Abdy, b Taylor 47 c De Robeck, b Taylor 6
G. Crake, b Taylor 0 not out 0
Rev. N. Copleston, b Underwood 42
West, J. E., not out 33
Rev. G. T. Warner, b Underwood 2
Mycroft, W., b Abdy 0
R. T. Warner, b Underwood 3
W. G. Grace, absent 0 not out 30
P. Steele, absent 0 run out 2
C. Crowdy, absent 0 c Underwood, b Taylor 6
Byes, 8; wides, 3 11 l b, 1; w, 3; n b, 1 5
--- ---
Total 156 Total 49
H.M.S. "BRITANNIA."
_First Innings._ _Second Innings._
Underwood, b Mycroft 7 run out 43
Taylor, b Mycroft 0 b Chatterton 14
Lieut. de Robeck, c and b
Chatterton 10 b Dykes 12
C. Stratton, run out 6 c Grace, b Chatterton 15
P. Francklin, c Dykes, b
Chatterton 3 c Steele, b Dykes 7
Lieut. R. Abdy, c Taylor, b
Mycroft 12 st West, b Dykes 6
C. E. Pilkington, b Mycroft 2 b Chatterton 14
P. M. R. Royds, c G. Warner,
b Chatterton 2 b Grace 15
E. M. Tims, not out 12 st West, b Mycroft 4
C. L. Lewin, l b w, b Mycroft 4 b Chatterton 7
P. A. H. Brown, c Dykes, b
Chatterton 0 not out 2
Byes 3 b, 1; l b, 3 4
--- ---
Total 61 Total 143
M.C.C. won by seven wickets.
In the second match M.C.C. went in first and declared at 118 for two
wickets. "W. G." made 48 before he was bowled by Mr. Taylor, hitting
out of the ground several times: Chatterton, not out 57.
_Britannia_ made 82 for nine wickets before time was called; Mr. Grace
took seven of them.
In a local account of the match the reporter remarks ironically that
the "cadets _fielded_ very well," which scarcely does the _Britannia_
justice. Their second innings was not at all a bad performance against
the bowling of Mycroft, Chatterton, and Grace, all of whom were
accustomed to getting their share of wickets in first-class cricket.
Among other matches played during this season, there is a phenomenal
one against Torquay, in which _Britannia_ made over 200, and got
Torquay out for 20. _Britannia_ also beat Teignbridge by 89, and
Plymouth by 157.
The editor gives some fatherly advice to cricket aspirants:
"The practice at the nets is not all that it should be; instead of
trying to play with care and learning to defend the wicket, by far the
greater number of cadets seem to think it is a good opportunity for a
slog. By all means play the ball hard, but it is the ruin of any boy's
cricket when once he begins to slog at everything in practice."
The bowlers are admonished for trying to bowl too fast and not keeping
a good length; the fielding is "damned with faint praise," and finally
certain cadets "who take a delight in playing the fool" at the nets
are recommended, in good plain English, to stay away. Very good
advice: let us take our cricket seriously, by all means.
The regatta of 1890 came off with great _éclat_; and as the editor has
no disparaging remarks to make about the "gallery," it may be
concluded that his gentle insinuations on former occasions have
produced the desired effect. There was a very close race for the
Rushworth Seal in the single sculls, Cadet Prentis just pulling it
off, probably because he was a trifle fresher than Withers, who
unshipped a scull close to the finish, which is always likely to
happen when a pumped-out sculler spurts; and though he recovered
pluckily, it lost him the match.
Some "foreign" football matches are on record in the season 1890-91.
Rugby.
Blundell's School, Tiverton, _Britannia_ lost by 5 points.
Royal Naval Engineers' College, a similar result.
Exeter Grammar School, _Britannia_ lost by 3 goals to 1.
Association was more successful:--
Against Paignton School, _Britannia_ won, 5 goals to 1.
Return match, _Britannia_ won 5 goals to 0.
Mannamead School won by 2 goals to 1.
The match with Plymouth was a draw.
Totnes Grammar School won by 5 goals to 0.
In the match against Torbay Football Club, as they were a heavier team
than schoolboys, Lieutenant de Robeck and Dr. South played; and after
an exciting game, _Britannia_ won by 1 goal to 0.
[Illustration: FIRST ELEVEN, 1889: OPPONENTS OF "W. G.'S" TEAM.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
"A Newcomer"--evidently an executive officer who had passed the
_Britannia_ in his youth--takes occasion to remark upon the vast
improvement in the cricket of the cadets, and attributes this to the
careful coaching of the professional. He says--"The form and
confidence displayed now is quite different from that of twelve years
ago. The bowling is much improved, but it is a bit wild at times, from
the very mistaken idea of trying to bowl too fast, which is always
prevalent among boys so young. The fielding is also very good, and
quite up to the form of any of the public schools, who do not have
such a difficult piece of ground to perform on."
The year 1893, as many will remember, was remarkable for its long dry
summer; indeed, the summer appeared to commence in April, and went
right through to September, so that most cricket grounds--the
_Britannia's_ included--were any colour you like except green.
It was naturally a season for batsmen, and _Britannia_ made some long
scores.
Against Exeter Grammar School they declared at 249 for 3 wickets;
their opponents were perhaps tired by their leather-hunting, for they
did not avail themselves of run-getting weather, being all out for 49.
Mannamead School and Plymouth Cricket Club were also handsomely
beaten, while South Devon, against _Britannia's_ 186 for 7 wickets,
scored 116 for 9, and just managed to keep their end up until time was
called: a moral victory for _Britannia_.
The second eleven won nearly all their matches: Paignton School were
beaten by 203 to 74, and Montpelier School by 146 (for 7 wickets) to
32.
Cadets Begg and Backhouse had each a creditable bowling analysis, the
former getting 26, and the latter 34 wickets for an average of under
eight runs each.
The editor has something to say about following the beagles:--
"We must review the beagling season up to date (Christmas, 1893). As
far as sport goes it has been satisfactory, but as far as the
attendance of the cadets goes it has not. Now, why is this? We have
heard that beagling is considered by some of the senior boys to be
'bad form.' Now, we ask you cadets who are sportsmen, are you to be
choked off your sport because some big or senior boy--who may play
football only, or is more probably a loafer, bred in a town with no
knowledge of sport, poor chap--says, 'Feign I beagling,' or something
of the sort?"
There appears to have been a sort of wave of slackness passing through
the ship about that time, at least in regard to the winter games; but
some brilliant work was done at cricket when the summer came round
again--the last season in which the _Britannia_ boys were to have the
advantage of Underwood's coaching.
_Britannia_ (without the professional) declared at 173 for _one_
wicket against Paignton, and got them out for 120. Against the Royal
Marines--also without the professional--they had even more "up their
sleeve," for they made 274 against 68.
[Illustration: A "BRITANNIA" RUGBY TEAM.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
Lieutenant de Robeck made some big scores--114 against the Royal
Marines, and 109, not out, against Newton Blues, a very strong team.
Matches, 1894: Won, 6; lost, 5; drawn, 5.
Some maxims of Lord Harris are here inserted in the magazine, for the
benefit of the "young ideas":--
"Don't, when you are at the wicket, go through a variety of attitudes
to show how you could play an imaginary pitched up or short ball, but
be content with playing it correctly when it is bowled."
"Don't, when you have been bowled out, say it was the worst ball ever
bowled; it detracts from your own merits."
"Don't, when you miss a catch, think to gain the sympathy of the
audience by tearing your hair or grovelling in the dust; save another
run by throwing the ball in as quickly as possible, and abase yourself
in your own estimation as much as you please afterwards."
It is Lord Harris also who gives the advice: "Don't, when you give a
chance off your glove, rub your elbow: it is not good form, and will
not deceive an efficient umpire."
With regard to the second paragraph quoted above, the crack bat of a
very good club, who was addicted to finding some special reason for
getting out, varied it on one occasion, when a "bailer" had him first
ball. He put on a judicially satisfied air, and remarked in a loud and
cheerful voice, "I'm not a bit ashamed! It was a splendid ball; might
have bowled anyone: not a bit ashamed!"
In 1895 no fewer than 22 first eleven matches were played, with the
following results:
Won, 13; lost, 7; drawn, 2 (both in _Britannia's_ favour).
The second eleven won 13 and lost 4; and the third eleven, playing
"foreign" matches for the first time, won 3 and lost 1.
A great season this; certainly no school could hope to display greater
keenness about cricket, and few would attain such a measure of
success.
There was a great match against Mannamead School, in which only cadets
played, on June 12th.
"BRITANNIA."
Cadet Greatorex, b Knowles 4
Cadet Lambert, b Miller 31
Cadet Master, b Wilkinson 43
Cadet Bedwell, b Wilkinson 61
Cadet Johnson, b Wilkinson 28
Cadet Alison, b Wilkinson 0
Cadet Gascoigne, c Knowles, b Read 30
Cadet Chilton, c Tothill, b Brock 45
Cadet Nicholson, not out 41
Cadet Oliphant, b Wilkinson 18
Cadet Fisher, c Ching, b Wilkinson 1
Extras 5
---
Total 307
MANNAMEAD.
Tothill, c Master, b Alison 10
Read, b Greatorex 2
Knowles, b Alison 21
Brock, b Alison 0
Miller, b Fisher 9
Wilkinson, b Fisher 0
C. Tothill, b Alison 26
Roberts, b Alison 4
Hunt, run out 15
Paul, not out 5
Ching, b Alison 8
Extras 14
---
Total 114
A fine example of even scoring--three in the forties and two in the
thirties.
The hero of "cock's score," Cadet Bedwell, does not appear to have been
put on to bowl, or, at any rate, he achieved no success; but in the
following effusion he seems to be selected for distinction--perhaps in
irony, being more of a bat than a bowler.
It is one of several which are contributed by a gifted correspondent
of the _Britannia Magazine_, each in the style of a well-known poet;
they are very clever imitations, and probably the author is not a
cadet, though there is no saying, of course. It is scarcely necessary
to name the poet whose style is here adopted:
So all day long the cricket ball was bowled
Among the wooded heights by western seas,
Until _Britannia's_ champions one by one
Had fallen, hopeful, though the side was out
For only ninety. Then, because the score was small,
The captain put on Bedivel to bowl,
And charged him thus: "Take this our trusty ball,
And fling it straight into the middle stump;
And let the scorer watch with anxious care,
See what thou doest, and deftly note it down."
Then forth he fared, the bowler Bedivel--
Him Bold Sir Bedivel his comrades called,
Save when they dubbed him Bedivel the bowled--
Clothed in white flannel, solid, muscular,
And taking careful aim, he hurled the ball.
The batsman's eyes were dazzled at the sight;
He dallied long, dividing his slow mind
In act to swipe. But at last it seemed
Better to block it and to save his stumps.
But lo! too late: the yorker hit its mark.
Then spake the captain to Sir Bedivel:
"Hast thou performed the order that I gave?
What is it thou hast seen? What hast thou done?"
And answer made the bowler Bedivel:
"I hurled the ball forth, aiming near the crease;
I saw the leg-stump prostrate on the ground."
This is an excellent piece of fooling, whoever wrote it, and should
immortalise not only the writer, but Sir Bedivel also. There is a
footnote appended in the original: "Probably the same who was
afterwards called Bedivere," which leaves a comical sort of
uncertainty which way the anachronism works.
The cricket season of 1896 was marked by two remarkable performances
of the third eleven, against Totnes School.
In the first match _Britannia_ made 309, and won by an innings and 225
runs; in the return they made 405, winning by an innings and 220. This
is what may be termed "making a holy show" of Totnes; and it argues
also a very widely spread proficiency among the cadets, for, even
paying both sides the poor compliment of assuming that Totnes were
weak, an innings of 405 under any circumstances argues a capacity for
batting which is most unusual in a school third eleven.
The first eleven played their two old rivals--Plymouth College and
Mannamead School--amalgamated into one establishment; only cadets took
part in the match, and they declared at 266 for six wickets,
dismissing their opponents for 117.
The season's record is an exemplary one:--
First eleven.--Won, 11; lost, 3; drawn, 2.
Second eleven.--Won, 11; lost, 4.
The _Britannia_ games are never permitted to stand still--there is no
such thing as finality recognised.
In 1893 a regular series of football matches was in full swing, both
Rugby and Association being played.
The "Soccer" team won four out of five matches.
Montpelier School won, 7 goals to 2
Montpelier School won, 7 goals to 0
Plymouth College won, 3 goals to 2
Mannamead School lost, 2 goals to 4
Mannamead School won, 6 goals to 1
Twenty-five goals were thus scored for _Britannia_, and only nine
against, which is an instructive method of regarding a football
season.
[Illustration: A "BRITANNIA" ASSOCIATION TEAM.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
At the regatta of 1896 a new event was introduced--_Hindostan_ _v._
_Britannia_--two pinnaces competing, each crammed with cadets. This is
a regular piece of marine buffoonery; of course, the oars are very
much handicapped by the crowd, but, nevertheless, two or three hands
manage to get hold of each oar, while the remainder make as much noise
as possible. _Britannia_ won, amid shouts of laughter.
The list of times, etc., in the various athletic competitions,
extending over nearly 20 years, as set forth in the accompanying
table, is very interesting. The mile record of 5 min. 8 sec. is
discredited; but it was, undoubtedly, done in 5 min. 9-1/2 sec. by
Cadet Ward, in 1901, so perhaps the hero of 1893 has been wrongly
deprived of his place. It is certainly astonishingly good time for a
boy, if correct, the pace being nearly 11-3/4 miles an hour. In view
of the doubt--possibly attributable, as on a former occasion, to the
unduly excited condition of the timekeeper--the alternative record is
held by Cadet Huddart, who subsequently won laurels on a sterner
field, but did not, alas! survive to wear them. He was a midshipman in
the Naval Brigade attached to Lord Methuen's force, and in the assault
at Graspan, leading his men under the deadly fire, he was hit
repeatedly, but refused to fall out, until a mortal wound laid him
low.
SEVENTEEN YEARS' ATHLETICS.
| Long jump
----------+------------
1878 | 14·4
1879 | 14·4
1880 | 13·6
1881 | 14·9-1/2
1883 | 16·3
1884 | 17·2
1886 | 15·2
1888 | 14·0
1889 | 14·7
1890 | 14·5
1891 | 15·8
1892 | 17·11
1893 | 15·2
1894 | 16·5
1895 | 15·0
1896 | 16·9
1897 | 17·2
Holder of | Ballantyne,
Record | 17 ft. 11. in.
| 1/4 mile (open) | 1/4 mile (under 5 ft.)
