It is remarkable that at this period there were two sea-going training ships for naval cadets, the Trafalgar—the same vessel which escorted the Britannia on her voyage to Portland in 1862—having been commissioned in August, 1870, by Captain Thomas B. Lethbridge for this purpose. She did not, however, make such long voyages as the Ariadne, and her headquarters were at Portland. This vessel was only kept going a short two years, for in June, 1872, she was paid off, thus foreshadowing the subsequent disappearance of her consort, a year later.
The Ariadne, of which Captain the Hon. W. C. Carpenter was in command, with Commander Robert Woodward as his senior executive, was abolished in 1873. On January 6th of that year a new Admiralty circular was promulgated, containing some slight amendments in the regulations with regard to naval cadets—among others, increasing the maximum age on entry from 13 to 13½ years—and a brief clause cancelling the orders concerning a sea-going training-ship. The Ariadne completed her cruise and was paid off in the summer. It is not easy to account for this apparent caprice on the part of the authorities; it was not until considerably over twenty years afterwards that sail instruction was finally abolished in the Britannia, and many rigged vessels were in commission long after 1873.
There was a whisper at the time—to be accepted, perhaps, cum grano salis—that a certain “sea lord,” whose son had failed to negotiate his final examination as cadet, had formed the opinion, on these somewhat slender premisses, that the ship was “no good,” and that he was mainly instrumental in bringing about the change. This may be a fabrication, but, on the other hand, it may be perfectly true; for it is quite certain that stranger things than this have come to pass in the “Navy trade,” and at later dates than the ’seventies.
Mr. Inskip was succeeded as Chief Naval Instructor by Mr. Kempster Knapp, who, however, did not hold the post very long, ill-health compelling him to resign in 1875, and the appointment of his successor, in April of that year, caused no small commotion among naval instructors in the Britannia and elsewhere.
For some reason the Admiralty decided to go outside the Service in seeking a suitable man, and the gentleman selected for the post was the Rev. J. C. P. Aldous, who had never had anything to do with the Navy, and was a much younger man than some of those over whom he was called upon to exercise a certain authority, and to whose advice and guidance he had nevertheless to look in the discharge of his duties. Whatever motive the authorities had for this unusual step, it might very well have caused incalculable mischief; they must, however, be accorded credit for considerable insight in their selection, for Mr. A. C. Johnson, one of those over whose heads he was placed—the very man, in fact, who might reasonably have expected promotion to the post—writes thus of him:—“Fortunately, he was a man of estimable character and good sense, so that there was little or no friction between him and the naval instructors and others,” which is at once a generous appreciation and a high meed of praise to Mr. Aldous.
REV. J. C. P. ALDOUS.
Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth.
Possibly the introduction of “new blood” in the naval instructor’s department was the outcome of an inquiry which was held in 1874. It is not quite clear on whose representation the Admiralty took this step, but an inquiry certainly took place by a committee appointed by the Admiralty, and composed as follows:—
Rear-Admiral E. B. Rice.
Captain the Hon. W. C. Carpenter.
Rev. H. A. Morgan, M.A.
Captain Wm. Graham.
Rev. Osborne Gordon, B.D.
Geo. Busk, Esq., F.R.S., F.R.C.S.
Jas. Vaughan, Esq., R.N.