Chapter 6 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-Capta

ins 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?.

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? to 14, and subsequently 13 to 14?, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

THE SCHOONER YACHT "SYREN."

Photo: W. M. Crockett, Plymouth.