----------+-----------------+-----------------------
1878 | 67 | 72
1879 | 65 | 70
1880 | 69 | 75
1881 | 70 | 72
1883 | 60 | 71
1884 | 65-1/2 | 70-1/2
1886 | 62 | 68-1/2
1888 | 66 | ...
1889 | 66 | ...
1890 | 66 | 67
1891 | 66-1/2 | 69
1892 | 58-1/2 | 66
1893 | 60-3/5 | 64
1894 | ... | 71-1/5
1895 | 69-2/5 | 74-2/5
1896 | 61-3/5 | 67-4/5
1897 | 62-1/5 | 75-4/5
Holder of | Chichester, | Hallett,
Record | 58-1/2 sec. | 64 sec.
| High jump (open) | High jump (under 5 ft.)
----------+------------------+------------------------
1878 | 4·3 | ...
1879 | 4·4 | ...
1880 | 4·2-1/2 | ...
1881 | 4·5 | ...
1883 | 4·5 | ...
1884 | 4·8 | ...
1886 | 4·3-3/4 | 4·0-1/2
1888 | 4·8 | 4·1-1/2
1889 | 4·5-1/2 | 4·2
1890 | 4·10 | 4·5
1891 | 4·8 | 4·1-1/2
1892 | 4·8 | 4·5
1893 | 4·6-1/2 | 4·4
1894 | 4·8-1/2 | 4·8-1/2
1895 | 4·9 | 4·7
1896 | 4·11-1/2 | 4·2-1/2
1897 | 4·6 | 4·0
Holder of | Yule, 4 ft. | De Burgh,
Record | 11-1/2 in. | 4 ft. 8-1/2 in.
| Throwing cricket ball
----------+-------------------------
1878 | 70-1/2
1879 | 71
1880 | 70
1881 | 76
1883 | 72
1884 | 75
1886 | 74
1888 | 70
1889 | 75-1/2
1890 | 89-1/4
1891 | 80-1/2
1892 | 80
1893 | 77
1894 | 87
1895 | 75
1896 | 87
1897 | 87
Holder of | Paulet, 89-1/4 yds.,
Record | with very strong wind.
| Mile
----------+----------------------------
1878 | 6
1879 | 5·58
1880 | ...
1881 | ...
1883 | ...
1884 | ...
1886 | ...
1888 | ...
1889 | 5·36
1890 | 5·49
1891 | 6·2
1892 | 5·35
1893 | 5·8
1894 | 5·34
1895 | 5·54
1896 | 5·42
1897 | 5·31-4/5
Holder of | White, 5 min. 8 sec.
Record | (inaccurate, probably);
| Huddart, 5 min. 31-4/5 sec.
| 100 yards (open) | 100 yards (under 5 ft.)
----------+------------------+------------------------
1878 | ... | ...
1879 | ... | ...
1880 | ... | ...
1881 | ... | ...
1883 | ... | ...
1884 | ... | ...
1886 | ... | ...
1888 | ... | ...
1889 | ... | ...
1890 | ... | ...
1891 | ... | ...
1892 | 12-1/5 | 13-1/5
1893 | 11 | ...
1894 | 12-1/5 | 12-4/5
1895 | 12-4/5 | 13-3/5
1896 | 11-2/5 | 12-4/5
1897 | 12-1/2 | 13-3/5
Holder of | Collard, | Pawson,
Record | 11 sec. | 12-4/5 sec.
| Hurdles (open) | Hurdles (under 5 ft.)
----------+----------------+----------------------
1878 | ... | ...
1879 | ... | ...
1880 | ... | ...
1881 | ... | ...
1883 | ... | ...
1884 | ... | ...
1886 | ... | ...
1888 | ... | ...
1889 | ... | ...
1890 | ... | ...
1891 | ... | ...
1892 | ... | ...
1893 | ... | ...
1894 | ... | ...
1895 | 20-2/5 | 22-4/5
1896 | 16-4/5 | 19-4/5
1897 | 18-3/5 | 21-1/5
Holder of | Gibbs, | Bingham,
Record | 16-4/5 sec. | 19-4/5 sec.
| Tug of war
----------+-----------
1878 | ...
1879 | ...
1880 | ...
1881 | ...
1883 | ...
1884 | ...
1886 | ...
1888 | ...
1889 | ...
1890 | ...
1891 | ...
1892 | ...
1893 | Port
1894 | Star
1895 | Port
1896 | Port
1897 | Port
Holder of | --
Record |
[Illustration: BOXING CLASS.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
The Association team has been uniformly more successful than Rugby;
the following remarks of the editor on the subject of Rugby football
appear to point to a possible explanation:--
"A most important item in football is 'stodge.' I have actually seen a
fellow come out of the canteen to play a match--a _match_, mind
you--with his mouth full of jam, or some mess or other. He wonders,
after a time, why he is a bit off colour; thinks it's the weather, or
his boots. Mind, no stodge till the game is over."
One might adopt the language of the sinister Custom House officer in
"The Smuggler's Leap":--
"Your words are plain, though they're somewhat rough!"
The marvel is that boys so frequently play a good game at "forward,"
or make a long score at cricket, in spite of "stodge," and that of the
most wind-destroying character: they are, presumably, specially
constructed in the interior at that age.
At Christmas, 1897, it is reported that Mrs. Curzon-Howe, the
captain's wife, presented a couple and a half of beagles to the pack,
which then amounted to 17-1/2 couples, with some puppies coming on.
The beagles started a fox on one occasion, and ran it for nearly two
hours. The distance is stated to have been fourteen miles; there is no
mention of the number of "footmen" who kept with the hounds, but it
must have been rather hot for them.
A new feature in 1897 was the introduction of hockey matches: Cadet
Captains _v._ Ship; Officers _v._ Ship; _Britannia_ _v._ _Hindostan_.
There is an assault-at-arms twice in the year--in July and December;
the summer meeting is held in the fields, and great enthusiasm
prevails.
Competitions take place at the horizontal bar, parallel bars, and
other gymnastics, properly so called, including the "human pyramid"; a
display with dumb bells; poles, etc.; and contests with gloves and
fencing swords, which, of course, are by far the most popular, both
with cadets and spectators.
The boys get a good grounding in the essential points of fencing and
boxing, but to attain to any great degree of proficiency in either
requires a good deal more time than can conveniently be devoted to it,
and the boxing frequently has a strong spice of the "hammer and tongs"
business about it. Still, there are some who shape very well; and, at
any rate, a few systematic lessons will enable a lad to do something
more than assume, like Mr. Pickwick, "a paralytic attitude," which
his friends confidently believed to be intended for a posture of
defence.
Cricket continues to flourish, and a season in which _Britannia_
should fail to win a majority of matches would be regarded as a sort
of hideous dream. The editor of the _Britannia Magazine_ would either
pass it over in silence or dip his pen in gall and administer such a
rating as would, in his editorial opinion, infallibly bring about a
different result in the ensuing year; followed, no doubt, by a mild
protest against cynicism!
[Illustration: THE BEAGLE WHIPS.
_Photo: W. M. Crockett, Plymouth._]
These things do not happen, however, as the following figures will
demonstrate:--
1898.
First eleven.--Won, 10; lost, 7; drawn, 6.
Second eleven.--Won, 13; lost, 7: drawn, 1.
Third eleven.--Won, 11; lost, 3.
1899.
First eleven.--Won, 10; lost, 5; drawn, 4.
Second eleven.--Won, 10; lost, 4; drawn, 1.
1902.
First eleven.--Won, 7; lost, 3; drawn, 5.
A very exciting match was played, in 1902, against Stratford-on-Avon
Wanderers; Lord is the _Britannia_ professional, a left-hander, and an
artful dodger in the matter of an unexpected "break back."
WANDERERS.
Arlington, b Lord 41
Deer, c Smith, b Swan 1
Holloway, b Glasgow 11
Fellows, b Glasgow 18
Holton, c Whetham, b Glasgow 15
Hastings, b Glasgow 0
Fish, b Glasgow 4
Jackson, b Lord 0
Ashley, l b w, b Glasgow 2
Whitehead, b Lord 10
Challaway, not out 1
Extras 3
---
Total 106
"BRITANNIA."
Dr. Bobardt, b Arlington 2
Cadet Abercrombie, c Hastings, b Whitehead 5
Mr. Smith, l b w, b Whitehead 7
Lieut. Wood, b Arlington 10
Mr. Swan, c Deer, b Hastings 14
Lieut. Lewis, l b w, b Hastings 26
Mr. Benn, c Hastings, b Arlington 1
Lord, c Fish, b Arlington 18
Rev. W. Royse, not out 13
Cadet Whetham, b Hastings 0
Cadet Glasgow, b Arlington 9
Extras 7
---
Total 112
_Britannia's_ score was 101 at the fall of the eighth wicket; Cadet
Whetham was bowled first ball--six runs still wanted when Glasgow came
in. He had taken six wickets, and now he came to the rescue with the
bat, and he and Mr. Royse, the chaplain, won the match by steady play
at a critical moment.
To a lover of beautiful scenery and keen cricket, it would be
difficult to find a more attractive spot than the _Britannia_ cricket
grounds on a fine half holiday. For the benefit of readers who have
not enjoyed the privilege of being present on such an occasion, let us
pay a visit in spirit to the _Britannia_ on a certain Saturday during
the summer of 1903; a perfect day, which would have been too hot but
for a light westerly breeze with never a touch of chill in it.
[Illustration: THE CRICKET FIELD.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
The cadets' dinner is at noon on Saturday, and by 1.30 there is
scarcely a boy left on board the ship. Some are away in boats or
sailing cutters, some are off for a walk, others to visit friends in
the neighbourhood, and so on; but we must follow the large contingent
which makes its way to the cricket grounds. Landing at the solid stone
pier abreast the ship, we cross the asphalt tennis courts, and mount
the concrete steps in the far right-hand corner. There are many of
these steps, intercepted by level landings, and winding up the
hillside past the racquet courts, all overshadowed by trees, which
lend a welcome shade, but do not prevent one getting pretty hot during
the ascent. At length the last flight is surmounted, and a broad,
well-kept path, still under trees, leads on past the beagle kennels,
where a loud and inquisitive chorus greets a stranger, to the lower
ground. Play is already in progress, so we dutifully keep to the right
behind the white screen, and passing across the end of the cricket
ground, mount to the upper ground, which is separated from the lower
one by a steep grassy bank some 12 or 15 feet high, with several
flights of stone steps. Here, standing by the edge of the bank, you
can see both grounds to advantage. On the far side is the pavilion, a
long bungalow, with an elevated scoring-box in the centre; and here
are spacious dressing-rooms, a canteen, where excellent "stodge" may
be obtained at the most moderate charges, and a large amount of
sitting accommodation for onlookers. A large tent to the left contains
tea and refreshments for the officers and their friends. The view is
magnificent in every direction, and the full benefit of the summer
breeze is felt at this elevation.
Furthermore, there is a great deal of cricket going on; the first and
third elevens are playing matches on the lower, and the second eleven
on the upper ground; and there is plenty of room for a couple of
picked sides to play in addition.
Anticipating a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon in such surroundings, we
take up a commanding position on a seat overlooking the first eleven
pitch.
The match is against Teignbridge, who always play a strong team,
including several county players; so _Britannia_ naturally does all
she knows, and her eleven only contains two cadets, while the "pro" is
included as a matter of course. The remaining eight comprises two
lieutenants, two Engineer lieutenants, the paymaster, the science
master--whose science is not confined to the lecture room--the
chaplain, and one of the doctors.
The "foreigners" have first knock, and are not doing as well as their
strength would lead one to expect. Already several wickets are down,
and the score is small. The deliveries of Lord, the professional, and
Mr. Warner, the science master, are evidently too much for the
batsmen. The fielding, moreover, is very keen; quite up to the mark.
The boundaries are liberal, especially on the north and north-east;
indeed, the former looks well worth five runs.
There goes their crack player! Bowled by Lord for a "duck." This is an
extremely good riddance, for he is a doughty bat; a left hander, with
a strong defence, and a dangerous capacity for scoring if he once gets
set.
Two more wickets in rapid succession, both to the science master; and
the end comes with surprising rapidity.
The first lieutenant, his many-coloured blazer showing up to advantage
in the strong sunlight, comes along with a joyous countenance. "Lucky!
got 'em out for 59; strong team, too!"
Very lucky: and not all luck, either. Being, of course, strong
partisans of _Britannia_, we rejoice with him, and hope his side will
be in form with the bat.
The "gallery" is mustering rapidly. Nearly all the officers of the
ship are on the ground; the captain strolls up, with two or three
children and a happy dog; officers' wives, and outside friends, make a
goodly show on the seats along the terrace, half-way down the bank.
Time for _Britannia_ to go in, and Engineer Lieutenants Benn and Smith
are deputed to open the ball. Athletics, as is well known, are by no
means neglected at the Engineers' Training College; and these two
gentlemen, whose duty it is to look after the engines of the tenders
attached to the _Britannia_, and initiate the cadets into the
mysteries of steam, are well able also to show them a wrinkle or two
in handling the willow.
The bowling starts well. Looking at the pitch, in nautical parlance,
"broadside on," one is able to see what a good length the left hander
keeps: shoots unpleasantly, too, at times, so that you have to be wide
awake to get down on them.
These two are bad men to bowl at, though; they "keep their hair on,"
watching the ball keenly, and contenting themselves at first with a
snick or two through the slips, or a "pull" of moderate dimensions.
But the left hander is beginning to lose his length a little, and
pitches them up; so the batsmen may get a chance of "opening their
shoulders."
Lieutenant Benn faces him for a fresh over. Ah! there is one well
pitched up: he won't let that off! Not he: a lovely off-drive, going
at a tremendous pace, all along the ground, just outside mid-off, who
makes a wild grab, but fails to reach it. Away it goes, the man behind
the bowler tearing after it, without the remotest chance of catching
it, until the little dark speck disappears from view over the gentle
slope on the northern boundary. Really now, anyone, "W. G." or "C. B."
included, might be proud of that drive: and there are several more of
the same kind to follow, though the foe discounts them by putting a
man there.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Smith is not idle; he is not as fierce a driver
as his companion, but his wrist play through the slips is delightfully
clean and well timed.
The opponents' score is passed long since, and still no wicket. Ah!
there is one at last. Lieutenant Benn is caught, for an innings of 69,
thoroughly well played: and the score is 117 for one wicket; very good
business!
