History Of The Development Of Naval Education

"All acknowledged his great abilities as a navigator and as a draughtsman". He was discovered, however, to be as mad as his midshipmen had long thought him, for, after an unsuccessful assault on his Royal Captain with a penknife, he was discovered outside his cabin at dead of night, armed with a carving knife. He was forthwith consigned to an asylum. There is also a story of another interesting character, one Thomas Duncherley, whose mother revealed on her deathbed that his father was King George II, whom she had known when he was Prince of Wales. George III Later allowed him a pension and a residence at Hampton Court Palace. His school mastering had already come to an end by that date, for, like many others, he had regarded it as a stepping stone to higher spheres; and, at the age of 22, had became a gunner.

In 1806, the Naval Academy at Portsmouth was enlarged, overhauled and renamed the Royal Naval College. James Inman, famed for his nautical tables, was appointed headmaster. "At the College as now conducted under Professor Inman," Byan Martin records, 'things go on much better and many young gentlemen are sent forth -with high attainments". It began to be considered the most eligible means of entering the Navy "It is in excellent preparation," wrote a critic, "but it is merely elementary, and, as it only extends to the age of fourteen years, it is in its operation extremely limited. Many and perhaps larger proportion of boys enter the service directly, and are dependent on the means of instruction afforded by the ships in which they chance to serve. It is the education on board which is really and permanently valuable". And it was to such education that the future King William IV referred when he declared, in 1827, that "there is no place superior to the quarterdeck of a British Man-of-War for the education of a gentleman". The sailor King, in fact, had been a strong supporter of naval education when he served as a Captain. "Whether the leaden headed or light headed, none could escape the rigid enforcement of his rules of instruction". From nine in the morning until noon the young gentlemen were engaged with the schoolmasters and never left unoccupied during the rest of the day.

For the test of "ingenuity" formerly administered to prospective school-masters at Trinity House, was now substituted an examination before the Governor and Professor of the Royal Naval College. Honours graduates were exempted from this examination and were gradually attracted into the service in increasing numbers. In addition to the bounty soon increased to £30, the private allowance paid by the Captain was fixed in 1812 at a tuition foe of £5 a year from every young gentleman, "the sane to be stopped out of his pay". But still "it would be unreasonable to suppose that a very highly educated class of persons should be obtained", wrote a critic. Many ships were still without one. It was ordained that 'the schoolmaster is not only to instruct his pupils in mathematics, but to watch ever their general conduct and to attend to their morals, and if he shall observe any disposition to in 'orality or debauchery, or any conduct unbecoming an officer or a gentleman, he is to represent it to the Captain'. All of which was very difficult for the schoolmaster, living on a pauper's pay and in the same mess as his pupils.

So much of the work was ably undertaken by Chaplains, who had always been concerned in it. The Chaplain was paid about £160 a year. If he undertook the duties of the schoolmaster as well, he received the bounty and the compulsory contributions of his class. In one case, which occurred about 1850, a Chaplain, received from these sources £400 per annum, He had also other advantages still denied to the schoolmaster. Eight years service entitled him to his half pay and there were numerous livings in the gift of the Admiralty. In addition, the Chaplain had a better status in a ship than the schoolmaster, who was still expected to share his pupils' mess.