The record-union., 1898-01-17
THE BRITISH .MIDDY."
Comparison Between Him and His
American Compeers.

Admiral Sir VeSey Hamilton published
not long ago an interesting conversation
which he had with an American Admit
raj, wherein the latter spoke with the
warmest admiration of the manner in
which he saw our young midshipmen
handling their boats and keeping their
men i'll order. and then drew compari-
sons between them and his own fine
gentlemen" most unflattering to the
latter. His young gentlemen, he said,
knew how it ought to be done, but ours
knew how to do it.
The difference is great. The British
| midshipman is brought I'D in his pro-
fesson. and when he finds himself sud-
denly in 4 tight place he knows what
to do instinctively without waiting to
reason about it: he does the right thing
at once; and as rapidity of action is one
of the most important factors Of success
| i'll nautical matters, he generally gets
out of his tight place with credit to
himself and his profession. Thus he
gains confidence at every step, and pre-
pares himself for more important COM
nands. On what grounds, then, of log
ic or of common sense, are We about TO
alter a system which has produced such
excellent practical results?
1t is only fair, however, to see what
can be said on the other side Of the ques-
ton, and thus We would frankly ac-
knowledge that our naval officers are
the worst educated in Europe, taking
the word education in the sense in
which it is generally used. 1t is only
quite natural and reasonable that they
should be so, for reasons which we have
already sufficiently indicated. For our
| own part we do not think they are by
any means such utter ignoramuSeS as
| they are sometimes supposed to be, and
| portrayed as being by some self-consti-
| tuted critics.
For instance, a well-known civilian
writer on naval subjects, masquerading
under the title of ''Nauticus," published
| lately violent diatribe on the gross and
deplorable ignorance of British naval
| officers. He described them as being
altogether behind the times; as compar-
| ing most unfavorably in point Of gen
eral knowledge with the officers of all
| European nations, as well as with those
| Of the United States. They We're held
up to scorn for not being men Of the
world" and for not being able to Shine
| in society,"" in consequence Of their
| faulty education; and it was further
| stated that they were not sound scien-
| tifc officers. 1t is quite possible that
all three accusations might be true-the
third modified-and yet that ours might
be the best naval officers in the world.
We say the third modified as it de-
ponds good deal upon what we under
stand by a sound scientific officer. 1t
is probationary, almost certain-that,
so far as abstract science is concerned,
our naval officers are surpassed by those
of most other countries, and certainly
by those of France and Germany; but
when it comes to the practical applica-
| ton of such scientific or other knoWl-
edge as the officers of the different ma
| tionalities possess, it has been proved a
| hundred times over that our officers are
ahead of all. Ten thousand horse
power which cannot be applied is not
SO good for propulsive purposes as five
thousand horse power which can be ap-
| Observation-Disclosures Magazine.