Lieutenant de Burgh, of whom great things are usually expected, is
bowled by a shooter from the left hander; Lieutenant Smith is caught
for a capital innings of 46; Cadets Sparling and Beal show nice form
with the bat, the latter scoring 17; then Dr. Bobardt and the "pro"
get together and play out time. The doctor is a left hander, and
smites very hard when he gets his opportunity; mid-on has occasion to
wring his fingers and inspect them dubiously more than once,
testifying mutely to the vigour of the doctor's drives--or, possibly,
not mutely; but his remarks are not audible to the gallery.
Total, for six wickets, 214; and of course, being a one day match, it
was in reality a victory by ten wickets, Dr. Bobardt and Lord taking
out their bats for 47 and 20 respectively.
And what about the second eleven? They are playing Montpelier School;
Lieutenant Chetwode plays with them, as a set off against the master
on the other side, who is a very big man and a very keen cricketer.
_Britannia_ bats first, and does very creditably: Powell 49, Cull 44,
Ling 25, Nicholson 22, and no ducks; "extras" comes out with an
unusually long score, 22; total, 221. Towards the end of the innings
Montpelier's bowling was very slack, and Cadet Powell displayed good
capacity for availing himself of it, repeatedly getting boundaries
away to the bank under the trees on the west side; big leg hits, well
timed.
The School would have come off badly, indeed, without their master,
who went in first wicket down and scored 91; no one was able to keep
him company very long, and it looked like a certain victory for
_Britannia_ when the ninth wicket fell with some time to spare.
However, the last two men kept their ends up, and the result was a
draw, greatly in _Britannia's_ favour, the School score having only
reached 168.
The third eleven had a similar experience against King Edward School,
but the "morality" of the victory was much more pronounced,
_Britannia_ scoring 283 to their opponents' 60 for nine wickets;
obviously, a declaration at 200 or so would have been sounder tactics.
Cadet Scott scored in this match 104; and he and Cadet Alexander did
some remarkable scoring together, actually compiling 103 runs off the
first nine overs! An average of over 11 runs an over; rather
demoralising for the bowlers!
Well, this delightful afternoon is over, all too soon; "time" is
called all round, and soon there is a general exodus from the fields,
cadets and officers streaming off in groups down the steps, discussing
the play in enthusiastic fashion; and so off to the ship, happy and
hungry, in spite of the "stodge" in the pavilion.
During a first eleven match this season a curious misunderstanding
occurred. It was a "full strength" game, and _Britannia_, going in
first, scored freely, declaring at 244 for eight wickets. There was
time to dispose of the other side, with good luck, but not too much;
and of course their policy was to play for a draw.
However, they began to go out pretty fast towards the close, and with
about a quarter of an hour left the ninth wicket fell. The last man
came in, and after a couple of overs the visitors' umpire announced,
as he came up to the wicket, "Last over." Everyone who had a watch on
looked at it, and saw that it was only 6.20; the large clock fixed on
the base of the flagstaff in the corner of the ground, however, said
6.30 within a minute or so. The over was bowled, with no result, and
the aforesaid umpire calmly took the bails off, and walked off the
ground.
Then there was a row. _Britannia's_ captain pointed out that the clock
was wrong, and that there was nearly ten minutes more play; the umpire
maintained that they were bound to go by the ground clock, and was not
at all sporting about it. _Britannia's_ captain, being a man in
authority, gave him a good slice of his naval executive mind, but the
umpire was stubborn, and time was fleeting. Luckily, however, the
visitors' captain, who was changing in the pavilion, was a sportsman
of different kidney; and he immediately decreed, upon being appealed
to, that, time or no time, the innings should be played out. So the
recalcitrant umpire, and the batsmen, who had taken off their pads,
had to come back again, and one of them was so long about it that the
bowler did not realise that he had not arrived until he had commenced
his run, and found that he was attacking an empty wicket! So, amid
some merriment, the batsman at length got fixed up, and a few balls
sufficed to decide the match, the last man being dismissed, just on
the stroke of time, by a clever catch in the slips.
Moral: Have your ground clock kept right.
The season of 1903 has been a most successful one, as the following
figures testify:--
First eleven.--Played, 19: won, 15; drawn, 3; lost, 0 (one
abandoned).
Second eleven.--Played, 22: won, 14; lost, 7; drawn, 1.
Third eleven.--Played, 12: won, 9; lost, 1; drawn, 2.
In addition to the remarkable performance of two cadets in a third
eleven match, mentioned above, it is on record that Dr. Bobardt on one
occasion scored 39 runs off two consecutive overs; that Lieutenant de
Burgh made what is believed to be the record score for _Britannia_ of
229 not out (he also scored on another occasion 177 not out); and, the
bowlers being determined not to be left out in the cold, the "hat
trick" has been performed five times, the Rev. H. Royse, the chaplain,
doing it twice.
Enough has been said, perhaps, about the games to indicate what an
important place they are assigned in the general programme of the
_Britannia_, and with what keenness and uniform success they are
pursued. As the editor remarks, in the opening number of the magazine,
no school has such a variety of fixtures; "we want a whole _Bell's
Life_ to ourselves," he says.
The playing fields could scarcely be surpassed, one would imagine: a
good idea of their extent and quality and also of the amount of work
entailed in their construction may be obtained from the illustrations.
That high bank which separates the two cricket grounds, and the
smaller one at the further side of the upper ground, mean a lot of
navvies' work; but no expense or trouble has been spared in the
matter, the Admiralty possibly holding the view that if, as was said
by a great soldier, British military victories are won on the playing
fields at Eton, they are not going to give the Navy any excuse for not
winning victories on the score of inefficient playing fields!
Certainly, money so expended is money well spent. Since the early days
of the _Britannia_ a complete revolution has taken place in the matter
of recognised recreation for both soldiers and sailors--officers and
men. Formerly they had to do as best they could, by private
subscriptions, both for indoor and outdoor games; now a large sum is
voted annually for the purpose, and the _Britannia_ games and playing
fields bear witness that the Admiralty is not behind the times in this
respect.
[Illustration: VIEW FROM THE NEW COLLEGE.
_Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._]
CHAPTER IX.
CONCLUSION.
Forty-Six Years' Record--Internal Arrangements--Swimming Baths--"On
Their Honour"--No More Sails--The _Revenge_ as a Picture--The _Isis_
and _Aurora_--Lieutenants' Adventure--Scotch Hospitality--Shooting
Instruction--"Good Fishing"--A Creditable Record--The Cost of the
_Britannia_--The Instructional Staff--An Excellent Arrangement--A
Heavy Responsibility--Discharged Right Well--The New Scheme--
Utilitarian Buildings--The _Racer_ Again--Popularity of Practical
Mechanics--No Half Measures.
Having followed the story of the _Britannia_ from her cradle--but not
to her grave, as interment would be premature at present--it only
remains to add a few details and remarks on the general arrangements
as now existing, and on the results of the work performed in the
training of young officers during the period of forty-six years since
the institution of the _Illustrious_ under Captain Harris, together
with a brief description of the new scheme which is now in operation,
concurrently with the last days of the _Britannia_.
The arrangements and general condition of the two ships which
constitute the establishment, as the result of many years of
experience and successive improvements under various captains, are
such as to impress most favourably anyone who has had experience in
naval discipline and the adaptation of ships to such purposes.
Whatever may be the views held by various officers and others as to
the advisability of using a stationary ship in preference to a
college--and they are many and diverse, as we have seen--there can be
but one opinion as to the high state of perfection which has been
attained in the _Britannia_, whether from a sanitary, a disciplinary,
or an educational point of view.
The cadets' chests and hammocks are divided between the two
ships--which are, of course, practically one, by virtue of the
connecting bridge--the first and second terms being located on the
lower deck of the _Hindostan_, the third and fourth on the main deck
of the _Britannia_. At the fore end of each of these decks are large
salt water baths, with fresh water shower-baths; every cadet, on
turning out in the morning, has to go through the bath, and is also
provided with hot water at his washing place for supplementary
ablutions. Arrangements are also made by which about one hundred
cadets get a hot fresh water bath each week. The hot and muddy
followers of the beagles are not forgotten, a very acceptable warm
bath being provided for them when they return on board.
The cadets' chests and clothes are under supervision by the lieutenant
in charge of each term, who supplies the captain with a list of
deficiencies once a month, and frequently inspects the chests and
clothing, to see that they are kept in good order.
Naval uniform, etc., is very strictly prescribed nowadays, down to the
most minute details--such as neckties, and toe-caps on boots--in great
contrast to the laxity of former days; and the cadets are bound by
these to the very letter.
The studies are divided between the two ships, and are as good as they
could be made on board a ship; gangways are built at the sides, so as
to utilise the full breadth of the ship, without the necessity of
passing through one study for access to another. The lecture-room is
on board the _Britannia_, fitted with rising tiers of seats, and all
appliances for practical demonstration in physics, etc.
The messroom is on the lower deck of the _Britannia_; and a bulkhead
separates this and the steward's pantries, etc., from the ship's
company's quarters at the fore end.
The wardroom officers have an excellent messroom at the after end of
the middle deck, with anteroom and billiard-room. It may sound odd to
landsmen to hear of such a nicely adjusted article as a billiard-table
on board ship; and, of course, in a sea-going ship or one moored in an
exposed position it would be futile. In a close and quiet harbour
such as Dartmouth, however, it is quite feasible, and any little
alterations in the trim of the ship are compensated by means of a
screw on each leg of the table and a spirit level.
The captain has his quarters on the main deck, above the officers.
The poop of the _Hindostan_ is roofed in and fitted permanently as a
chapel, the only adaptation necessary for Sunday being the covering of
the skylights which light the studies below, and which otherwise
interfere with the arrangement of the seats. This is a vast
improvement on the old style of "rigging church" with messroom forms,
etc., on the middle deck, which is all very well in a sea-going ship,
where you cannot devote a portion of a deck to the purpose.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN C. H. CROSS.]
The upper deck of the _Britannia_ is covered in, and used as a place
for recreation and skylarking in bad weather, also for such functions
as prize day, etc.
There are two floating swimming baths attached to the ship: one is
moored a little way off, and the other, in which the water can be
heated when necessary, is secured under the bridge which connects the
two ships. These are used for the purpose of instruction in swimming;
every cadet is tested as to his capabilities in this respect on
joining; should the weather be too cold at the time, he must produce a
statement from his parents or guardian that he can swim. The test is
to swim sixty yards without stopping; any boy who is unable to do this
is placed under instruction, and his progress regularly reported until
he can pass in swimming. No cadet is allowed to use the boats for
recreation, or to present himself for final examination, unless he is
able to swim.
The first paragraph of the regulations to be observed by cadets when
away from the ship explains clearly enough the spirit in which the
rules are imposed:--
"Cadets when on shore for recreation enjoy complete freedom from
surveillance. This advantage can only be enjoyed with their
co-operation, and it is obviously to their interest, in every way, to
show that the confidence reposed in them is not misplaced. Certain
rules and regulations are laid down for their guidance, and they are
'_on their honour_' to abide by them."
The rules are by no means too harsh or exacting, and the system is
found to work perfectly.
The youth "Navilus," in his booklet, it will be recollected, records
how he and his companion went on board the German man-of-war. This was
a breach of rules, without first obtaining permission, but not a very
terrible offence; indeed, it would have been almost too much to expect
that they should, in response to such a cordial invitation, reply that
they were not permitted to do so.
The course of studies and seamanship as at present pursued is
contained in the Appendix, and needs but little notice here.
It will be observed that instructions as to working sails and masts,
manoeuvring a ship under sail, etc., are wiped out; all that is taught
is the names of sails and how to "bend" fore and aft sails. All
fitting of rigging is also abolished, and only such bends and hitches,
knots and splices, retained as may be occasionally useful. It was
quite time, no doubt, to take this step, seeing how much else there is
to learn, and that none of these lads will ever see a sail set in
their future ships; still, there is a certain feeling of regret about
it. England attained her unrivalled place on the ocean by her sailors'
smartness in the old style of seamanship; she will have to maintain it
with the new appliances when the time comes.
Another source of regret--entirely sentimental, no doubt; but are not
sailors proverbially sentimental?--is the final disappearance of the
big ship under a cloud of canvas. Such a sight as the cadets were
called from their studies to witness one day at Portland, when the
_Revenge_, a very handsome two-decker, was beating into the roads;
Captain Harris stood on the poop, a veritable sea-dog, and criticised
every movement.
A big battleship or cruiser is a fine sight, the embodiment of power
and dangerous energy; but she cannot hold a candle to the _Revenge_ as
a picture!
In 1902 great excitement was caused by the news that the _Racer_ was
doomed; and in due course her successor put in an appearance--a very
different sort of craft.
The _Isis_ is a second-class cruiser of 5,600 tons and 8,000
horse-power, though she is capable of developing a good deal more than
this when it is found necessary to press her. She is reckoned as a
19- or 20-knot vessel, and, as will be seen from the illustration, is
a very business-like looking craft, presenting quite an imposing
appearance in the narrow waters of the Dart.
Her first cruise commenced on October 2nd, 1902, when she took the
fourth term cadets to sea for a blue-water cruise; the first since the
days of the _Ariadne_ in the early 'seventies. It was during this trip
that, while at Santa Cruz, in Teneriffe, some idiotic Canary Islanders
attacked Captain Mundy, and injured him rather seriously.
The _Isis_, however, did not provide sufficient accommodation for the
cadets who were ripe for sea training, so another vessel was attached
to the _Britannia_--the _Aurora_, an older vessel, and, though of the
same tonnage and lower speed, rated as a first-class cruiser; she has
a considerable amount of protective armour.
These two vessels are kept going, and in the summer number of the
magazine for 1903 there is quite a long yarn about their doings, with
scores of the cricket matches played by the cadets at various ports.
When the cadets joined for their cruise on May 7th, 1903, at Plymouth,
it is recorded that all turned up punctually except one boy, whose
parents had sent him to Portsmouth by mistake; and, as he came from
Wales, he had rather a roundabout journey to Plymouth!
They visited the Scilly Isles, where Mr. Smith-Dorrien, who owns
large property there, extended liberal hospitality to them. Here a
somewhat awkward mishap attended two of the lieutenants. They went out
in a skiff, when the weather became somewhat rough--as everyone knows
it can at the Scillies--and their small craft capsized, out of sight
of the ship. However, they managed to swim on shore, and were well
looked after by a fisherman's family until a ship's boat brought them
on board, luckily none the worse.
