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.]