Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-06-04
BIRCHES rok MIDDIRS
ALL on TIE BLAKE SAID 10 HAVE FELT
THE ROD.
Genial Admiral Hopkins Declared 10 Have Re-
cGvsd his Share During bis Mildly Life as
Have Many Good 0Hesrs-Auch Au-
thority Given to M~idshipmsn-Al
Sons Of Officers Of Distinction.


UNEL ~ ia AAANAAk 1A1nC 11~1
stay In this port by the swell little mid
shiDmen OF that vessel are aware that
the embryo Admiral who so politely
guided them about are subjected 10 an
application Of the birch rod whenever
their captain deems IL necessary.
On the Blake there are no less than
twenty-four midshipmen, every one or
whom represents some old and renowned
family. Yet, In accordance with British
naval traditions, not one Of the young
sters Is deemed too good TO escape the
birch rod should q punishment be or
dered.
To a New York Times reporter a
British officer the other day said laugh
ingly:
sob. yes: we order an application Of
ten or twenty strokes Of the birch rod
on one OF the little chaps whenever
there Is cause, but, as a matter OF fact,
the birching Is confined almost entirely
20 the first two years OF the course,
when the youngsters are known as
naval cadets.
This initial tWo-year period Is served
aboard the Britannia at Portsmouth.
After the lads leave the Britannia they
are known as midshipmen. When a
birching is ordered the Ships Corporal
Oficiates."
"How Is the punishment admins
tered?" was asked.
"Well, aheml' was the laughing reply,
''the good old ~schoolbOy fashion we
think good enough, and before the Ships
Corporal has finished with his birchlng
Il forces more than one grimace 20 the
face Of the little chap, But there Is
usually good blood In the young offender,
and few, IL any, Of them will oawl, no
matter how sharp the rod stings.
"Of course, though, the youngster has
the satisfaction Of seeing the Ships
Corporal stand at Attention. and with
his hand at mis- cap In salute after the
birching is ended, for the Corporal has
to bear strickly 10 mind that he was
birching a young officer and not an en-
listed man."
Few officers Of the British Navy, ID Is
said, have passed through the course
aboard the Britannia and escaped alto
gether a sound ~birching, and even jolly
Admiral Hopkins OF the Blake IS de-
clared 20 have received his share Of the
rod during bis MILDLY life, as have many
other good officers.
OF all navies tradition is perhaps the
strongest in the British Navy. Nearly
all the principal powers educate their
naval officers at a naval college, but the
British Admiralty refuses 10 make any
change In its present system, deemlng
II the best In the world.
At present 2 lad must not be under
thirteen and a half years or more b q
fourteen and a half years OF age 70 be
eligible for nomination, which Is made
by one OF the Under Secretaries OF the
Board OF Admiralty. Any lad OF good
~parentage can receive a nomination,
which enables him TO appear Ia the COM
p~etitive examination held in London and
in Portsmouth every six months. There
\ are usually sixty vacancies at an exam
ination, and the number of applicantsis
seldom less than 200. The lads are ex-
amined in Latin, French, geography,
English history, Biblical history, arlth-
metic, and some algebra. III an aSplr-
ants father has served with distinction
in either the army or the navy, very
few marks are necessary to receive for
him a position. IL is the unknown lad
who must reach a high mark In order TO
be accepted.
The boys are rigidly examined In
Biblical history, and afailure 10 il with
out marked success in other studies is
regarded as sufficient for rejection.
Aboard the Britannia, the boys are
taught navigation, seamanship, and
and they see considerable ser
vice In the training brigs attached 70
the Britannia. The examination at the
end OF the W years course Is OF the
standard as is required OF the first mates
IN the British merchant service.
After leaving the Britannia the term
service aboard a sea-going ship is de-
pendent on she excellence OF standing
on the Britannia. The usual period Is
three years, but 1t is possible for a ca
Diet to shorten this midshipman service
by as much as seven months.
''As the midshipman period OF the
mlddies aboard the Blake expires, said
an officer OF that vessel, "the lads will
be examined before a board Of Captains
of the feet in seamanship aud nsviga-
ton. On passing his examination the
midshipman whose time Is up Is sent 10
the Royal College, at Greenwich, where
he takes a three months course in ship
construction. He then goes TO the gun
nery ship, Excellent, az Portsmouth,
where he Is given a three months course
each In gunnery, torpedo work, and
piloting. He is then gazetted a Sub
lieutenant. Under this system it is
possible for a m~idshipman 10 become a
Sub-Lieutenant when but little more
than nineteen years Old"
Among the midshipmen on the Blake
are representatives Of some Of the best
fighting blood Of England. Midshlpman
Hotham Is a son Of Admiral HOtham,
who at present hieS the flag from the
Warspite. Midshipman White is a son
Of w. H. White, Chief Constructor Of
the British Navy. MidShipman G..
Ducat is the son OF a British army off,
Ger who served with marked distinction
in the great Indian mutiny and has
given two other sons also 10 the service
Of the Queen.
Midshlpman Broke of the Blake Is a
gr~eat-grandsOn Of Capt Broke Of Shan
non. who captured the United States
war ship Chesapeake during the war Of
1912. MidshiDmen Dawson, Wells, and
Townsend are sons Of officers OF distinc-
ton. With hardly an exception the
same statement applies to all the other
midshipmen Of the Blake.
The ages of the midshipmen OF the
British flagship range from fifteen and
a half to sixteen and q half years. The
majority Of the youngsters Of that ship
will serve on board Of her until the sum
mer Of 1895, when they will be sent 10
England.
1t Is the practice in the British Navy
10 vest large authority 10 tina mIdship-