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.