OUR ROYAL PRINCES AS CADETS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 254, 25 October 1881, Page 1

OUR ROYAL PRINCES AS CADETS.

H. E. H. THE P&INC3E I OPWitis, ! - (luring his sojourn on boardH. M. IS. Sera|)is tp, lndia and, Wek, became much more acquainted; with thte naral officers of H. M. service than he had hitherto • the opportunity of being, and also by the rules and regulations by which th^y govern and are governed. Struck with I their frank and manly; bearing; he conceived, the idea ,of sending his ydiing sons to the cadet training shiprßritanriia instead of the public, schools iatEtdn br Harrow, to one of which academies they were about toW introduced.'" 1 Iri this scheme the Prince-showed his usual strong common' sensei, for km board tie Britannia no toadying, jof any descrip- ; tion exists. . Prince, lord, and commonjer are all treated alikg, punished Bxaetly lin a similar manner, and are rigidly, limit }d to the same amount of pocket riioner; also a very high tone df morals is pife*eerved, which, from their complete isoia r tion from other schools or corrupt influences, is easier to accomplish. They are justly proud in the acknowledgement, of the honour of, their, Veracity, for '■'. should a cadet be reported as having been.suspected of committing any boyish of-: fence by a corporal, if the cadet pledge; his word of honour to the lieutenant bni duty that he was not the culprit, then his denial is accepted as genuine, and' these vows 'are rarely, if ever, viojated. Should it afterwards be found put that a cadet on affirmation has noc told the truth, he is most severely punished, all confidence in him as, a boy of esteem !is lost, and his brother dadetiswiiliiot hold him as a fit companion for their society I : Also, these aspirants for future naval fame have their own code of laws established 1 for a quarter 6f a century, and handed down from one batch of cadeis to another, which have to be most religiously observed, and are not intruded upon by the Britannia's officers, but encouraged, as "they- all tend to produce good, and no bullying or fagging gois on. Fighting with fists is allowed as long as it is a fair quarrel and the opponents are nearly equally matched. Should a row happen between two cadets" on board they are parted, and the cause of the dispute inquired into. ] Should it be a legitimate "fall out,;" and they both desire further conii bat (which they invariably do) they are sent on shore to the playground to " have it out " alone> and la corporal accompanies them to see fair play. When" it is over they returb oh'" board, and most likely become firm friends lor life. .November, 1878, found these young: Princes rated on the books of the Britannia,; arid in tbje Naval Ltet as naval cadets, their ro^dl father bimself bringing them down to Dartmontb, and seeing them embarked in their public career. The Britannia is a huge three-decked Jine of battle Bbip, moored in the mer Darf, and affixed to her bows, and connected by a stage, is a two-decked line of battle ship, which is akd repaired fot sleep.

ing abcomoSation and class rooms. I The number qf cadets instructed and living .on boWd averages abcufc two hundr;ed,,r passingi into and out of her by. examinations in Bq^uadß of about fifty al a time, and on entering they must |be oyer the. age of thirteen and not more than fifteen. Two equada are admitted in the year, one at rqid-surnmer 4ridthe other '"at Christmas, and two of ihe eections previously on board pass out at the same time. These' companies of cadets are known as " Terms," being designated first term on jaining, and as they, are two years on board, by the time, they pass out they have then reached the great dignity (amongst themselves) in the last period of the fourth tertn. The Britannia , was,commanded by Captain Henry Fairfax, assisted/by Conimander the Eight Hon. CLord Kamsay (the present Earl! of Dalhoasie), and three lieutenants,' whose duties were to - superintend \ ihe instruction of. seamanship and to rnka out puni«hment for the. minor ofFendes. For the school education__ are quired- jten - maßters, four of whdm' are in holy "ordefrs, besides two French mjasters, odjb Latin master, two drawing masters, a music, master, and a singing master. For their nse in boat sailing area aehodrfer yacht of ■■ 54 lons, six launches about 14 tons each, six sailing cutters, of about 3 tons each^ a steam pinnace, and a perfect fleet j of pulling gigs. To administer to their wants and comforts the following curious rating's are entered on the bopka of fchelritannia, and are most certainty nbfc to be foun^i on those of any other rriah-o-war, namely, a gymnaetic instructor, a professional cricket player; a haircutter from; Truefi-tt's celebrated .Lobdon establishment, and lastly (shades of Nelson!) as ednistress ! whose nimbjle .fingers are employed in keeping the shirts and linen in order. The cadets sleep in ham tabeks!, suspended froim iron bars between, the beam?, and have one servant to attend on six ol them, the servants doing no other duty con* nected with the ship. B^ery cadiat has to take a cold salt wafer plunge bath, heated to the same temperature all the year round, every morning, bn shore they have a playground .oif'tifo: thoosand acres to roam over, sitjaatid in about the prettiest part of Deyoiehire. There they play cricket, lawn tennis, and in winter football A liberal allowance of thirteen weeks' holidays (leave they proudly call it) in the year are.granted to the cadete, which ai*e divided into six weeks at summer five at Christmas, and a fortnight at Fastek