Chapter II: The Royal Naval College

New Brooms--Radical Changes--The Academy Closed--Wanted, a
Professor--James Inman--An Enthusiastic Scholar--His Love of
Fair Play--Senior Wrangler--Antarctic Astronomer--Appointed
Professor--"Inman's Tables"--The College Opens--A Master's
Untimely Optimism--A Poser for Their Lordships--The New
Course of Studies--John Irving, Silver Medallist--A
Mathematician's Device--The Rod and the "Black Hole"--New
Regulations--Commissioned Officers Admitted--Elastic Hours
of Study--The End Approaches--The "late" Royal Naval
College--Inman's Pension--Sir H. Keppel's Recollections--The
Box Seat--A Retaliatory Cascade--Sir W. R. Mends--Alleged
Toadying--Sir G. R. Mundy's Letters--Keeping a "Mess"--The
"Black Hole" in Being--"A Blow-out," and After--Sir B. J.
Sulivan--Bullying Studious Juniors--A Discouraging
Experience--The Captain Converted--The College and the
_Excellent_--Professor Main--The "Pitchfork" System Again--A
Slender Equipment--Naval Cadets--Haphazard Methods--A Little
More Detail 16

CHAPTER III.

THE "ILLUSTRIOUS."

Captain Robert Harris--His Birth and Career--Appointed to
the _Illustrious_--"Jemmy Graham's Novices"--A Model School
for Seamen--A Visit to the _Illustrious_--Why not Train
Young Officers?--Opposition of Old Officers--Cadet Robert
H. Harris--A Successful Experiment--Institution of Cadets'
Training Ship--Captain Harris Suffers for His Zeal--
Commendatory Letters--He is Superseded--The New Admiralty
Circular--General Approval of the Scheme--The Staff of the
_Illustrious_--Lieutenant George S. Nares--Disciplinary
Methods--The Cadets' Corporals--Withering Sarcasm--
Old-fashioned Seamanship--Cricket--"Sling the Monkey"--Rev.
R. M. Inskip--His Sea Yarns--Mr. Kempster Knapp--"Knapp's
Circles"--Penalty of Fidgeting--Prince Alfred--Enter the
_Britannia_--Her Predecessors 35