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 13½; 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.