§ The Report of the Committee on Education has been considered, but not accepted in its entirety. The age for entry in the "Britannia" has been advanced six months, and in a year's time will be advanced six months more.
§
A Council of Education has been instituted to consider certain questions connected with this subject, and to recommend necessary alterations from time to time. It is intended to revise the seamanship examination, to bring it in accordance with the requirements of the present day, and to lay more stress on the acquirement of a knowledge of steam machinery, and of French and other modern languages. The education and training of a young officer lasts from his entrance into the "Britannia" to his passing out of the College at Greenwich, an interval on the average of about seven and a-half years. During a largo proportion of that time he is afloat, discharging responsible duties. The desire of the Board has been to insure, as far as is possible, continuity of instruction
*In 1876 blue-jacket class included 500 masters-at-arms and ships' corporals, now included among "Others.
†Masters-at-arms, ships' corporals, stewards and cooks, writers, sick-berth staff, &c.
578
579
and training during the whole of this period, so that at no time it may be necessary for an officer to relearn that which he had acquired and forgotten.
§ An improved curriculum of study and practical work has been passed for the Engineer Students at Portsmouth and Devonport.