From the Scillies they went to Milford Haven, thence to the Isle of
Man, and on to Oban. They were to have gone on to the "Land of the
Midnight Sun," but one of the lads had to be landed for an operation
for appendicitis, so their stay at Oban was prolonged, and the Norway
trip abandoned.
Two of the ship's boats took part in a sailing race, and the gig of
the _Isis_, steered by the first lieutenant, succeeded in carrying off
the prize, being, indeed, 18 minutes ahead of her time allowance;
which must have astonished the members of the local yacht club who
admitted them to the competition; for it is, curiously enough, a sort
of axiom among yachtsmen, that naval officers cannot sail a boat.
From Oban they went to Invergordon, Tobermory, and Stornoway. But the
weather-god of the Hebrides is an unrestful sort of person, and
treated them to a little of the bluster which he always has up his
sleeve, even in the summer months; and before they arrived at Milford
Haven, on July 5th, a good many of the cadets had had a good
opportunity of getting their "sea-legs."
All naval officers who have visited Scotland in their cruises carry
away pleasing recollections of much kindness and hospitality, and the
experience of the officers and cadets on board the _Isis_ formed no
exception to the rule.
The _Aurora_, meanwhile, sailing on the same day, visited Guernsey,
Yarmouth (Isle of Wight), Weymouth, Torquay, Falmouth, the Scilly
Isles, Kingstown, Bangor, Lamlash Bay (in the Isle of Arran), thence
to the Isle of Man, and finally to Milford Haven, where they found
their "opposite number," the _Isis_, and compared notes as to their
respective cruises.
It is quite obvious, from the tone of the letters from the two ships,
that these cruises, teeming as they do with opportunities of acquiring
valuable knowledge and experience, are also a source of much pleasure
and enjoyment to the lads.
It is recorded in the magazine that the captain has started a shooting
class among the cadets of the senior term; giving preference to those
who have not had an opportunity at home of using a fowling piece. Clay
pigeons are provided, and the cadets are instructed in all the
precautions which should be used when out shooting, so as to minimise
the risk of accident. This is an excellent idea, and the boys ought to
be very grateful to Captain Cross for originating it. Every shooting
season has its tale of accidents, many of them arising from an utter
disregard of precautions and lack of common sense; opportunities often
occur of shooting on foreign stations, and the experience gained with
the clay pigeons at Dartmouth will come in handy afterwards, no doubt.
The practice of dragging a loaded gun through a hedge is responsible
for many deaths, the culprit being usually also the victim; and the
extraordinary things that people who are supposed to be experts in the
use of fire-arms will do sometimes are almost incredible. Let us hope
that these young gentlemen, being forewarned, will learn the value of
caution and common sense in the use of both sporting and service
weapons; not forgetting the revolver, which, in the hands of careless
or incompetent persons, is the most dangerous weapon of all.
The King's Birthday "whole" was curtailed to a "half" in 1903, owing
to the presence of scarlet fever in Dartmouth; but, as it was held on
June 26th, the day was long, and was well filled up. Three cricket
matches, a picnic of about 140 up the river, and a sea-fishing party
of forty or fifty comprised the entertainments, which were all
eminently successful. The fishermen were piloted by Mr. James, of
Dartmouth, to an ideal fishing ground, where they hauled up many big
fish, including huge conger eels--which often give exciting sport by
their antics when landed, getting mixed up with all the tackle in the
boat, and going for the fishermen open-mouthed when they endeavour to
disentangle them--rock-cod, and other marine monsters; they also had a
parallel experience with that of the apostolic fisherman of old, for,
though they were not using nets, one of their best lines broke from
the weight of fish upon it.
The spot selected by this acute Dartmouth gentleman presents a strong
contrast to some places which are marked "good fishing" on the
Admiralty charts, where, indeed, the words hold good in an ironical
sense, for you may fish all day there; but, whether your fishing be
good, bad, or indifferent, there is no "catching"!
Before proceeding to describe the arrangements which are to supersede
the old _Britannia_ course, it may be interesting to give a few
figures showing the numbers who have passed through the ship. These
are not available earlier than January 1st, 1862.
Since that date the number of cadets actually entered, up to the close
of 1902, is 5,009; the number who have presented themselves for final
examination out of the ship, from December, 1862, to August, 1903, is
4,741; and out of these there have been 151 failures--3·1 per cent.
This is not a large percentage over so long a period; but taking the
last ten years separately there is a very marked improvement, 1,770
cadets examined giving only 27 failures, or 1-1/2 per cent.; and the
last five examinations--up to August, 1903--have brought no failures.
There is no record easily available as to the numbers withdrawn, or
discharged, for misconduct, earlier than midsummer, 1879; since then,
up to August, 1903, 79 have been withdrawn, and eleven discharged for
misconduct, or 2·9 per cent. in all; and these numbers include six who
were discharged at the time of the bullying investigation, during
Captain Digby's command.
During the last ten years, however, only 1·6 per cent. have left
before completing their course, there being only one case of dismissal
for misconduct.
Since 1884, 66 cadets have entered the Service from the two
training-ships of the Mercantile Marine Service Association, the
_Conway_ in the Mersey, and the _Worcester_ in the Thames. These lads,
after two years in the training ships, provided they fulfil certain
conditions as to age, etc., are admitted for examination with the
cadets in the _Britannia_.
Some details as to the cost of the _Britannia_ will be found in the
Appendix; the figures are high, and do not include the cost of the
sea-going training ships now in commission, which is not small.
[Illustration: MR. J. H. SPANTON.]
If the gross amount named in the estimates be taken, without deducting
the parents' contributions, the rate per head per annum in 1882-3
would be £258, and in 1901-2 £187. Whether this is excessive in
respect of what is obtained for it, or how it compares with the cost
per head at the most expensive public schools, it is not precisely
within the scope of this volume to inquire; but probably a ship school
of the high type of the _Britannia_ is a very expensive affair, and,
after all, when the amount of the Navy estimates, year by year, is
taken into consideration, forty or fifty thousand pounds does not seem
an extravagant sum to pay for the training of executive officers: it
will come a good deal heavier in the future, however.
The course of study will be found in the Appendix; but something
should be said about the masters and their work.
The instructional staff consists of the chief naval instructor, eight
naval instructors, two French masters, two drawing masters, one
English master, and one natural science master.
Of these, Mr. J. H. Spanton, the senior drawing master, has been 36
years in the ship; Mr. P. Brunel, the senior French master, 28 years;
Mr. Hamilton Williams, the English master, 27 years; and Mr. Tims, the
chief naval instructor, is in his twentieth year. In the past, there
have been several naval instructors who have remained for over 20
years--to wit, Mr. A. C. Johnson, 24 years; the Rev. J. C. P. Aldous,
23 years; Mr. W. W. Lane, 22 years; Mr. G. B. Mason, 22 years.
Mr. Aldous, it will be recollected, was appointed, in 1875, as chief
naval instructor, though he had never been connected with the Service
in any capacity; during his long tenure of office he retained the
goodwill of all his colleagues, and entirely justified his selection
by the Admiralty for this important post.
Mr. Johnson was--and is--an enthusiast in the science of navigation,
and has published several books on the subject, one of which--on
finding the position of the ship at sea, by observations, in cloudy
weather--has run into over five-and-twenty editions. He also edited a
text-book on trigonometry for the use of the cadets.
[Illustration: MR. G. B. MASON.]
The cadets are divided into two watches, and those who join each term
are divided into two classes, half of each class being in either
watch. Thus, if 64 cadets join in one term, they would be known as
first and second class starboard and first and second class port; and
as one watch is always "out of study"--_i.e._ at seamanship or other
work--the class actually present with the naval instructor would
number sixteen. A cadet captain has charge of this sixteen, and has to
see that they enter and leave the study quietly, and pay due attention
to whatever work they may be about, in the absence of the instructor.
There is also an excellent arrangement by which the boys of each class
have to inform their captain every evening how they have employed
their leisure time; and this has to be accounted for under numerous
headings on a regular form provided for the purpose, and covering a
week, Sunday excepted. Thus, so many will be swimming, or
photographing, walking, playing cricket, tennis, racquets, fives,
etc.; or out in sailing boats or blue gigs, and so on; 23 headings in
all, including "punishment," the total number in the last column
showing that all the class have been accounted for each day; and this
form is presented to the captain on Sunday.
[Illustration: OFFICERS' QUARTERS.
_Photo: Cassell & Co., Ltd._]
The cadet captains are by this means made to feel that they have
certain responsibilities, while it constitutes a decided check on
aimless loafing, which is a bad thing for all boys.
It is now time to take leave of the _Britannia_. Her story has been
followed pretty closely for 46 years, from the day on which Captain
Harris received his first batch of cadets on board the _Illustrious_;
and it is hoped that the life on board and the various vicissitudes of
the ship under successive administrations have been described with
sufficient accuracy to give a true picture of this institution--an
institution which has had a bearing and influence upon the efficiency
of the Navy during all these years, the importance of which can
scarcely be overrated.
Sir William Martin stated nothing but the truth when he wrote to
Captain Harris, in 1861: "There is no man in England whose opportunity
of doing good to our country, for ages to come, is greater than
yours." And if it was true in regard to Captain Harris, it must be
held to be equally applicable to his successors in command, and, in a
lesser degree, to the large number of officers and masters who have
assisted them.
How have they discharged this heavy responsibility?
[Illustration: CADETS' DORMITORY.
_Photo: Cassell & Co., Ltd._]
It is impossible to pass a verdict otherwise than favourable on the
whole, keeping in mind, of course, the fact that those immediately
responsible for the conduct of the establishment were always under
orders, with regard to general principles, from the Admiralty.
Mistakes may have been made at headquarters, errors in discipline,
teaching, and so on, may have crept in on board from time to time. To
err is human, and a great administrative department such as the
British Admiralty must, of necessity, deal largely in compromises. You
cannot find, on this earth, any corporation, institution, or structure
which combines the highest degree of excellence in all the attributes
which go to make up its composition; and in the conduct of the
_Britannia_ there must always have been conflicting elements difficult
to reconcile.
Taking it all round, however, the general conclusion must be that the
_Britannia_ has done right well, and that those who have been
responsible for her management have done their best in the interests
of the Service.
That no pains have been spared in perfecting equipment, organisation,
discipline, recreation, must be patent to all who have taken the
trouble to read these pages--otherwise they have certainly been
written in vain--and if any further proof be needed, a visit to
Dartmouth will dispel all doubts.
The visit must not be delayed too long, however; the last days of the
_Britannia_ are approaching, and in a year or two the familiar twin
hulls, with the connecting bridge, and the flotilla of steam and
sailing boats clustered about them, will have disappeared. The last
batch of cadets under the old regulations will be entered in November,
1905; and it is probable that, if space permit, they will be housed in
the College now rising on the hill, while the ship may be kept on for
a time as an overflow, or as a store for marine appliances, etc.
The old gives place to the new; but for many years to come there will
remain hundreds of officers who will look back with pleasure on their
life at Dartmouth, and who will ungrudgingly acknowledge the many
valuable lessons they learned in the "good old _Brit._"
* * * * *
A few concluding words are necessary in order to describe the new
system which is to take the place of the _Britannia_.
Years ago, when the Naval Academy was first instituted, the question
of the necessity, or at least the advisability, of some previous
training for boys, before sending them to sea, was mooted. In those
days it was partial, a large number continuing to join their ships
straight from school; then the scheme was dropped for twenty years,
until Captain Harris came to the front, and previous training was made
compulsory.
There were many dissentient voices at that time, and for years
subsequently there were not wanting those who maintained that more
efficient officers would ultimately be obtained upon what we have
alluded to as the "pitchfork" system.
Time, with its abnormally rapid changes of the last century, has,
however, solved the problem--as it eventually solves all
questions--and he would be a bold man, and a somewhat foolish one
withal, who would venture nowadays to advocate a policy of no previous
training.
The new regulations are of a revolutionary character, and--without
going into the merits of the question with regard to the amalgamation,
during probation, of the executive officers, Engineers, and Marine
officers, which has raised some discussion--the principal points are
as follow:--
The average age of entry is between 12 and 13.
All candidates are admitted, as before, by the nomination of the
Admiralty.
All are liable, at the expiration of their training, to be placed on
the strength as sub-lieutenants, Engineer sub-lieutenants, or
subalterns of Marines, as may be required; but the wishes of each
officer will be consulted as far as is compatible with the needs of
the Service.
In giving nominations, preference will be given, other things being
equal, to those applicants whose parents or guardians declare for them
that they are prepared to enter any of the three branches.
In the first circular issued, a competitive examination of a stiff
character was provided for; by a subsequent amendment, however, this
has been replaced by a qualifying examination, not of a very
formidable nature. So it is to be hoped that the anomaly of bestowing
a number of nominations, two-thirds of which cannot possibly come to
anything, is to be finally relegated to the past.
Examinations will be held three times each year, preceded by a medical
examination, the subjects being as follow:--
PART I.
1. English (including writing from dictation, simple composition,
and reproduction of the gist of a short passage twice read aloud
to the candidates).
2. History and geography:
(_a_) History (simple questions in English history and growth
of the British Empire).
(_b_) Geography (simple questions with special reference to
the British Empire).
3. French or German (importance will be attached to the oral
examination).
4. Arithmetic and algebra:
(_a_) Arithmetic (elementary, including vulgar and decimal
fractions).
(_b_) Algebra (to simple equations with easy problems).
5. Geometry (to include the subject matter of the first book of
Euclid, or its equivalent in experimental geometry and mensuration).
The use of instruments and of algebraical methods will be allowed.
PART II.
(_One only to be taken._)
6. Latin (easy passages for translation from Latin into English,
and from English into Latin, and simple grammatical questions).
7. A second modern language (of which, if not French or German,
notice must be previously given), or an advanced examination in
the language selected under Part I.
8. Experimental science (easy questions with the object of
testing practical knowledge and powers of observation).
On passing this examination candidates will be sent to the training
establishments for four years.
Instruction will comprise an extension of the present _Britannia_
course, and a thorough elementary instruction in physics, marine
engineering, etc., including the use of tools and machines.
Instruction will also be carried out in small vessels attached to the
establishment.
Examinations will be held during the second and fourth year of
training. Cadets who fail to pass will be withdrawn. Parents or
guardians are required to sign a declaration on the admission of a
cadet to the training establishment to the effect that he shall be
immediately withdrawn on the receipt of an official intimation of his
being considered unfit for the Navy.
After leaving the training establishment cadets will go to sea, and
will then be instructed in seamanship, navigation, pilotage, gunnery,
mechanics, and engineering by the specialised officers of the ship.
