British Naval Training.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XIII, 26 March 1904, Page 39

British Naval Training.

The ’United Service Magazine” contain- an interesting article, evidently from the pen of a naval ollicer. which deal- very clearly with the rea-oiis which lend to produce the great ditlcrcm-c in the elliciemv of the Navy ami that of the Army. He give- many reason-, but lhe most eogenl of all is difference ot education. <hi thi- point he write-: “A navai oHicer'- training in individual re-poii-ibi lit y commence- on the day he leave- the t raining-hip. Boy- ot six teen and seventeen year- of age have responsibility thra-t up.*n them: -mall al first. but gradually im-rca-ing accord ing to their length of -erv ice. or a- cir ciimst a nces may require. I recently heard the following yarn about a naval cadet who had ju-t joined hi- -hip from the Britannia, and was hoi-ting a boat. Haul taut singly.’ ‘Marry.’ Iloi-l away.' he ordered in ;• squeaky voice: and the men. taking advantage of a yoiing-ler. leisurely walked the boat up Io the davit-. 'High enough.* ‘Turn for lower ing.’ Lower away.' came hi- order-, and the men lowered Ihe boat into the waler again with some a-I oiii-hmeii I ‘Now.’ hr said, ‘you've got to run IhiLoat up.' and the men. -till more astoii ished. ran the boat U| q.; . .Iv Io two block-. High enough.' Turn for lower ing.' ‘Lower away, again he ordered, ami down the boat went once more into the wal ‘Now.' -aid the -(pi aky voice, ‘yam ran tin* boat Up for your own pleasure, thi- time you are going to do it for mine.' And it i- -a fe to conjee lure that thi- young ollicer never again -aw a boat walked up. There cannot be milch qiic-l ion about the training which produces n boy of thi- -limp. There i- the knowledge of what Io do. how it should be done, and Dial ord *r- pioperly given will be obeyed. There i- -carrelv any work in the Navy -o trivial that it is not placed under the direct rout ol of an ollicer: and there i- equally no work, no matter how dirty or ardiioii-. that the ollieer- do not -hare in. The apparently trivial work of scrubbing deck- ami cleaning paint work i- d lily supervised by ollicer- of the relative Army rank of lieutenant colonel mid major: while the ard mm- am I <1 ir I v work ol coaling -hip. which often la-t- Hom daylight until late at night, and -omc lime- all night through, i- joined in and -uperini ended by ollicci.- who -oon rival in blacknc-- the men who are ii-ing the -hovel- Io (ill coal hag-. Berhap- -omc of thi- may -ccm iimiccc—a ry . hut thei'i- good in it. Dllicci- who have Io win Ihe conlidcm-e of their men. and who have Io exact from them implicit ami IlllqUe-l ioiling obedience. must prove I hem-elv e-. If they cannot obtain obc diem-e in peace time al ordinary work, they will not be aide to control their men in act ion. aml if t hey < a nnol do iha I they arc u-ele—." IL* conclude- with a quotation: ‘Moreover, ollicer- ot the \imv arc by habit and tradition imbued with loyalty ralhci to theii regiment Iban to the \rmy at large. The -aihu hoe- hi- -hip: Iml hi- -hip L only a temporary resting place. Hi- loyaltv ito the -ci v ice and the Board ot Admit* allv.”