Britannia.Seamanship.Gunnery.Navigation.
1st class51·2 per cent.36·8 per cent.14·7 per cent.
2nd class28·7 per cent.10·1 per cent.2·2 per cent.
3rd class17·5 per cent.2·6 per cent.0·0 per cent.

Comparison of Selected Examples.

Britannia. Seamanship.Gunnery.Navigation.
First four, 1st class
First four, 2nd class 9·0 per cent.8·1 per cent.8·2 per cent.
Above average of class
Last four, 2nd class 7·6 per cent.4·8 per cent.2·2 per cent.
Last four, 3rd class 7·0 per cent.1·3 per cent.—
Below average of class

From these and similar data Mr. Inskip draws the following perfectly justifiable deductions:—

(1) Assuming that the ability of a midshipman to pass his examinations for sub-lieutenant the moment his time is served may be considered as evidence of proficiency, it is seen that in this respect each class has maintained its relative position with regard to original classification.

(2) That the comparison of selections with whole classes shows that the original certificates were distributed on an equitable scale, or strictly in accordance with merit.

(3) That this argument is confirmed by the general results of the final examinations for sub-lieutenants.

In connection with this, he makes a very good point; speaking of the seamanship examinations for sub-lieutenant, he says: “The certificates awarded may be taken as the collective opinion of all the captains who have been actively employed during the past eleven or twelve years, and we find that of the midshipmen sent from the training ship with first-class certificates, no fewer than 51·2 per cent. have been considered to merit first-class certificates; of the seconds, 28·7 per cent.; and of the thirds, 17·5 per cent.”

This was rather a “facer” for the captains—and there were not a few—who held that the Britannia training was useless, or worse than useless, in regard to seamanship.

“The evidence given above,” continues Mr. Inskip, “abundantly proves that each original class falls into its natural place at the final examinations, from which fact we can only infer that unless the original certificates had been awarded with the utmost care, and a scrupulous regard to the individual merits of each cadet, a coincidence so remarkable could not have occurred.”