Admiralty, May 15th, 1837.

Memorandum.

The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty being anxious to extend the advantages of education to the petty officers, seamen, marines, and boys of the fleet, are pleased to authorize one additional rating of first class petty officers in every ship of her Majesty's navy, to be called " Seaman's Schoolmaster."

The person to fill this rating is to be entered or selected by the commanding officer of the ship, with the approbation of their lordships vacancies occurring abroad may be filled up from the ship's company, if a person properly qualified be found on board ; if not, one may be taken from any other ship, with the consent of his commanding officer, and the approbation of the senior officer present.

The Seaman's Schoolmaster is to be competent to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic; namely, the four first rules, the Rule of Three, Vulgar and Decimal Fractions, Logarithmic Arithmetic, Plane Trigonometry, and to keep a ship's reckoning at sea.

He is to be examined, as to his fitness, by the naval instructor of the flag-ship of the port where his ship may be fitted out, or by some other competent person, to be named by the port admiral, who is to give a certificate of his fitness, which is to be transmitted to this office before the appointment is approved.

Any petty officer, seaman, or marine, who may wish to avail himself of this means of education, is to be taught by the Seamen's Schoolmaster, and all the boys are to be put under his instruction.

Arrangements are to be made by the commanding officers of her Majesty's ships so as to allow the men and boys to attend, consistently with the proper discharge of the duties of the ship.

The Pay of the Seamen's Schoolmaster is to be in first rates �2 12s., second rates �2 10s., third rates �2 8s., fourth rates �2 6s., fifth rates �2 4s., sixth rates �2 2s, below sixth rates �2 1s.

By command of their lordships,
C. Wood.

^ back to top ^