| CHAPTER I. |
| THE GOOD OLD TIMES. |
| | PAGE |
| A Youthful Diplomat — Old Methods of Entry — Captain’s Servants — King’sLetter Boys — Lord Dundonald — A Warrior at Eight — Sir P. W. P.Wallis — Absurd Regulations — Education at a Discount — MidshipmanEasy — Peter Simple — The “Pitchfork” System — TheRoyal Naval Academy — Letter to the Navy Board — CommendablePromptitude — The Scheme Approved — Delay in Building — Scheme ofInstruction — Uniform Instituted — Scholars’ Expenses — Rules andOrders — “They are cursed troublesome” — Commissioner’s Report — Entryand Final Certificates — Captain Broke’s Work Book — A ComprehensiveCourse — A Successful Institution | [1] |
| CHAPTER II. |
| THE ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE. |
| New Brooms — Radical Changes — The Academy Closed — Wanted, a Professor — JamesInman — An Enthusiastic Scholar — His Love of FairPlay — Senior Wrangler — Antarctic Astronomer — Appointed Professor — “Inman’sTables” — The College Opens — A Master’s UntimelyOptimism — A Poser for Their Lordships — The New Course of Studies — JohnIrving, Silver Medallist — A Mathematician’s Device — TheRod and the “Black Hole” — New Regulations — CommissionedOfficers Admitted — Elastic Hours of Study — The End Approaches — The“late” Royal Naval College — Inman’s Pension — Sir H. Keppel’sRecollections — 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 — SirB. J. Sulivan — Bullying Studious Juniors — A DiscouragingExperience — The Captain Converted — The College and theExcellent — Professor Main — The “Pitchfork” System Again — ASlender Equipment — Naval Cadets — Haphazard Methods — A LittleMore Detail | [16] |
| CHAPTER III. |
| THE “ILLUSTRIOUS.” |
| Captain Robert Harris — His Birth and Career — Appointed to the Illustrious — “JemmyGraham’s Novices” — A Model School for Seamen — AVisit to the Illustrious — Why not Train Young Officers? — Oppositionof Old Officers — Cadet Robert H. Harris — A Successful Experiment — Institutionof Cadets’ Training Ship — Captain Harris Suffersfor His Zeal — Commendatory Letters — He is Superseded — The NewAdmiralty Circular — General Approval of the Scheme — The Staff ofthe Illustrious — Lieutenant George S. Nares — Disciplinary Methods — TheCadets’ Corporals — Withering Sarcasm — Old-fashioned Seamanship — Cricket — “Slingthe Monkey” — Rev. R. M. Inskip — HisSea Yarns — Mr. Kempster Knapp — “Knapp’s Circles” — Penalty ofFidgeting — Prince Alfred — Enter the Britannia — Her Predecessors | [35] |
| CHAPTER IV. |
| THE “BRITANNIA” IN THE ’SIXTIES. |
| A “Three-decker” — Arrangements on Board — The Morning Drum — PersuasiveCorporals — “Cockpit Mess” — “Cheeky New Fellows” — ImportantModifications — Sea-going Training-ship — A Dead Letter — TheQuestion of Locality — Portland Selected — Its Numerous Drawbacks — Preparingfor Sea — Voyage of the Britannia — She AssertsHerself under Sail — Arrival at Portland — Great Monotony — A SadAccident — Good Education — French and Drawing — Sample of aFrench Lesson — Messroom Songs — “The King of Otaheité” — GoingAloft — A Foolhardy Feat — A Swift Descent — Fatal to Clothes — Readingat the Yard-arm — Captain Powell Appointed — Departure ofCommander Nares — Corporal Punishment — A Cool Young Hand — TheRoyal Marriage — Another Change Decided Upon — Voyage toDartmouth — A Busy Time — Sailors as Navvies — The Hindostan — CaptainRandolph Appointed — A Futile Complaint — SternMeasures — Parliamentary Interference — Humanitarian Fads — FloggingAbolished — Cadets’ Sailing Cutters — Gymnasium Built — TheBristol — Competition on Entry — Reduction of Numbers — A NewBritannia — Statistical Results | [53] |
| CHAPTER V. |
| THE “BRITANNIA” IN THE ’SEVENTIES. |
