Regulations Regarding the Entry of Naval Cadets into the Royal Navy

Naval Cadetships Allowed to Flag Officers and Captains

 Admiralty, May 12th, 1857.

Every Flag Officer on hoisting his Flag shall be allowed two nominations for Naval Cadets.

Every Captain appointed from Half-Pay to command a Ship newly commissioned may nominate a Naval Cadet.

If an Officer, appointed to command a Ship newly commissioned, be an Officer already on Full-Pay afloat, and be transferred from another Ship for which he had already received a nomination, he shall not be entitled to nominate another Cadet, but the nomination shall be given to his successor in the other Ship, provided such successor be an Officer from Half-Pay, or an Officer who, if serving, has not already received a nomination.

The Permanent Harbour Flag Ships at the Ports are to be allowed a nomination for a Cadet every three years, after being paid down and recom miss ion ed, and the nomination shall be given to the Captain then serving.

Captains from Harbour Guard Ships, appointed to sengoing Ships newly commissioned, may be allowed a nomination in the same manner as Officers from Half-Pay, and not otherwise.

No nominations are allowed on commissioning the 'Excellent,' 'Victoria and Albert,' Steam Guard Ships, Training Ships, or Coast Guard Ships.

Admirals superintending Dockyards, and Officers appointed to stationary ships abroad, are not entitled to nominations.

Exceptional cases, not provided for in the foregoing rules, should be referred for the decision of the Board.

 Admiralty,29th February, 1866.

Commodores of the First Class, when not Commanders-in-Chief, to be allowed one nomination.

Memorandum

 Admiralty,30th August, 1858.

Candidates for Naval Cadetships will be allowed a second examination, although at the time of such second examination they may exceed the age of 14 years.

Memorandum

 Admiralty,10th December, 1863.

The non-appearance of a Candidate for a Naval Cadetsbip of the first or second class, or for an Assistant Clerkship, on the first examination-day after his nomination will be considered as a rejection (except in cases of medically certified ill-health); but tbe Candidate may present himself on the following examination-day. Should he again not appear, or fail to pass the examination, he will be finally rejected.

Regulations for the Entry and Examination, of Naval Cadets

 Admiralty, 6th February, 1865.

I. No person will be nominated to a Cadetship in the Royal Navy who shall be under 12 or above 14 years of age at the time of his first Examination.

II. Every Candidate, when nominated, will be required to pass au Examination at the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth, on the first Examination day after his nomination.

N.B.—The Examinations take place on the first Wednesday in the months of April and December, and on the third Wednesday in the month of August,

III. The Candidate must produce a Certificate of Birth, or Declaration thereof made before a Magistrate.

IV. The Candidate must be in good health and fit for the Service, that is, free from impediment of speech, defect of vision, rupture, or other physical inefficiency.

The Candidate will be required—

1. To write English correctly from dictation, and In a legible hand.

2. To read, translate, and parse a passage from French, or from some other Foreign Living Language,

N.B.—The aid of a Dictionary will be allowed for these Transitions. And to have a satisfactory knowledge of—

3. The leading facts of Scripture and English History.

4. Modern Geography, in so far as relates to a knowledge of the principal Countries, Capitals, Mountains, and Rivers, To be able to point out the position of a place on a map when its Latitude and Longitude are given,

5. Arithmetic, including Proportion, and a fair knowledge of Vulgar and Decimal Fractions.

6. A knowledge of the Definitions and Axioms of the First Book of Euclid.

Should a Candidate be able to speak French or any other Foreign Living Language, it will be noted in his favour, and as Drawing is a most useful qualification for Naval Officers, it is recommended that Candidates for the Service should be instructed therein.

V. If the Candidate be found not qualified at his First Examination, he will be allowed a second trial on the next Examination day at the Royal Naval College. Should he not pass this Second Examination, he will he finally rejected.

VI. If the Candidate succeed in passing the required Examination he will be at once appointed to a Training Ship for the purpose of instruction.

VII. Lists of Books, Instruments, Clothing, &c, required while in the Training Ship, will be sent to the successful Candidates.

VIII. Periodical Examinations will be held on board the Training Ship, and if a Cadet he found not to have made sufficient progress, or if, by indifferent conduct or idle habits on board the Training Ship, he shall show his unfitness for the Service, it will be the duty of the Captain to make a Special Report thereof to the Admiralty, in order that the Cadet may be at once removed from the Navy,

IX. After having completed 18 months' instruction, exclusive of vacations, in the Training Ship, a Cadet will have to undergo the final examination. Should be be found qualified he will be granted a Certificate to that effect, and be appointed to a Sea-going Ship. Should he be found not qualified, he will be discharged.

N.B.—In the case of a Candidate nominated to a First Class Cadetship, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, as a native of one of the Colonies, he will be Examined in the first instance on board the Senior Officer's Ship on tbe station, and will then he required to join the Training Ship in England, as in the case of other Cadets. It is, however, to be fully understood that arrangements must be made for his lodging and maintenance during the vacations (6 weeks at Midsummer, and A weeks at Christmas'), during which periods he will not be permitted to remain in the Britannia.