Order in Council of 28 July, 1856

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to: navigation, search

Midshipmen—Service at Sea, and Age, Requisite to Qualify Them for Promotion

WHEREAS it is provided by Your Majesty's Order in Council for the regulation or Your Majesty's Service at sea, that no officer shall receive a Lieutenant's Commission unless he shall have been borne on the books of, and have actually served in, one or more of Your Majesty's ships six complete years, two of which as Midshipmen, we would most humbly submit to Your Majesty that it would be beneficial to Your Majesty's Service, and consistent with a higher standard of education which we propose to require from candidates both on entering the Naval Service (which we are of opinion should be at a more advanced age than that at which young gentlemen are now required to enter), as well as on passing their examinations for the rank of Lieutenant, if the period of service required to render them eligible for a Lieutenant's Commission were to be reduced to five complete years, three of which to be served as Midshipmen, provided always that the candidate shall have passed such examinations as we may from time to time direct, and that he shall have attained the full age of nineteen years; and we would therefore humbly submit that Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to approve of this proposition, and to authorize us to carry the same into execution at such time as shall be hereafter decided by this Board.