After three years, each midshipman who has passed the qualifying
examinations will become an acting sub-lieutenant.
Acting sub-lieutenants go to Greenwich Royal Naval College and to
Portsmouth for final instruction in the subjects they studied while
midshipmen at sea.
On conclusion of their examination in these subjects, having reached
the age of 19 or 20, sub-lieutenants will be distributed between the
executive and engineer branches of the Navy and the Royal Marines. No
sub-lieutenant will be required to join any branch for which he did
not enter as a boy when applying for a nomination.
Such are, briefly, the regulations under which--simultaneously with
those who, between 14-1/2 and 15-1/2 years of age, are going in for
the last of the old system--cadets are now being entered.
The training establishments alluded to consist of the colleges at
Dartmouth and Osborne, with such steam vessels as may be necessary for
instruction afloat.
The Dartmouth College is, however, very far from being completed, but
our illustration gives a truthful picture of its future appearance.
It is reproduced from an original drawing, kindly lent by Mr. Aston
Webb, R.A., the architect.
The Dartmouth College has some pretensions, as has been seen, to
artistic merit in appearance, and will, in fact, be a very handsome
and effective building on its commanding site.
Those who look for anything of this nature at Osborne will, however,
be grievously disappointed. The College in the Isle of Wight is
utilitarian to the last degree; so much so as to render any criticism
of the buildings from an artistic point of view quite out of the
question.
There is a reason for this, however; and the reason is that it had to
be prepared for the reception of the first batch of cadets under the
new scheme in July, 1903; and at the beginning of that year it had
literally no existence.
Having decided upon the adoption of this scheme, and deeming it
imperative that it should be brought into operation as speedily as
possible, the Admiralty had no option but to "rush" the College into
existence; and the King having sanctioned its erection at Osborne, it
was rushed accordingly. Sir John Fisher, who had this arrangement in
hand, and very much at heart, is perhaps better qualified for getting
the maximum amount of work done in the minimum time than any officer
in the Service.
[Illustration: THE OLD STABLE YARD, OSBORNE.]
The stables at Osborne House formed the nucleus of the new building;
and in close proximity to these--which were promptly adopted for
various purposes--there were run up a series of bungalow
erections--dormitories, officers' quarters, and so on--constructed of
timber and a kind of hard plaster known as "uralite."
[Illustration: THE NEW COLLEGE, DARTMOUTH.
_From the Design by Aston Webb, R.A._]
The illustrations give a correct idea of their general appearance; and
though, as has been observed, they are utilitarian rather than
ornamental, they are very well fitted in every way, and quite up to
date. There are twenty-five beds in a dormitory, and room for a few
more if necessary; each cadet's chest stands at the foot of his bed,
and a wash-stand beside it; there is a plunge bath, with three
ordinary ones, at the end of the dormitory, and a capital lavatory
besides, for use in the daytime.
The officers' quarters are very comfortable and well furnished, and
the cabins are of sufficiently liberal dimensions to be dignified by
the name of rooms.
The whole establishment is lit by electric light, the current being
brought from Newport at a high voltage, and transformed at East Cowes,
so as to be delivered at 240 volts.
The playing fields are very large in extent--much larger than those at
Dartmouth--and though they are now somewhat in the rough, they will in
time be excellent, the subsoil being gravel and the drainage
consequently very good.
The officers of the Osborne College are to be found in the "Navy List"
under our old friend the _Racer_, formerly attached as a rigged
cruising vessel to the _Britannia_, but now denuded of her yards and
sails, and used as an instructional ship for the College.
Captain R. E. Wemyss is in command at Osborne, and his staff comprises
a commander, four lieutenants, two engineer lieutenants, and an
engineer sub-lieutenant, a captain Royal Marine Artillery, chaplain,
staff surgeon, surgeon, staff paymaster, and assistant paymaster,
besides some warrant officers and petty officers for instructional and
disciplinary purposes.
There are also eight masters for studies, who do not, however, at
present reside in the College, but have a comfortable sitting-room
appropriated to them.
More dormitories, etc., are in course of construction, in anticipation
of a considerable increase of numbers in the near future.
This does not, however, include the whole establishment, for down by
the river-side, about three-quarters of a mile distant, there is an
excellent workshop, with all necessary machines of the latest
description, run by electric motors. This was also run up in record
time, but is built of brick, and in every respect most workmanlike and
suitable for its purpose.
There are--in October, 1903--about eighty cadets, whose course is in
full swing, and who appear to be thoroughly happy and comfortable, and
keen about work and play alike.
The workshop appears to possess a tremendous attraction for them; and,
judging by the eagerness with which they race for their places and
tackle the tools, practical mechanics is not going to be a difficulty
in the new scheme.
A substantial pier is being constructed on the river, and various
improvements are being rapidly carried out.
How the course is to be apportioned between the two Colleges is not
precisely settled at present; but it is almost certain that the cadets
will commence at one--probably Osborne--and, after two years or so, be
transferred to the other to complete their course.
Such is briefly the educational arrangement for our future naval
officers; the scheme excited a good deal of adverse comment when it
was announced, and only experience, of course, can demonstrate its
merits and defects. It has been inaugurated with a great deal of
energy, and certainly appears to promise well, at any rate in the
probationary stage. With later developments, which some people predict
will bring a certain degree of failure, we are not concerned just now.
It is obvious, however, that some radical change was necessary, and
half measures are seldom successful; so it is as well, perhaps, that
the authorities have "taken the bull by the horns," and had the
courage of their convictions.
APPENDIX I.
_RULES AND ORDERS FOR THE NAVAL ACADEMY (issued from the Admiralty,
November 1st, 1773)._
Article I.
Sons of noblemen and gentlemen only are eligible for admission, not
under twelve or over fifteen; except fifteen sons of commissioned
officers of H.M. Fleet, who are to be educated at the public expense,
and (by Order in Council of October 8th, 1773) may be admitted from
eleven to fourteen years of age.
Article II.
Every scholar is to pass a preliminary examination, to show that he is
qualified to enter upon the plan of education adopted at the Academy.
Article III.
The master, ushers, and scholars are to be appointed by the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, who may dismiss them at any time.
Article IV.
The Commissioner of the Dockyard for the time being is to be governor
of the Academy.
Article V.
The master is to reside in quarters provided in the building.
Article VI.
Teachers are also to reside in the building, provided there is room,
and are to furnish their quarters at their own expense.
Article VII.
The scholars are to have separate chambers, and to board with the
master, who is to receive £25 per head per annum, and no more; to keep
a decent table, find washing, fire, candles, towels, table and bed
linen, and necessary utensils.
Article VIII.
The master is to keep a register of the scholars, showing the day of
their first appearance, times absent, and day of discharge.
Article IX.
The master is to treat all scholars alike, and to see that the
teachers do likewise, except in the matter of such encouragement as
may be due to those who distinguish themselves by diligence.
Article X.
No scholar is to keep a servant, but is to content himself with the
attendance provided.
Article XI.
Every scholar is to be provided yearly, at his own expense, with a new
suit of blue clothes against his Majesty's birthday, conformable to a
pattern lodged with the master, except sons of sea officers, who are
to be allowed £5 to provide the said suit.
Article XII.
The master is to see that the scholars are neat and decent in dress,
and that they pay due respect to the officers of the yard when they
meet.
Article XIII.
The scholars are to be instructed in writing, arithmetic, drawing,
navigation, gunnery, fortification, and other useful parts of
mathematics; also in French, dancing, fencing, and the exercise of the
firelock. The master is to settle a plan for a regular course of
studies, subject to the approval of the Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty.
Article XIV.
The hours are to be the same as those of the shipwrights, except half
an hour for breakfast and one and a half hour for dinner; no
intermission or holiday being allowed except such as are observed in
the Dockyard, and Saturday afternoon.
Article XV.
The scholars are constantly to go to church on Sundays and other days
of public worship.
Article XVI.
A complete set of arms and accoutrements is to be provided for each
scholar at his Majesty's expense, to be kept by the fencing master
until issued.
Article XVII.
After one year scholars are to be taught fencing and the use of the
firelock.
Article XVIII.
The fencing master is to see that the arms, etc., are kept in good
order.
Article XIX.
If any of the scholars shall lose or spoil their arms or
accoutrements, the master is to provide others for them at their
parents' expense, and to give them due correction.
Article XX.
Scholars when at drill are to wear their blue clothes, unless
dispensed by the Governor.
Article XXI.
The Commissioner is to visit and inspect the studies and behaviour of
the scholars and methods of instruction, and report to the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty.
Article XXII.
No scholar is to be allowed out of the Dockyard without the
Commissioner's leave, after obtaining written permission from the
master to apply for it. A second offence against this rule is to be
reported to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.
Article XXIII.
During the first year punishments shall consist of the rod, task, or
confinement, at the discretion of the master. More serious faults to
be punished by expulsion by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.
Article XXIV.
After one year punishments shall consist of task or confinement by the
master, confinement under sentry's charge by the governor, loss of
time for passing, or expulsion.
Article XXV.
A scholar who has been expelled shall never be admitted into the Royal
Navy.
Article XXVI.
The Commissioner, upon application of parents or guardians, may give
leave either at Christmas or Whitsuntide for three weeks. Any scholar
who absents himself at other times, even by leave, or breaks his
leave, shall lose the time. Absence without leave shall be punished by
expulsion or otherwise by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.
Article XXVII.
After one year scholars shall be excused from school two afternoons in
each week, and the Commissioner shall direct one of the masters
attendant to carry them one afternoon into the rigging house,
storehouses, and sail lofts, and to take them afloat, etc.
Article XXVIII.
On another afternoon the master shipwright is to instruct them in ship
construction, etc.
Article XXIX.
The Commissioner may order a vessel of small size to be placed near,
and make the scholars rig and unrig her; and two guns are to be placed
on board, with powder and shot and all accessories, with an
experienced gunner from a ship-in-ordinary to instruct them.
Article XXX.
No scholar is to remain less than two, or more than three, years,
except the sons of sea officers, who must remain three, and may remain
five, years, unless they have finished their plan sooner and their
parents desire them to go to sea. But they are not in any case to
remain beyond the age of seventeen. In the first week of March each
year an account of the qualification of each scholar is to be sent in,
with a view to sending him to sea if qualified.
Article XXXI.
On a scholar being discharged to sea the master is to give a
certificate of the time spent in the Academy, deducting times of
absence (except three weeks each year), and time forfeited as
punishment.
Article XXXII.
A scholar on leaving is to leave his arms with the fencing master.
Article XXXIII.
On scholars leaving, vacancies are to be filled and numbers kept up in
each class.
Article XXXIV.
Scholars on joining his Majesty's ships shall be kept to the duties of
seamen, but with the privilege of walking the quarter-deck, and shall
be allotted a proper place to lie in, but no cabins; and shall be
rated on the ship's books as "Volunteers by Order," and receive able
seaman's pay.
Article XXXV.
The captain shall make Volunteers keep journals, and draw the
appearance of headlands, coasts, bays, and such like; and the master,
boatswain, and schoolmaster shall instruct them.
Article XXXVI.
After two years at sea the captain shall rate them midshipman
ordinary--or midshipman, if qualified.
Article XXXVII.
Scholars shall have liberty while at Portsmouth to visit the Academy
and be instructed there, and in the yard, gratis.
Article XXXVIII.
On returning from a foreign voyage they shall bring their journals to
the master of the Academy for his inspection, and he will also examine
them and represent to the Secretary to the Admiralty how he finds they
have improved.
Article XXXIX.
The captain shall give a certificate on their leaving the ship as to
sobriety, obedience, diligence, and skill; and also of the time they
have served as Volunteer or midshipman.
Article XL.
When a Volunteer by Order is paid off, upon bringing his certificate
of good behaviour to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty they
may, if he desires it, give orders for him to have free use of the
Academy.
Article XLI.
Volunteers educated in the Academy, and sent from thence by order of
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to serve in his Majesty's
ships, shall be qualified, in point of time, for lieutenants after so
many years' service at sea as, together with the time specified in the
certificate given them upon leaving the Academy (not exceeding three
years for the sons of sea officers before mentioned) shall complete
the term of six years, provided they have served two years thereof as
mates, midshipmen, or midshipmen ordinary in his Majesty's ships, and
are not under twenty years of age, but shall pass the usual
examination of their abilities before they can be preferred.
APPENDIX II.
_ADMIRALTY CIRCULAR of February 23rd, 1857 (in so far as it relates to
Naval Cadets)._
I. A naval cadet must, on nomination, be not less than thirteen or
more than fifteen years of age.
II. He must undergo the examination at the Royal Naval College within
three months of the date of nomination.
III. He must produce a certificate of birth, or a declaration of the
date of birth, made before a magistrate.
IV. He must be in good health, free from impediment of speech, defect
of vision, rupture, etc.
V. The subjects in which a cadet is required to pass are as follows:--
Between thirteen and fourteen years of age:
(1) To write from dictation legibly and correctly.
(2) To read, parse, and translate an easy passage from some Latin or
French author (the use of a dictionary is allowed).
(3) To have a satisfactory knowledge of the leading facts of Scripture
and English history.
(4) Modern geography, including the principal countries, capitals,
mountains, and rivers, etc.; and to be able to point out a place on
the map if the latitude and longitude are given.
(5) Arithmetic, including the four first rules, proportion, and a fair
knowledge of vulgar and decimal fractions.
(6) Algebra, including fractions.
Above the age of fourteen, in addition to the above:
(1) The use of the globes, correct definition of latitude, longitude
azimuth, amplitude, and other circles.
(2) Vulgar and decimal fractions.
(3) Algebra, simple equations.
(4) The first book of Euclid.
(5) Plane trigonometry and its application to the solution of easy
problems.
A knowledge of drawing is recommended.
VI. A cadet on passing will be appointed to a training ship at
Portsmouth or Devonport for at least three months.
VII. Quarterly examinations will be held on board the training ship,
and any cadet who considers that he is competent may present himself
for examination in sheet No. 1 and seamanship. If found qualified, he
will be sent to a sea-going ship.
VIII. Any cadet who fails to pass his examination within the periods
stated below will be rejected:--
14 years 6 months on joining The second quarterly examination.
14 years and under 6 months The third quarterly examination.
Under 14 years The fourth quarterly examination.
Any cadet of indifferent conduct will be reported by the captain to
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, who may dismiss him
summarily.
IX. No cadet will be allowed to count more than three months in the
training ship towards sea-time.
