CHAPTER LV.
MIDSHIPMEN ENTERING THE NAVY EARLY.
The allusion in the preceding chapter to the early age at which some ofthe midshipmen enter the Navy, suggests some thoughts relative to moreimportant considerations.
A very general modern impression seems to be, that, in order to learnthe profession of a sea-officer, a boy can hardly be sent to sea tooearly. To a certain extent, this may be a mistake. Other professions,involving a knowledge of technicalities and things restricted to oneparticular field of action, are frequently mastered by men who beginafter the age of twenty-one, or even at a later period of life. It wasonly about the middle of the seventeenth century that the Britishmilitary and naval services were kept distinct. Previous to that epochthe king's officers commanded indifferently either by sea or by land.
Robert Blake, perhaps one of the most accomplished, and certainly oneof the most successful Admirals that ever hoisted a flag, was more thanhalf a century old (fifty-one years) before he entered the navalservice, or had aught to do, professionally, with a ship. He was of astudious turn, and, after leaving Oxford, resided quietly on hisestate, a country gentleman, till his forty-second year, soon afterwhich he became connected with the Parliamentary army.
The historian Clarendon says of him, "He was the first man that made itmanifest that the science (seamanship) might be attained in less timethan was imagined." And doubtless it was to his shore sympathies thatthe well-known humanity and kindness which Blake evinced in hisintercourse with the sailors is in a large degree to be imputed.
Midshipmen sent into the Navy at a very early age are exposed to thepassive reception of all the prejudices of the quarter-deck in favourof ancient usages, however useless or pernicious; those prejudices growup with them, and solidify with their very bones. As they rise in rank,they naturally carry them up, whence the inveterate repugnance of manyCommodores and Captains to the slightest innovations in the service,however salutary they may appear to landsmen.
It is hardly to be doubted that, in matters connected with the generalwelfare of the Navy, government has paid rather too much deference tothe opinions of the officers of the Navy, considering them as menalmost born to the service, and therefore far better qualified to judgeconcerning any and all questions touching it than people on shore. Butin a nation under a liberal Constitution, it must ever be unwise tomake too distinct and peculiar the profession of either branch of itsmilitary men. True, in a country like ours, nothing is at present to beapprehended of their gaining political rule; but not a little is to beapprehended concerning their perpetuating or creating abuses amongtheir subordinates, unless civilians have full cognisance of theiradministrative affairs, and account themselves competent to thecomplete overlooking and ordering them.
We do wrong when we in any way contribute to the prevailingmystification that has been thrown about the internal affairs of thenational sea-service. Hitherto those affairs have been regarded even bysome high state functionaries as things beyond theirinsight--altogether too technical and mysterious to be fullycomprehended by landsmen. And this it is that has perpetuated in theNavy many evils that otherwise would have been abolished in the generalamelioration of other things. The army is sometimes remodelled, but theNavy goes down from generation to generation almost untouched andunquestioned, as if its code were infallible, and itself a piece ofperfection that no statesman could improve. When a Secretary of theNavy ventures to innovate upon its established customs, you hear someof the Navy officers say, "What does this landsman know about ouraffairs? Did he ever head a watch? He does not know starboard fromlarboard, girt-line from back-stay."
While we deferentially and cheerfully leave to Navy officers the soleconduct of making and shortening sail, tacking ship, and performingother nautical manoeuvres, as may seem to them best; let us beware ofabandoning to their discretion those general municipal regulationstouching the well-being of the great body of men before the mast; letus beware of being too much influenced by their opinions in matterswhere it is but natural to suppose that their long-establishedprejudices are enlisted.