There is every reason for supposing that the Naval Academy was a complete success, but it is remarkable that so few of our most famous admirals and captains went through it; and there is no means of ascertaining how the Academy boys compared eventually with those who were entered in the haphazard fashion above described—some of them from the nursery. It appears probable, however, from later evidence, that many captains maintained a prejudice against these lads, as being still Volunteers per Order; and we do not need, as will be seen, to go back as far as the eighteenth century to find many who held that a lad sent straight to sea from school was likely to become more speedily efficient than one who had been previously trained. This curious paradox was as tenacious of life as might be expected among so conservative a body of men as our old naval officers. Some time during the last decade of the eighteenth century the term “captain’s servant” was replaced by that of “volunteer of the first class,” under which all those who did not go through the College continued to enter. It is not quite clear, however, what is meant by the title of “volunteer of the second class.”
A PAGE FROM BROKE’S BOOK: FORTIFICATION PLAN, WITH BASTIONS, ETC.
CHAPTER II.
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:—