Britain at Work
A Pictorial Description of Our National Industries

378 BRITAIN AT WORK. at a Naval Depot, the candidate is sent to one of the harbour training ships, where he commences his career with the rating of a second-class boy and pay at 6cl. per day, which his good conduct may increase. Whilst a boy is in the harbour training ship he is credited with ^10 to enable him to provide Photo: W. Gregory & Co., Strand. SEMAPHORE SIGNALLING. clothing and bedding. In course of time he becomes a first-class boy, and is sent to a sea-going training ship ; and at 18 the boy becomes a man and is rated an ordinary seaman, receiving the sum of is. 3d. per day, which increases to is. yd. when he becomes an able seaman. It is also possible, however, to enter the Royal Navy at a slightly later age—namely, as a youth between i6| and 18 years of age. These youths are entered for six months’ training in a sea-going training ship, for the first three months as second-class boys ; then, if their conduct has been satisfactory, as first-class boys. On completion of training, and attaining the age of 18, they are rated as ordinary seamen and drafted to the depots for general service under the same rules and rates of pay as those who enter as boys in harbour training ships. Men and boys supply their own outfit, towards the cost of which an allowance is made on entry and again on re- engaging. The kit of petty officers, seamen, artificers, stokers, boys, and all other ratings not specially provided for, comprises 1 monkey jacket, I jersey, I comforter, 2 pairs of serge and cloth trousers, 4 pairs of duck trousers, 2 serge and 3 cluck jumpers, 2 jumpers with collar, 2 serge and 2 drill frocks, 2 check shirts, 3 flannels, 2 pairs of woollen drawers, 2 cholera belts, 3 Jean collars, 2 pairs of socks, 2 black silk handkerchiefs, 2 cloth caps, 1 sennet hat, i pair of half boots, 1 knife, 2 lanyards, 1 bed, 1 blanket, and 2 bed covers—to mention only the principal articles. The seaman keeps his papers and personal possessions in a specially provided receptacle known as a “ Ditty Box.” Soon after he has attained the rating of ordinary seaman, the bluejacket undergoes a course at a gunnery school, either at Whale Island, Plymouth, or Sheerness ; but a scheme has recently been matured for transferring a large proportion of the instruction in gunnery from the gunnery schools on land to the sea-going fleet, and for confining the further education in gunnery schools to those seamen who show special aptitude. Nevertheless, we must devote a few lines to the gunnery school at Whale Island, which is the most perfect in the world. Whale Island is a mud bank in Portsmouth Harbour, which has been re- claimed from desolation, and laid out with commodious officers’ and men’s quarters, gymnasiums, parade grounds, and an im- portant edifice known as the “ Battery.” The last-named is a long, low building, fitted up so as to reproduce the conditions prevail- ing on board ship. Practically every type of naval ordnance will be found therein, grinning through port-hole or casemate at the open