BOOKS, ETC. REQUIRED ON ENTRY.
Sextant, box of mathematical instruments, spyglass, French grammar and
dictionary (including sea terms), a book on navigation, Euclid's
Elements, geography, book on the use of mathematical and nautical
instruments, book on the steam engine, Colenso's Arithmetic and
Algebra, Jeans' Trigonometry.
The examination on leaving the training ship is to include all the
subjects of the examination on entry except Latin, and the following
in addition:--
Arithmetic: involution, extraction of square root.
Algebra: simple equations.
The elements of geometry.
Plane trigonometry, including the solution of practical and useful
problems.
Spherical trigonometry: solution of triangles, and application to
nautical astronomy.
Navigation: day's work--meridian altitude, longitude by chronometer,
to be able to explain and use the sextant, azimuth compass, artificial
horizon, and theodolite.
French: any selection from the first fifty lessons in Ollendorf, and
to read, parse, and translate a passage.
A certificate must be obtained from the captain and the master of
proficiency in rigging, seamanship, etc.; also one of conduct and
attention from the naval instructor.
APPENDIX III.
_ADMIRALTY CIRCULAR, August 3rd, 1869._
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having decided--
I. To increase the time during which naval cadets will be under
training;
II. To introduce the system of limited competition for naval
cadetships;
III. Still further to reduce the number of naval cadets entered
annually;
have been pleased to make the following regulations:--
(1) These regulations will take effect after the examination in
August, 1869.
(2) Two examinations for naval cadetships will be held annually, under
the direction of the Admiralty Director of Education--viz. on the
third Wednesday in June and the last Wednesday in November; but the
appointments as cadets of the successful candidates will date from
July 15th and January 15th.
(3) The first examination under these regulations will take place in
November, 1869.
(4) No candidate will be eligible for examination whose age will not
be within the prescribed limits on January 15th following; nor for
examination in June whose age will not be within the prescribed limits
on July 15th following.
(5) The limits of age for examination in November, 1869, will be not
less than 12 or more than 14; for June, 1870, 12 to 13-1/2; and
subsequently 12 to 13.
(6) The number to be entered at each examination is 37, and twice that
number will be nominated.
(7) Every candidate will be required to pass a medical examination.
(8) Every candidate must produce a certificate of birth, or
declaration before a magistrate; also of good conduct from his former
school, or from his tutor or clergyman.
(9) Every candidate will be required--
Marks.
(_a_) To read a passage from a modern English author
with intelligence 100
(_b_) To write English correctly from dictation 100
(_c_) To read, translate, and parse a passage from some
French author 100
(_d_) To be acquainted with the first four rules in
arithmetic, and vulgar and decimal fractions 150
(_e_) To have a fair knowledge of Scripture history 100
No candidate will be allowed to compete unless he obtain four-tenths
of the maximum marks in each subject, or 250 marks in the aggregate.
(10) Candidates so qualified will be examined in the following
subjects, as they may select:--
Marks.
(_f_) Arithmetic: miscellaneous examples 100
(_g_) Algebra: first four rules, and fractions 100
(_h_) Euclid, to Book I., proposition xxii. 100
(_i_) Translate English into French 100
(_k_) Latin: to translate a passage from Cæsar or
Virgil, and a passage of English into Latin 100
(_l_) English history: James I. to the present day 100
(_m_) Outlines of modern geography 100
(_n_) Any living language except French 100
(_o_) Elementary drawing 100
No marks amounting to less than one-sixth in voluntary subjects will
be counted towards the total.
(11) Candidates obtaining the necessary number of marks for passing,
but who are not successful, will be allowed a second trial without a
fresh nomination.
(12) Candidates who are rejected for the first time in August, 1869,
will be allowed a second trial, but they must compete with the others
on the same terms, and will be allowed no further trial.
(13) Candidates who fail to appear at the next examination after
nomination must obtain a fresh nomination, unless they are certified
as unfit to appear by a doctor, in which case non-appearance will be
considered equivalent to one failure, and they will be allowed a
second trial.
(14) Every flag officer (except an admiral superintendent of a
dockyard) will, on hoisting his flag, be allowed three nominations for
competition; commodores of the first class, two nominations; captains
appointed to a ship of any class (except captains of stationary
ships, captain superintendents of dockyards or victualling yards, and
the captain of the Royal yacht), one nomination; but no officer will
be allowed to exercise this right a second time within three years.
And no captain appointed to a ship during her commission will be
allowed a nomination if the right has been exercised within one year
by the previous captain.
(15) Seven nominations will be allowed annually to the Colonies.
(16) Cadets will be required to pay £70 per annum while in the
_Britannia_, and £50 for the twelve months in the sea-going training
ship; but a number, not exceeding twelve, of sons of Royal Naval or
Royal Marine officers, or of civil officers under the Board of
Admiralty, may be selected by the Admiralty for a payment of £40 per
annum.
(17) Successful cadets will be appointed to the _Britannia_.
(18) The date of entry of those who pass in June is to reckon from
July 15th following, and of those who pass in November from January
15th following.
(19) The period of training will be, as now, four terms, but there
will be two terms in each year instead of three--viz. from February to
July, and from August to December.
(20) An examination will be held at the end of each term, and an
intermediate one at Easter for cadets in their first year.
(21) Cadets who join in August, and pass an unsatisfactory examination
in December, will be warned that they will be discharged at Easter if
they do not improve. Cadets entered in January who pass
unsatisfactorily at Easter will be similarly warned for July. Any
cadet who passes badly at a subsequent examination will be discharged.
(22) Notice will be given of the minimum number of marks which must be
obtained at each examination.
(23) At the fourth term examination cadets will be classified
according to their merits in seamanship, study, and conduct, and will
be allowed time for their service in the _Britannia_ as follows:--
Study. Seamanship. Conduct.
First class 6 months 3 months 3 months.
Second class 3 months None 3 months.
Third class None None 3 months.
(24) The examination and rating of cadets as midshipmen in the
sea-going training ship is to be regulated according to the time noted
on their certificates:--
12 months' time Become midshipmen at once.
9 months' time Serve 3 months.
6 months' time Serve 6 months.
No time Serve 12 months.
(25) After passing their examination in the _Britannia_, cadets will
be appointed to a sea-going training ship for one year.
(26) Any cadet or midshipman who may during the three years' probation
have become subject to any physical defect likely to render him unfit
for service will be discharged.
(27) After six months in the sea-going training ship an examination
will be held, and again after twelve months. Any midshipman or cadet
failing at either will be discharged.
APPENDIX IV.
(_From "BRITANNIA" REGULATIONS, 1876._)
REGULATIONS RESPECTING CADETS WHILE UNDER TRAINING.
(1) The naval cadets who join the _Britannia_ are allowed four terms
(two in each year) to complete their course of study, at the
expiration of which they go up for final examination.
(2) The terms are from about February 1st to July 15th, and from about
August 31st to December 20th; and the vacations will be six weeks at
midsummer, five weeks at Christmas, and two weeks at Easter, the dates
of commencement of vacation depending upon the completion of the
examinations by the President, Royal Naval College, Greenwich.
(3) The friends of the cadets must be prepared to receive them during
all the vacations.
(4) The following payment will be required from the parents or
guardians of each cadet while in the _Britannia_:--Before the
commencement of each term, £35, except in the case of those received
at the reduced rate of £40 a year, whose half-yearly payments will be
£20 only.
(5) The payments are to be made according to instructions which will
be given in the half-yearly claim that will be made by the
Accountant-General upon the parents or guardians of the cadets.
(6) Great inconvenience having been experienced from these payments
not having been punctually made, cadets, although received until their
friends are communicated with, will not be considered as entered for
tuition until the amounts due have been received.
(7) All travelling expenses for cadets will be advanced by the
paymaster of the _Britannia_, who will charge the same to the cadet's
personal account at the end of each term.
(8) The cadets have a weekly allowance, and all expenses attending
their amusements are paid for by the ship. It is, therefore, requested
that their friends do not give them any money except on joining or on
their return from the vacations, and then the amount must not exceed
ten shillings. It is particularly requested that this regulation be
adhered to. Such money as may be required by a cadet for any special
circumstances will be advanced by the paymaster under the authority of
the captain of the _Britannia_.
(9) It is particularly requested that the cadets bring their linen
clean and clothes and boots in good order when they join the ship, and
also when they return from leave, and that the outfit as required be
complete.
(10) Cadets are not permitted to open an account with tradesmen.
Parents and guardians are, therefore, requested to pay no bills that
may be sent to them.
(11) Should there have been any infectious disease in the house where
the cadets have been staying during their holidays, notice of the
circumstance is to be given to the commanding officer of H.M.S.
_Britannia_; and they are not to join until they have received a
communication from him to that effect.
(12) All letters relative to the cadets should be addressed as
follows:--"The Commanding Officer, H.M.S. _Britannia_, Dartmouth."
(13) Should cadets bring valuable gold watches or chains with them to
the training ship, they will be taken from them and placed in security
until they return to their homes. Silver watches will be allowed to be
used.
(14) Parents or guardians of cadets must in all cases of permanent
change of residence communicate the same to the captain of the
training ship without delay.
ROUTINE FOR CADETS (SUMMER).
5.25 a.m. Turn out cadets for No. 2 punishment, etc.
5.30 a.m. Punishment No. 2 fall in.
6.30 a.m. Bugle call. Cadets turn out. Baths. Wednesday and
Saturday, bathe from shore if weather permits.
6.35 a.m. Dismiss No. 2 punishment cadets.
7.5 a.m. Warning bugle.
7.15 a.m. Muster and drill.
7.50 a.m. Bugle dismiss drills.
8.0 a.m. Prayers. Breakfast.
8.40 a.m. Bugle for cadet defaulters. Defaulters seen.
8.50 a.m. Muster. Studies as ordered.
10.20 a.m. Warn studies. Captains' reports. Defaulters seen.
11.55 a.m. Studies dismissed. Bugle wash hands, etc.
12.10 p.m. Dinner.
1.40 p.m. Muster. Studies as ordered.
4.5 p.m. Dismiss studies. Messroom muster (except Wednesdays,
Saturdays, and Sundays).
4.20 p.m. Cadets land. Defaulters drill. Bathe if weather permits.
6.45 p.m. Return on board.
7.0 p.m. Warning bugle.
7.10 p.m. Muster and dismiss.
7.15 p.m. Tea.
8.0 p.m. Evening study.
9.0 p.m. Dismiss evening studies.
9.15 p.m. Prayers.
9.45 p.m. Cadets turn in. Officer of the day goes round.
Saturdays, at noon, muster for payment.
ROUTINE FOR CADETS (WINTER).
5.25 a.m. Turn out cadets for No. 2 punishment, etc.
5.30 a.m. Punishment No. 2 fall in.
6.30 a.m. Bugle call. Cadets turn out. Baths.
6.35 a.m. Dismiss No. 2 punishment cadets.
7.5 a.m. Warning bugle.
7.15 a.m. Muster and drill.
7.50 a.m. Bugle dismiss drills.
8.0 a.m. Prayers. Breakfast.
8.40 a.m. Bugle for cadet defaulters. Defaulters seen. Warning bugle.
8.50 a.m. Muster. Studies as ordered.
10.20 a.m. Interval of ten minutes. Captains' reports.
12.0 a.m. Studies dismissed. Bugle wash hands, etc.
12.15 p.m. Dinner.
Cadets land. Defaulters muster and drill.
2.45 p.m. Return on board. Shift clothing and boots.
3.5 p.m. Messroom muster.
3.15 p.m. Warning bugle.
3.20 p.m. Muster. Studies as ordered.
4.50 p.m. Interval of ten minutes.
6.0 p.m. Dismiss studies.
6.30 p.m. Tea.
7.40 p.m. Evening study.
8.45 p.m. Study ceases.
9.0 p.m. Prayers.
9.30 p.m. Cadets turn in. Officer of the day goes round.
Wednesdays and Saturdays, return on board 5 p.m.
APPENDIX V.
H.M.S. "BRITANNIA." COURSE OF STUDIES.
=====================+=======================+========================
SUBJECTS. | First Term. | Second Term.
---------------------+-----------------------+------------------------
| |
ALGEBRA |Chaps. 1-26, omitting |Recapitulation.
_Hamblin Smith._ | s. 133, 141-153, 161, |Chaps. 27-32, omitting
(New Edition.) | 162, 175, 322, and | Chap. 30 and s. 410-412.
| Chaps. 18, 22, and 23.|
| |
EUCLID |Books I.-III. revised, |Recapitulation.
_Todhunter._ | VI. 1-13, 33 _a_. |Book IV. 1-5; XI. 4, 19,
| | 20, 21.
| |
TRIGONOMETRY |Chaps. 1-8, omitting |Recapitulation.
_Goodwin._ | Circular Measure. |Chaps. 11, 14, 16, 18,
Plane Theoretical, |10, 11, only 2 A. | 19.
Part I. |Exercises in Logs. and |Omit s. 74, 100-103.
| in solution of |Proofs of Methods used
| Triangles. | in solution of
| | Triangles, with their
| | adaptation to
| | Logarithmic
| | Computation, with
| | Examples.
| |
Spherical | |Chaps. 1, 2 to s. 28
Theoretical, Part | | inclusive.
II. | |
| |
NAVIGATION |Plane Sailing, Traverse|Parallel, Mid. Latitude,
| Sailing, Definitions, | and Mercator's
| and Examples. | Sailings.
| |Correcting Courses.
| |All necessary
| | Definitions.
| |Windward and Current
| | Sailing.
| |
NAUTICAL ASTRONOMY | |Lat. by Mer. Altitude.
| |
INSTRUMENTS |Sextant.--Parts and Adjustments, Principles of
| construction of Sextant, Vernier, and
| Artificial Horizon. Reading, taking Angles
| and Index Error.
|Compass.--Thomson, Parts of, and use. Taking
| bearings by.
| |
CHARTS |Admiralty Charts and Plans.--Use of. Plotting
| positions by latitude and longitude, and by
| cross bearings.
|Mercator's Chart.--Drawing. Plotting positions
| on. Course and Distance made good. Set and
| drift of Current. Shape a Course.
|
|Practical use of Chart and Compass when away
| in _Racer_.
| |
STEAM AND STEAM |Measurements. |Recapitulation.
