The course of instruction at the naval school-ship (Britannia) is two years, and the required entering age is between 12 and 13½.
All cadets, midshipmen, and acting sub-lieutenants in active service are required to pass a written examination every year on board the ship where they may be serving. The results of these examinations are forwarded to the Admiralty, and it is by means of them that these officers take their rank in the grade of sub-lieutenant. Those officers who make a specialty of gunnery or navigation and pilotage receive extra pay while doing duties in these specialties. A premium of extra pay is also offered to those officers who acquire fluency in some one of the generally used modern foreign languages.
The squadron divisions for foreign service exclusive of colonial-port stations are:
- Channel Squadron.
- Mediterranean Squadron.
- North American Squadron.
- Pacific Squadron.
- China Squadron.
- East India Squadron.
- Australian Squadron.
- Cape of Good Hope Squadron.
- East Coast of Africa Squadron.
- South American Squadron (Brazil).
The average strength of a squadron during time of peace is eight vessels, the great majority being light corvettes and gun-boats.
An independent naval establishment has been organized for the protection of the interests of the Indian Empire, called the Indian Navy. There are also independent Australian and Canadian services at the support of the colonies, and regarded as auxiliary forces for colonial coast-defence.
France.
The French Navy is represented in the Cabinet by a Minister of Marine, who is invariably chosen from the active list of Admirals. The Minister has as his immediate assistant and Chief of Staff a Vice or Rear Admiral. The central administration of naval affairs is the Naval Ministry at Paris, composed of a Ministers’ Cabinet and five Sections or Directions, which are subdivided into Bureaus.
FIRST DIRECTION.
Personnel.—First Bureau: The Staff of the Fleet, controlling all affairs of the Admiralty Council, prefectures, officers, naval schools. Second Bureau: Technical Corps and General Agents, having charge of construction and engine corps, hydrographic office, commissariat clerks, chaplains, hydraulic engineers, watchmen, etc. Third Bureau: Sailors of the Fleet and Maritime Justice. Fourth Bureau: Marine Infantry and Artillery.