| Mr. Inskip Departs — His Statistical Diagram — Vindication of Britannia — FinalExaminations a True Test — A “Facer” for the Old Salts — Mr.Inskip Triumphant — Captain Warry’s Recollections — Lieutenants’Duties Ill-defined — “Goose” Dinners — Fighting by Authority — TheDapper — The Ariadne — A Tragic Incident — A Plucky Boatswain — TheAriadne Abolished — A Possible Explanation — Mr. KnappResigns — An Unexpected Successor — A Generous Appreciation — Committeeof Enquiry — Recommends Abolition of Competition — AnAcademic Proposal — Unanimity of Cadets — Admiral Ryder’s Evidence — Dr.Woolley’s Evidence — A Plausible Contention — NewRegulations — French at a Discount — Site for a College — DartmouthRecommended — A Dissatisfied Parent — The Britannia in Parliament — TheRoyal Cadets — Lieutenant Mainwaring — Beagles Started — TheGrave of “Jim” — A Phenomenal Admission — Britannia Regulations — TheOfficer of the Day — The Cadet Captains — No “Hampers”Allowed — Punishments — A Drastic Health Regulation — Captains inthe ’Seventies — Statistical Results | [82] |
| CHAPTER VI. |
| THE “BRITANNIA” IN THE ’EIGHTIES. |
| Competition Reintroduced — Reduction of Numbers — A Ferocious Examination — TheBritannia in the Times — “Rule of Thumb” Instruction — “Fire”and “Sword” — “Veritas” at Sea — The BritanniaMagazine — Editorial Introduction — The Politics of Naval Cadets — EditorialDifficulties — A Questionable Pseudonym — Popular Advertisements — TheWave — A True Prediction — An Original Poem — JonesTakes a Lesson to Heart — The Wave’s Holiday Trip — A Warning tothe Reckless — “First Catch Your Cadet!” — Ambulance Lessons — Howto Tell a Toadstool — The Electric Light — Another Committee — ItMakes Recommendations — Also Suggestions — Very Unpractical — Captainsin the ’Eighties — Statistical Results — A Rapid Rise | [118] |
| CHAPTER VII. |
| THE “BRITANNIA” IN THE ’NINETIES. |
| Captain Digby — Alleged Gross Bullying — A Lively Correspondence — VariousUninvited Opinions — A Gleam of Light from Within — “OldEtonian” and Admiral Richards — Captain Digby Sums Up the Case — “Navilus”:His Book — Morning Amenities — “One Day’s ‘Four’” — ATypical Day — The Hardships of “Four” — A Day in the Wave — “ANice Fresh Breeze” — Reefing Topsails — “Man Overboard” — Comfortfor Mothers — A Trip in a Skiff — Forbidden Joys — A“Slippery Hitch” — A Half-holiday — Tea with “Ma Fox” — ASunday Outing — “Fearful Fagging” — The “Baby’s” Final Aspirations — CaptainMoore — A Hot Reformer — Lieutenants as “Sea-Daddies” — Abolitionof Cadets’ Corporals — Chief of the Staff — NavalWarrant Officers — New Admiralty Regulations — The Racer Arrives — ShipStruck by Lightning — Jubilee Day — The Queen’s Medal — CaptainMarryat’s Spectacles — Cadets’ Food — A Hard Case! — RemarkablePhysical Development — Influenza Epidemic — AnIll-informed Parent — Ridiculous Allegations — Visit of the King andQueen — John Gilpin — “Ye Mariners of England” — Captains in the’Nineties | [144] |
| CHAPTER VIII. |
| “BRITANNIA” GAMES. |
| Scanty Early Records — Practice v. Precept — Officers v. Cadets — PresumptuousJuniors — A Close Match — Football — Penalty of Punning — A DecisiveVictory — A Demon Bowler — Two Curious Innings — Sports andRegatta — The Rushworth Seal — The Editor is Sarcastic — His Feelingsare Soured — An Excited Timekeeper — Why Williams Didn’t Win — ThePro’s Average — Teignbridge Victorious and Vanquished — W. G.’sEleven — Some Fatherly Advice — The Editor is Appeased — AClose Sculling Match — Foreign Football Matches — A Dry CricketSeason — The Editor and the Beagles — Lord Harris’s Maxims — TheBold Sir Bedivel — Big Third Eleven Scores — Seventeen Years’Athletics — Huddart Shows the Way — The Editor on “Stodge” — AHot Run for the “Footmen” — Youthful Boxers — Glasgow to theRescue — An Afternoon’s Cricket — Splendid Playing Fields — AndPlenty of Cricket — Teignbridge’s Small Score — Britannia Wins AllRound — Third Eleven Makes a Record — A Question of Time — KeepYour Ground Clock Right — Remarkable Results of the Season — MoneyWell Spent | [190] |
| CHAPTER IX. |
| CONCLUSION. |
| Forty-six Years’ Record — Internal Arrangements — Swimming Baths — “OnTheir Honour” — No More Sails — The Revenge as a Picture — TheIsis and Aurora — Lieutenants’ Adventure — Scotch Hospitality — ShootingInstruction — “Good Fishing” — A CreditableRecord — The Cost of the Britannia — The Instructional Staff — AnExcellent Arrangement — A Heavy Responsibility — Discharged RightWell — The New Scheme — Utilitarian Buildings — The RacerAgain — Popularity of Practical Mechanics — No Half Measures | [230] |
| Appendices | [251] |
| Index | [271] |