MACHINERY |Metals. |Combustion.
|Riveted Joints. |Evaporation.
|Screw Fastenings. |Valves and Cocks.
|Friction. |Heat.
|Mechanics. |
| |
FRENCH |Practical Instruction. |Practical Instruction.
|Grammar: Substantive, |Recapitulation.
| Adjective, Pronoun, |Elementary Syntax.
| regular and irregular |Past Participle, etc.
| Verbs. |
|Interrogative and |
| Negative Sentences. |
|Conversation. |Conversation.
| |
DRAWING |Simple Models, and |
| copies. |
| |
DRAWING, MECHANICAL |Simple Solids. |Orthographic Projection,
|Plans and Elevations. | Simple Solids, Plans,
| | Elevations, and
| | Sections.
=====================+=======================+========================
SUBJECTS. | Third Term. | Fourth Term.
---------------------+-----------------------+------------------------
| |
ALGEBRA | |
_Hamblin Smith._ | |
(New Edition.) | |
| |
EUCLID | |
_Todhunter._ | |
| |
TRIGONOMETRY |Revision. |Revision.
_Goodwin._ |Circular Measure. |
Plane Theoretical, |Chap. 12 (0 deg.-360 |
Part I. | deg.). |
|Problems. |
| |
Spherical |Chap. 3, omitting s. |Solution of Spherical
Theoretical, Part | 40, 41, 47, with | Triangles as applied
II. | Examples. | to Astronomical
|Chap. 5, s. 57, 58. | Problems.
|Chap. 6, s. 64. |
| |
NAVIGATION |Dead Reckoning. |Practical Navigation
|Great Circle Sailing. | Paper, Explanations
| Log Line. | of all necessary
|Conversion of Arc into | Rules and Definitions.
| Time. |
|Necessary Proofs, |
| Definitions, and |
| Corrections. |
| |
NAUTICAL ASTRONOMY |Longitude by Sun Chron.|
|Problems in Hour Angle |Astronomical Problems.
| Triangle. |
| |
INSTRUMENTS |Sextant.--Parts and Adjustments, Principles of
| construction of Sextant, Vernier, and
| Artificial Horizon. Reading, taking Angles
| and Index Error.
|Compass.--Thomson, Parts of, and use. Taking
| bearings by.
| |
CHARTS |Admiralty Charts and Plans.--Use of. Plotting
| positions by latitude and longitude, and by
| cross bearings.
|Mercator's Chart.--Drawing. Plotting positions
| on. Course and Distance made good. Set and
| drift of Current. Shape a Course.
|
|Practical use of Chart and Compass when away
| in _Racer_.
| |
STEAM AND STEAM |Recapitulation. |Recapitulation.
MACHINERY |Pump (lift, force, and |Shafts, Bearings, etc.
| centrifugal). |Condenser.
|Hydraulic Jack. |Expansive Working.
|Boiler Mountings. |I.H.P. Screw Propeller.
|Cylinder and Piston. |
|Slide Valve, Eccentric |
| and Link Motion. |
|Hydrostatics. |
|Conversion of Motion. |
| |
FRENCH |Practical Instruction. |Practical Instruction.
|Recapitulation. |Recapitulation.
|Syntax of Subjunctive. |Dictations,
|Dictations, | Translations, Naval
| Translations, Naval | Terms.
| Terms. |
|Conversation. |Conversation.
| |
DRAWING |Topographical |Topographical
| Sketching. | Sketching from Outside
|Oblique Perspective. | Nature.
| |
DRAWING, MECHANICAL |Plans, Elevations, and |Rough Figured Sketches
| Sections of parts of | from Parts of Machinery
| Machinery. | and Fair Drawings from
| | them.
SEAMANSHIP COURSE. H.M.S. "BRITANNIA." 1901.
-------------------+--------------------+--------------------+------
| FIRST TERM. | SECOND TERM. |
-------------------+--------------------+--------------------+------
Subject. | Amount Required. | Amount Required. |Marks.
-------------------+--------------------+--------------------+------
Construction. |A Knowledge of the |Names of all parts | 35
| Different Rigs of | of a Modern |
| all British Sailing| Battleship. Keels, |
| Ships and Boats, | Frames, Plating, |
| and general | Planking, Armour |
| appearance. | and Protection. |
|Description of "Men | Subdivision and |
| of War." | Double Bottom. |
| | |
Bends and Hitches. |General Knowledge |As taught. Long, | 25
Knots and Splices. | as taught. | Short, and Eye. |
Stropping Blocks. | | |
| | |
Tackles. | ---- | ---- |
| | |
Rigging and Spars. |To know the names |As in First Term, | 15
| and parts of all | and to name all |
| Spars, Masts, and | Running Rigging. |
| Yards of Modern | |
| Ships. | |
|To point out and | |
| name all Standing | |
| Rigging. | |
| | |
Practical. |Going aloft over |As in First Term. |
| Mast Head, and | |
| laying in and out | |
| on Yards. | |
| | |
Sails. | ---- |Names of Sails. | 5
| | |
Compass. |To box in Points. |To box in 1/4 | 15
| | Points. |
| | |
Signals. |To describe Pendants|To describe | 30
| and Numeral Flags. | Alphabetical Flags,|
|Foreign Ensigns. | Numerals with |
|Make and take in | Meanings, Pendants |
| Semaphore. | with Meanings. |
| |Semaphore with | 15
| | Signs. |
| |Morse with Flags. | 15
| | |
Rule of the Road. | ---- | ---- |
| | |
Anchors and Cables.| ---- | ---- |
| | |
Log and Lead. | ---- |Hand Log and Lead, | 15
| | and Sir W. |
| | Thompson's Sounding|
| | Machine. |
| | |
Boats. |Pulling and |Handling a Boat | 30
| Steering. | under Oars, and |
|General knowledge | making and |
| under Oars. | shortening Sail. |
-------------------+--------------------+--------------------+------
| THIRD TERM. | FOURTH TERM. |
-------------------+--------------------+--------------------+------
Subject. | Amount Required. | Amount Required. |Marks.
-------------------+--------------------+--------------------+------
| | |
Construction. |Ventilation, |As in previous | 90
| Pumping and | Terms and all |
| Flooding, etc. | Definitions. |
| Buoyancy and some | |
| Definitions. | |
| | |
Bends and Hitches. |As in previous |As in previous | 50
Knots and Splices. | Terms. | Terms. |
Stropping Blocks. | | |
| | |
Tackles. |Description and use |As in previous Terms| 15
| of Principal Ones. | and Knowledge of |
| | Power. |
| | |
Rigging and Spars. |As in previous |As in previous | 30
| Terms, with the | Terms, with |
| use, etc. | Knowledge of |
| | Derricks Modern |
| | Ships, working by |
| | hand and steam. |
| | Hoisting Boats in |
| | and out. |
| | |
Practical. |Rigging Sheers and |As in previous | 25
| Derricks for | Terms. |
| lifting Weights. | |
| | |
Sails. |As in previous |As in previous | 15
| Terms. | Terms, and bending |
| | Fore and Aft Sails.|
| | |
Compass. |Good general |A Thorough | 40
| Knowledge. | Knowledge. |
| | |
Signals. |To describe |As in previous | 200
| Alphabetical Flags | Terms, with |
| and Meanings. | application of |
| Special Flags and | Boat's Signal Book.|
| Meanings. |Night Signalling. |
| Semaphore Flags. |Fog Signals. |
| International code.| |
| Flashing Lamp. | |
| Helm and Speed | |
| Signals. | |
| | |
Rule of the Road. |A Knowledge of |As in previous | 65
| Lights carried by | Terms, and the |
| Vessels and Boats | General Knowledge |
| under way and at | of the Principles |
| anchor. | of the Rule of the |
| | Road. |
| | |
Anchors and Cables.|General Knowledge of| As in the previous | 60
| parts of Anchors, | Term. |
| Cables, Shackles, | The Principles of |
| Swivel and Deck | Mooring and the |
| Stopper. Number | Meaning of Foul |
| supplied. Also to | Hawse. |
| bring Ship to an | |
| Anchor, and Weigh | |
| and Cat. | |
| | |
Log and Lead. |As in previous |As in previous | 30
| Term. Hand and | Terms. Marking of |
| Patents. | Deep Sea Line. |
| | |
Boats. |Management of Boat |As in previous | 80
| under Oars, Sail, | Terms. Principal |
| and Steam. | Duties of |
|Hoisting and | Midshipman of Boat |
| Lowering Boats. | under Oars, Sail, |
| | and Steam. |
APPENDIX VI.
_THE COST OF THE "BRITANNIA."_
Parliamentary Papers called for in 1882 show the cost from September,
1863--when the ship was brought to Dartmouth--to January 1st, 1882, as
follows:--
£
(1) The breaking up value of _Britannia_ and _Hindostan_ 19,925
(2) Cost of fitting new ship (_Prince of Wales_) and
_Hindostan_, and subsequent alterations 27,842
(3) Cost of moving ship, and moorings 2,890
(4) Repairs since first fitted, all changes, etc.
(including all tenders, boats, etc.) 30,545
(5) Sick quarters, lodgings, recreation grounds, and all
shore expenses 20,204
(6) Pay and provisions for officers, cadets, ship's
company, travelling expenses, etc. 597,995
--------
£699,401
Contributions from parents 120,832
--------
£578,569
In order to arrive at amount actually expended for
maintenance, deduct amounts 1, 2, and 3 45,657
--------
£532,912
========
Expense per annum for 18-1/4 years, £29,200.
This is at the rate of something like £240 per head per annum; but so
much was done in making the recreation grounds, improving the ships,
etc., that it is scarcely a fair statement of maintenance.
The estimates for 1882-3:--
£
Gross 33,643
Parents' contributions 8,400
-------
£25,243
Provision is made for 130 cadets. Cost per head per annum, £194.
* * * * *
The estimates for 1901-1902:--
£
Gross 49,570
Parents' contributions 18,500
-------
£31,070
Provision is made for 265 cadets. Cost per head per annum, £117.
INDEX.
Academy, The Royal Naval:
Letters from Admiralty to Navy Board, 6, 7;
delay and alterations in building, 8;
course of study, 8;
instructional staff, 9;
governor, 9;
expenses for furniture, 10;
uniform introduced, 10;
expenses of scholars, 10;
new regulations, 10;
reports of head master and governor, 11;
final certificate, 11;
Captain Broke's work book, 12;
prejudice against scholars, 14
Admiralty committees:
Of 1874, 94;
drastic changes, 94;
competition detrimental, 94;
good physique of cadets, 96;
a college on shore recommended, 96;
an academic view, 96;
Captain Foley's improvements, 97;
cadets as witnesses, 97;
the captain as schoolmaster, 98;
Admiral Ryder's evidence, 98;
Dr. Woolley's evidence, 99;
report presented, 100;
test examination, 100;
Latin _v._ French, 100;
of 1885, 137;
points for consideration, 138;
heads of report, 138;
suggestions, 138;
recommendations, 141;
result _nil_, 141
Admiralty nominations, 3;
King's letter the forerunner of, 3;
abolition of suggested, 138
Age regulation, absence of, 3;
changes in, 18, 25, 33, 80, 91, 120, 167
Aldous, Rev. J. C. P., 93, 239
Alfred, Prince, 49
Ambulance lessons, 136
_Ariadne_, sea-going training ship, supersedes _Bristol_, 88;
boat disaster, 91;
paid off, 93
_Arrow_ schooner, 161
Assault at arms, 197, 220
_Aurora_, sea-going training ship, commissioned, 234;
her cruise, 235
Bass, Mr. M. T., M.P., 75
Bathing, 152
Beagles, institution of, 103;
prosperity of, 132;
prizes for whips, 197;
editor's advice on, 212;
presentation of new hounds, 220;
start a fox, 220
Bedford, Captain F. G. D., 141, 142
Billiards, 231
Black Hole, The, 25, 29
Bounds a source of trouble, 87
Bowden-Smith, Captain N., 137, 142
Bowles, Mr. T. G., M.P., 147
Boxing, 219, 220
Breakfast, A good, 151
_Britannia_:
Her story commences, 39;
selected to supersede _Illustrious_, 50;
former ships of the name, 51;
cadets turned over to her, 52;
in the 'sixties, 53-81;
early arrangements on board, 53;
voyage to Portland, 60;
voyage to Dartmouth, 71;
the fifth of the name, 80;
in the 'seventies, 82-117;
in the 'eighties, 118-143;
in the 'nineties, 144-187;
unaccountable jealousy of, 181;
games, 190-229;
latest arrangements on board, 230;
cost of, 238;
conclusion and summing up, 240
_Bristol_, sea-going training ship, 78
Broke, Captain Philip B. V.:
His work book, 12;
_Shannon_ and _Chesapeake_, 12, 14;
Inman's hints to, 22
Brunel, Mr. P., 238
Bullying, at Royal Naval College, 30;
in Captain Randolph's time, 75;
in 1877, 104;
held to be a most serious offence, 112;
in Captain Digby's time, 144;
the _Times_ on, 144;
correspondence on, 145-149;
views of "Navilus" on, 163
Cadet captains, 54, 109, 111, 145, 239
Cadet corporals, 44;
a ribald rhyme about, 45;
rousing cadets, 55;
abolished, 164
Cadet Cox, Fatal accident to, 62
Captain's servants, 2
Chapel on board, 155, 232
"Cheeky new fellows," 56
Chief gunner's mates, 164, 167
Chief of the staff, 164
Childers, Mr., 106
Children entered as officers, 3, 4
College on shore, discussed in 1870, 87;
recommended by committee of 1874, 94;
committee on site for, 103
College, The new, at Dartmouth, 182;
laying the foundation-stone, 183;
at Osborne, 245;
the Royal Naval, 8;
Order in Council establishing, 16;
Professor Inman appointed, 19;
date of opening, 22;
a master's untimely optimism, 22;
close quarters, 23;
course of study, 23;
the "college sheet," 25;
opened to commissioned officers, 26;
the end approaches, 26;
closed, 27;
a new phase of existence, 31
College volunteers, 32, 33
Competition introduced on entry, 79;
abolished, 100;
reintroduced, 119;
modified, 120;
finally abolished, 243
Corbett, Captain J., 77
Corfield, Professor, 179
Corporal punishment, at the Royal Naval College, 25, 29;
introduced on _Britannia_, 70;
questions on in House of Commons, 75;
abolished, 76;
humanitarian fads on, 77;
mentioned in regulations, 115;
referred to in the _Times_, 146
Corry, Mr. W., 75
Cricket, no early records, 188;
proficiency of officers in, 191;
presumptuous youngsters, 192;
improvement in form, 211;
a dry season, 212;
Lord Harris's maxims, 213;
great scores by third XI., 214, 216, 227;
Sir Bedivel the Bold, 215;
description of a match day, 222;
good play by Engineer lieutenants, 226;
Lieutenant De Burgh, 226, 228;
a curious misunderstanding, 227;
keep your ground clock right, 228;
a successful season, 228;
Dr. Bobardt, 226, 228;
splendid playing fields, 228.
