Sentence:  In those days, as now, the Royal Naval Colleges as well as Sandhurst were well <WSD>patronised</WSD> by the squirearchy and the youths of the blue-blood who found in the training there a congenial calling, when they were not satisfied with military training as a hobby. [...] The attraction of military and naval life was enhanced by the fact that the Royal family <WSD>patronised</WSD> it. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To act as a patron of; to defend, protect, or support.