The Story of the Britannia""

uction-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

es-Statistical Res

e case in 1870, this reduction coincides with the introduction of competition, but with more rigorous con

d French a compulsory subject, to the exclusion of geography; indeed, the farce of minimising the importance of the former did not long survive. The num

educe the entries, a new circular appeared, in January,

es, and five Service nominations, selected by the Admiralty from sons of officers of the Army, Navy, and Royal Marines who

on passing the preliminary e

nces, only one-third of tho

e on passing

examination will

rtion and vulgar and

tc., and 26 propositions

ctions and simp

atio

lish intell

ranslating, etc. (

re hist

,

l numbers in each subject, and may then s

lgebra (including quadratic equations) a

in

nd English

adets must obtain 600 in t

nd the quadratic equations-at neither of which are boys of this age usually strong-can be discarded; but to

d down that the examination was to be held by the Civil Service Commissioners; and in May, 1887, the ideas of t

tion, vulgar and d

equations with problems,

of Euclid, with exerc

writing, dictati

questions on grammar, speakin

ptur

in arithmetic, and four-

r Exam

, harder qu

mar, prose composition (

ased on Grov

ory, a selec

and and rectan

npractical nature was evidently speedily realised, for two months later came fresh regulations, altering the limits of age from 12? to 14, and subsequently

twelve months before another alteration was made-a circular dat

the time for these extraordinary vicissitudes, bu

of attention in 1882, for several letters and a long

"HINDOSTAN." CADET RACQU

le & Son,

o 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 ancho

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 Unit

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 o

ssfully 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 intent

iralty, and was, it is said, largely instrumental in pro

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 cadet

cts T

thm

cl

and nautica

igonometry (

rigonometry

ar

ea

model and

ge

nometry (th

onometry (

gl

instr

l phil

en

(mecha

man

.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

in (now Admiral) Fitzgerald-who at this very time complained that seamanship

less academic discussion, and see how t

zine, in February, 1884, and its raison d'être, together with the hopes and

ave opinions far too good to be limited to sanctuary chairs, far too noble to be confi

, 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 wonde

onsidered too ambitious. But if some of our officers will help us with one of the yarns they occasiona

and we hope our seniors will remember that we are only boys, and that our magazine is written for boys. Though they may v

faults a li

ver 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 feebl

AGLE

le & Son,

mes, 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 d

es. We thank the newspapers very much for occasionally noticing our athletics and our regattas. We want to see

litics 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 i

KE

M. Crocket

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 emolume

e to a wail over the dearth of material; a process which does not bear repeating too frequently. Some people alwa

other samples of human nature!-on an item headed "a positive fact"; or,

th these credentials in

ggering in his brand-new uniform: "What is he, Bill?" "D

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 ap

graph boy or a railway porter is an interesting question,

was a "new," who describes his

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 othe

e

MESS

le & Son,

he 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 ve

enclosed his card to the editor, "not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith"; but we are all well awar

of advertisement inserted for the speci

hop kept by Cadet Corporal Baker, amongst a large and miscellane

half an hour, and to give him an awful stomach-ache, all of which enjo

novice in the noble art of smoking being turned up; and there is also the subtle delight of greening the ca

the writer is weak in the matter of conjunctions. B

he was not much larger than her predecessor, but had considerably more steaming power, and was of finer dimensions. She was afterwards relegated to steam instruct

ooks very sad in winter garb alongside her new sister, who has take

al of the Wave, which hints, in the most delica

have to order basins, or else have her commander foul of us

as we shall see, only

horship of which is usually religiously veiled; youthful poets are prover

e Watche

out at dea

y his be

ead from le

on his r

ir and pul

o him, "Z

out now! do

let you

his fore

s hammoc

ntly the (f

the com

art and op

hath no

sentry s

g in de

smartly by

s hammo

there upon

soon r

ound the a

m well w

till to sle

lashing

treatment

furthe

k the rest

u in, my

hypothetical conditions under which he is ultimately recommended to adopt this course are certainly exceptional. No one

