cadets there is one marine servant, who "does
for them" in matters of toilet, &c.) When the
hammocks are stowed, prayers are read.

8 A.M. Breakfast.

8.30. Divisions. (Inspectional muster.)

9. Instruction. Deck and practical work
commences, such as we have just had a glimpse
of.

12.15 P.M. Dinner. (N.B. No wine allowed,
and no smoking.)

1.30. Instructions resumed.

5.30. Tea.

6.45 to 8.15. Study.

9.30. Turn in.

In the evening, there is a period of that
reasonable old nautical saturnalia known as
"sky-larking." The rigging — away to the dizziest
heights — is dotted with climbing lads, who vie
with each other in feats of "pluck," and
acquire coolness, readiness, suppleness, and nerve
thereby.

Before strolling round the decks, it will be
convenient to observe that the " staff of
instruction" consists of two lieutenants, four
naval instructors (a functionary one of whom is
appointed to every large ship, and is often also
a chaplain into the bargain), and two assistant
instructors, with French and drawing masters
(unattached), who are engaged for their own
branches. Knowledge of a more strictly
technical kind is also provided for, there being
instruction given in knotting, sword-exercise, and
swimming.

In making the round of the ship, one observes
that every part of it is devoted to some special
purpose. Having left one batch of boys working
in the rigging, you enter a cabin, and find two
tables lined by other lads, half of whom are
learning drawing, and the other half French.
One master, pencil in hand, glides round his
pupils, corrects his tottering tower, or perfects
the line of his dubious topsail, and shows him
what a difference skill and care make. The
other takes up a youth's imperfectly pronounced
French, and rings the word (so to speak) before
him with the true ring of the five-franc piece;
or points out its exact force in relation to the
corresponding word of our native tongue. The
youngsters themselves, perhaps, on the whole,
the most pushing lads of their respective families
(for the navy is essentially a younger son's
profession), are healthy, bright, delicately-nurtured
lads, scions many of them of houses that have
been heard of in England long before their day.
If any of them find the routine irksome at
present, the best of them will be thankful for it
by-and-by.

Descending from the upper to the main-deck,
we find the forward part of it devoted to the
messing and sleeping of the "novices." The
reader has not yet heard of them; but they form
an important part of the new system, and shall
have a brief digression to themselves:

The novices, then, are such landsmen as,
choosing to volunteer for the purpose
(headquarters or rendezvous, the Earl St. Vincent,
Common Hard, Portsea), are taken on board
the Britannia to be fitted for sea-going ships.
They are the raw material of seamen, and the
Britannia works them up into the desired article.
They come from various classes of the population,
a good many from the agricultural districts,
which supplies the best of them. The novices
are kept altogether apart from the cadets,
occupy their own portions of the vessel, and are
subjected to their own special regulations. There
are three hundred novices of the average age of
twenty-one years; but this number varies
according as the Admiralty is pressed or not
pressed in the manning department. Their
instruction consists of: 1. Gun exercise and
handspike drill; 2. Boat exercise; 3. Cutlass
exercise; 4. The Second Instructions of the
Excellent gunnery drill; 5. Exercising sails;
6. Knotting and splicing; 7. Heaving the lead;
8. The Manual. The time during which a
novice remains a novice is six months, of which
two are spent at sea in the Britannia's tender, a
brig mentioned in our sketch of Portsmouth.
When this experience has been gone through,
he is transferred to some vessel in active
service, as what is called an ordinary seaman, a
rank below the time-honoured able-bodied
seaman. Undoubtedly, six months must do a good
deal for him; but if the time could be extended,
we think it ought to be. From land-life to sea-life
is a great revolution at twenty years of age.

The middle deck, to which we pass from that
above it, is a general exercising deck — one,
where the duties of a man-of-war's gun-deck are
practically taught. The after part is devoted
to the cadets, the forward part to the novices.
Here is a school for the "boys" (seamen in
embryo, of whom the "Britannia" has also
some), and an airy, cheerful-looking " sick bay,"
or hospital, for the sick. Here, too, you see
sundry models of the more important portions
of a ship, conveniently placed for the teaching
of youth. A bowsprit, accurately rigged in
miniature, meets your eye in one spot; and
every detail of the rigging of a bowsprit can be
learned from this pretty model. By the way,
why should not inventors in nautical matters—
those ingenious gentlemen who are always
producing new anchors, new kinds of rope, &c.—
send some specimen of their work on board the
Britannia? She would serve as a Great
Exhibition for them, and they would exercise an
educational influence on her. Let us hope that if
any of these useful, and, we fear, ill-treated
worthies, should read this article, they will
consider our hint.

Another downward movement, via the hatchway
ladder, and we are on the last of the
gun-deck, the lower-deck. This is wholly devoted
to the cadets. In the fore part many of them
sleep, and, the hammocks out of the way, they
"skylark" ad libitum. In the central portion
is their mess-room, and aft, a schoolroom.
There is only one stage more to go, and, in
reaching the "orlop-deck," we exhaust them
all. This deck lies below the water-line, and, in
its regular state, comprises the cockpit, cable-