Matches:
officers _v._ cadets, 192;
_Britannia_ _v._ Mr. Denison's XI., 193;
Engineer students, 192, 196;
Exeter Grammar School, 212;
King Edward's School, 227;
Mannamead School, 214, 216;
M.C.C., 206;
Montpelier School, 212, 226;
Newton Blues, 213;
Newton College, 193;
Paignton School, 212, 213;
Plymouth C.C., 195;
Plymouth Garrison, 193, 195;
Royal Marines, 195, 196, 202, 213;
Royal Naval College, 193;
Stratford-on-Avon, 222;
Teignbridge, 202, 205, 210, 224;
Torquay, 195, 210;
Totnes School, 216
Dacres, Admiral Sir S. C., 40
Dancing, 9, 17, 153, 173
_Dapper_, tender to _Britannia_, 88, 131
Dartmouth, arrival of _Britannia_, 71;
bluejackets as navvies, 72;
selected as best site for a college in 1876, 103
Digby, Captain N. S. F., 142, 144, 146, 148, 149
Dinner, a satisfactory, 152;
result of misbehaviour at, 152
Discipline, 25, 44
Dobson, Mr. N. C., 181
Drawing, how taught in early days, 62
Drill, extra, 152
Dundonald, Earl of, 3
Easy, Mr. Midshipman, 5, 174
Edye, Admiral W. H., 69
Electric light, 137
Entry of officers, old methods, 2;
at the Academy, 11;
at the College, 23;
changes in regulations for, 25, 33, 41, 56, 79, 91, 100, 119, 167;
complete revolution in, 243
Erskine, Admiral Sir J. E., 40
Examinations, 11, 23, 33, 42, 56, 79, 85, 95, 96, 97, 100, 105,
119, 138, 168, 237, 244
Failures, very few, 168;
percentage of, 237
Fatherly advice, 210
Fencing, 8, 13, 17, 220
Fighting by authority, 88
Fishing, 236
Fitzhardinge, Lord, 37
Foley, Captain the Hon. F. A. C., 95
Food, Cadets', 175
Football,
Association matches:
_Britannia_ _v._ Mannamead School, 211, 216;
Montpelier School, 216;
Paignton School, 211;
Plymouth College, 216;
Plymouth F.C., 211;
Torbay, 211;
Totnes School, 211.
Rugby matches:
Port Watch _v._ Starboard, 194;
Oxford _v._ Cambridge, 194;
Odd class _v._ Even, 194;
_Britannia_ _v._ _Hindostan_, 194;
_Britannia_ _v._ Blundell's School, 210;
Royal Naval Engineers' College, 210;
Exeter Grammar School, 210;
editorial remarks, 219
"Fours," Doing, 153
Fox, Mrs., 162
Franklin, Sir John, 24
French, how taught in early days, 63;
discounted in circular of 1875, 102
Games, advantages of Dartmouth for, 59, 190;
proficiency in a recommendation for appointment, 191
German training ship visits Dartmouth, 155;
photographing her, 158;
an unauthorised visit to, 159
Goose dinners, 88
Goschen, The Right Hon. G. J., 173
Grace, Mr. W. G., 206
Half-holiday, a successful, 236
Hamilton, Sir Edward, 4
Hammock, A slip on, 160
Hampers from home, 112
Harris, Captain Robert, his birth and early career, 35;
promotion to lieutenant, commander, and captain, 36;
appointed to _Illustrious_, 37;
eulogy in _Fraser's Magazine_, 37, 42;
his views of preliminary training, 38;
he enters his son, 39;
his views are adopted, 39;
various testimony to his success, 40;
the excellence of his rule, 41;
he suffers for his efficiency, 41
Harris, Vice-Admiral Sir Robert H., K.C.B., 39
Hastings, Admiral Sir Thomas, 36-40
Health regulations, 116
_Hindostan_ arrives, 72
Hockey matches, 220
Hood, Captain The Hon. H. L. A., 143
House of Commons, questions in, 75;
discussion on competition in, 105
Huddart, Cadet, 219
Hunt breakfast, 110
Hunt, Mr. Ward, 106
_Illustrious_, selected as novices' training ship, 37;
Cadet Harris joins, 39;
the first batch of cadets join, 43;
the staff, 43;
early days, 43, 44;
appropriated for cadets only, 49;
superseded by _Britannia_, 52
Inadequate legislation, Results of, 4
Influenza, epidemic of, 176;
curious views respecting, 179
Inman, Professor James, appointed to Royal Naval College, 19;
his love of fair play, 19;
his early life, 20;
president of the School of Naval Architecture, 21;
his navigation and nautical tables, 21;
his plan of study, 23;
his system of recording progress, 24;
his retirement and pension, 27
Inskip, Rev. R. M., 42;
his interest in the cadets, 47;
his sea yarns, 47;
he leaves the ship, 82;
his diagram of progress, 83;
analysis and vindication of _Britannia_ education, 84, 85, 86
Instructional staff, 238
Irving, Lieutenant John, 24
_Isis_, sea-going training ship, commissioned, 234;
her cruise, 235
"Jim," the ship's terrier, 108, 110
Johnson, Mr. A. C., 94, 239
Jubilee of 1897, 170, 171
Keppel, Admiral Sir H., 19, 27, 28
Key, Admiral Sir Cooper, 106
King, The, lays the foundation-stone of the new College, 182
King's birthday, The, 189, 236
King's letter boys, 3
"King of Otaheité, The," 64
Knapp, Mr. Kempster M., 43;
"Knapp's circles," 49;
sudden retribution for fidgeting, 49;
succeeds as chief instructor, and retires, 93
Late in dressing, 150
Lieutenants, not much to do in 1870, 87;
new duties, 163;
"Sea-Daddies," 164
Lightning, Ship struck by, 170
Lloyd, Cadet J. E., case of, 104
Loring, Captain J. W., 28
"Magazine, The _Britannia_," editorial introduction, 125;
editor _ex officio_, 127;
a time-honoured subterfuge, 128;
a doubtful pseudonym, 129;
popular advertisements, 130;
warning from a cadet, 135;
also from "Old Meddler," 136;
editorial comments on regattas, 198
Main, Professor T. J., 32
Mainwaring, Lieutenant G., 107, 109
"Man overboard!" 157
Marryat, Captain F., 5;
his spectacles, 174
Martin, Admiral Sir W. F., 36, 40, 241
Mason, Mr. G. B., 239
Mends, Admiral Sir W. R., 28
"Middle watch relief," 131
Mildmay, Frank, 5
Misconduct, Percentage of discharges for, 237
Morning amenities, 150
Morning drum, The, 54
Moore, Captain A. W., 163, 164
Mundy, Admiral Sir G. Rodney, his letters:
Keeping a "mess," 29;
the "black hole," 29;
a "blow out," 29;
and its results, 30
Nares, Lieutenant Geo. S., appointed, 43;
his seamanship book, 43;
his life-saving kite, 44;
a pleasing reminiscence, 69;
a lesson on foolhardiness, 69;
leaves _Britannia_, 69
Naval cadet, title introduced, 33;
certificates to be signed by captain of _Excellent_, 33;
to be entered on the books of the flagship, 34
Naval education, a dead letter, 4;
controversy on in the _Times_, 120;
letter of "Veritas" in the _Times_, 124
Navigation, rough-and-ready, 5;
"rule of thumb," 123
"Navilus," his book, 149, 233
Navy Board, The, 6, 7
Nelson, Lord, 1, 4
New arrival, Treatment of a, 132
"Nibs," a game of, 151
Officer of the day, 111, 151, 164
Osborne, Royal Naval College at, 245
Pasley, Admiral Sir T. S., 29
"Paying footing," 46
Penalty for being late, 151
"Pitchfork" system, The, 6;
its death knell sounded, 8;
revived, 31;
abolished, 35
Playing fields at Haslar, 45;
at Dartmouth, 238
Pocket money, 161
Portland, selected as station, 58;
its many drawbacks, 59, 188;
_Britannia_ arrives there, 61;
leaves, 71
Powell, Captain R. A., 69
Punishments (_see_ Corporal), second and third class, 115;
the cane as a substitute, 115;
cockpit mess, 55, 115;
"fours," 115;
admonished by the captain, 116;
commander's, 116
Queen's medal, The, 173
_Racer_, the cruising tender, 159, 169, 234, 249
Randolph, Captain Geo. G., appointed, 74;
his reputation for severity, 74;
a futile complaint, 75;
stern measures, 75;
superseded, 77
Reefing topsails, 156
Regatta, Cadets', 196;
events in, 197;
a festive occasion, 197;
editor's bitter comments on, 198;
a new event introduced, 217
Regulations of 1876, 111
Richards, Admiral G. H., 147, 148
Royal cadets, 106
Rushworth seal, The, 197, 207, 210
Ryder, Admiral A. P., 96
Sailing cutters, 77, 78
Sailing matches, 196
Sails, Instruction in, abolished, 233
Salmon, Admiral Sir Nowell, 145
Scanty accommodation, 23
Sea-going training ships, a dead letter, 58;
properly established, 78;
abolished, 93;
reintroduced, 234
_Sealark_, brig, 45, 58
Seamanship, in the old days, 5;
at the Academy, 9;
at the College, 24;
on the _Illustrious_, 45;
"an obsolete art," 124;
arrangement of classes for, 239
Selborne, Earl of, 2
Sextant, Reading, under difficulties, 158
Shaw Lefevre, Mr., M.P., 105
Shooting, Instruction in, 236
"Simple, Peter," 5, 177
Sling the monkey, 46
Smart, Admiral Sir R., 40
Smoking, 159, 160
Spanton, Mr. J. H., 238
Sports, 196;
events in, 201;
excited timekeeper, 201;
why Williams didn't win, 201;
seventeen years' record of, 218
Stoke Fleming, A walk to, 161
Studies, Arrangement of, 54
Study, Arrangement of classes for, 239
Sulivan, Admiral Sir B. J., Life and letters of:
Joins the College, 30;
bullying studious boys, 30;
joins the _Thetis_, 31;
the captain hates collegians, 31;
but is converted, 31
Sulphur room, 116
Sunday afternoon on shore, A, 162
Surveillance, Freedom from, 233
Symonds, Sir William, 4
_Syren_, schooner, 143, 161
Tennis tournament, 197
Thomas, Lieutenant Evan, 192, 196
"Three-decker," A, 53
Tims, Mr. E. M., 195, 205, 238
"Tinned air," 187
_Trafalgar_, H.M.S., 60, 92
Training, Preliminary, partially introduced, 8;
abolished, 27;
made compulsory, 39
"Two-decker," A, 53
Underwood, C., his average in 1886, 202
_Victoria_, H.M.S., model of, 175
Volunteers of the first and second class, 32-33;
"per order," 3, 11
Wallis, Sir Provo W. P., 4
Warrant officers, 167
Warry, Captain A. W., his reminiscences, 86, 87, 88
_Wave_, The steam tender, appears on the scene, 130;
a prophetic utterance, 131;
her trip to Plymouth, 133;
a day's cruise in, 154
Webb, Mr. Aston, 185
Wells, Captain R., 142
Wemyss, Captain R. E., 249
_Western Morning News_, 146, 148
Weymouth, 59, 62
Whole holiday, A, 161
Williams, Mr. Hamilton, 238
Wood, Sir Charles, 40, 42
_Worcester_, training ship, 238
"Ye Mariners of England," 186
Youthful aspirant, A, 1
Printed by Cassell & Company, Limited, La Belle Sauvage, London, E.C.
_New and Revised Edition, price 12/6 net._
"THE SHOP."
_The Story of the Royal Military Academy._
BY
CAPTAIN F. G. GUGGISBERG, R.E.
_With 8 Coloured Plates and numerous Illustrations._
[Decoration]
CONTENTS.
Early Days (1741-1763).
The Period 1764-1806.
The Period 1806-1854.
A Period of Transition (1855-1864).
The "Shop," 1865-1870.
The "Shop" in the 'Seventies.
The "Shop" in the 'Eighties.
The "Shop" in the 'Nineties.
The G. C. of the Present Day.
Games at the "Shop."
[Decoration]
_THE SPECTATOR says_:--
"A book which is both instructive and entertaining.... The story is
relieved by various amusing anecdotes, and, more seriously, by notices
of some distinguished foreigners who have made use of the Academy, the
Prince Imperial being, perhaps, the best known.... Excellent
illustrations."
_THE DAILY CHRONICLE says_:--
"The writer of a military school history runs the risk of having to
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regulations which have little interest for the average reader. Captain
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up."
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"A very readable history.... The Asmodeus who takes us behind the
scenes of the Academy is an interesting guide, and by the time we have
read his pages, which, by the way, are very well illustrated, we have
got an excellent idea of the life of the Woolwich cadet."
_From "Proceedings of the R.A. Institution"_:--
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volume ... told clearly and succinctly. All important events are
mentioned, yet none are over accentuated; and the book from start to
finish is most readable and interesting.... Admirably got up. Paper,
printing, illustrations, and binding are all as good as possible."
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Transcriber's Note
Variant spellings are preserved as printed, e.g. premisses, crochety,
Teneriffe.
Minor punctuation errors have been repaired. Hyphenation usage has
been made consistent.
Spelling of proper names has been made consistent where there was a
prevalence of one form over another, as follows:
Page xi--Corbet amended to Corbett--Captain John Corbett ...
Page 77--CORBET amended to CORBETT--CAPTAIN JOHN CORBETT.
Page 77--Corbet amended to Corbett--... by Captain John Corbett,
after having held the appointment ...
Page 222--Bobart amended to Bobardt--Dr. Bobardt, b Arlington ...
Page 271--J. C. J. amended to J. C. P.--Aldous, Rev. J. C. P., 93,
239
Printer errors have been corrected as follows:
Page viii--Succesful amended to Successful--... A Successful
Experiment ...
Page 110--pioner amended to pioneer--"Jim," the pioneer of the
pack, ...
The table of seventeen years' athletics, originally on page 218, has
been moved so that it is not in the middle of a paragraph. The original
large table has been divided into smaller tables for better display
on smaller devices.
The frontispiece illustration has been moved to follow the title page.
Other illustrations have been moved where necessary so that they are
not in the middle of a paragraph.
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