of these avails himself of the opportunity to draw a comparison between his reception on board his first sea-going s

ort 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

tions concerning his future conduct towards his junio

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

trip in the Wave. This diversion was, however, arranged on November 8t

-hearted youngsters put down their names for it, recking

f the cruise is contained in a poem (a long way after Lo

s" Trip to

e little

ed the wi

board a s

ly com

eir hopes on t

ght of their

skipped alo

t" and the

stood besid

s, not word

ed to his d

ave a ti

had, for,

he troub

waves was

r strang

louder bl

) from the

lant boiler

gines did

e storm, and

l in its

d paused, like a

d her cabl

Come hither!

ot look

eather the r

is not

im up in his

he stingi

e collar rou

d against

I hear a sma

what ma

ed in a c

sir? That

I hear the s

what ma

you want your

k you: no

, I feel a r

what ma

ute claimed fr

e's realm

essel's le

ly then l

sk what he

ould pla

r clasped his h

e on lan

of cadets at

Dartmou

those who s

f Dartmou

our joy to

the starb

I see a li

what ma

e gleam of the b

or'-west s

e fitful gu

he leadsma

p eight!" "And a

our heart

d safe in Pl

round by

en bed, then

, sir, if y

winter trip

dull Nov

we had a

of us co

ted, quoting one verse in its entirety, and displaying a certain recklessness in

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

s and accounts of successful sports, etc.-of which more anon-but warnings, edito

on the undesirability of certain prev

s, etc., they will be getting all leave stopped, or a corporal in attendance; or the railway company

venience of officers and cadets. Those who are not acquainted with the locality may not be aware that the

ely the same subject over the signature "Old Meddler," who is evidently a somewha

ished on board the Britannia; probably, like many good

would, however, have fi

er 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 con

"first-aid" instruction, under the St. John Ambulanc

medical staff turned it to splendid account and lectured to a

t do you

n arm,

u know it

waggled it

compound

ple,

hy

did it so

ught I

l the stored up information

laster on the back

in a hot

d down as fast

up by the

andle, two billiard c

with a feather,

had lively anticipations du

rently might arise when out "mushrooming," though it is recorded in the magazine that the process by which a cadet d

the only marvel is that it was not done earlier. Those who have experienced the endless w

ibration, and before long it was shifted to a small vessel specially provided, and moored just above the shi

BOWDEN

Sir N. Bowden

tee being specially appointed to consider the vexed question of naval education. There has always existed, as we have s

e Admiralty appointed a commi

Esq., Director of Studies at the Royal Naval College; Rev. J. M. Wilson, Head Master of

o be Con

ubjects of examination

instructional arrangemen

r examinations not conne

suggestions for the improvement of the

int out what they consider to be

it is not the best that could be had; and we feel convinced that the special prepar

he age of the cadets on board; the result being that the knowledge is mechani

the Wave of very little use, as she is not well adapted for dril

abreast the present ships, with a bridge across, so that her upper deck would b

icate 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 s

RITANNIA." CAD

M. Crocket

nd suggestion appears to be, so far as

Cambridge Local certificates required, the Wave is retained, no brigs are attached, nor is a ship

age after 11 (this with the view of previous preparation); and yet one of the defects s

very rarely acted upon to any great extent; they are frequently very unp

F. G. D.

ir F. G. D. Be

le & Son,

he committee, in the same breath almost, deprecates the want of a spacious deck for the boys to run about on during shor

ollege, is used, she must be so placed that easy commun

ully rigged? She would be able to sail in and out of Dartmouth sometimes, when there happened to be a

ire 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 the

ry weary work indeed is the reading of the thousands of que

ted themselves for the passing out examination, 36, or 4·7 per cent., failed; which, considering that the Britannia is admittedly a probationary establi

the Britannia during the

s, appointed Au

Smith, appointed S

edford, appointed

Digby, appointed

this period was 883, of whom the Na

ve L

mmanders, 132;

red

enant

4, or 33 per cent., to be accounted for

ery 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

NER YACHT

M. Crocket