MIDSHIPMAN is the title given to the officer ranking below the lowest commissioned officer, which in the British Navy is a sub-lieutenant. A midshipman in the British Navy is senior only to a naval cadet.
Originally a midshipman was a petty officer, but after the Restoration, in 166o, Charles II. with his brother James, Duke of York as Lord High Admiral, decided to train officers for the sea service from an early age. Young lads were sent as volunteers with a "letter of service" instructing the admirals and captains of the warships to which they were drafted that the bearer was to be shown "such kindness as you shall judge fit for a gentleman, both in accommodating him in your ship and in furthering his improve ment." Until 20 these young gentlemen were known as "king's letter boys." Originally, the future officers entered the service at a very youthful age, but at a later stage no boy could be borne on a ship's books until he was 13, except in the case of an officer's son, who might be entered at I I.
First class volunteers were permitted to wear naval uniform. They were generally styled "youngsters" and came directly under the care of the gunner, who was supposed to superintend their mess and general welfare. Their nautical studies were attended to by a school master, or in his absence the captain was expected to take a personal interest in them. At the age of 15, when pro moted to midshipmen, they became known as "oldsters" and formed a mess among themselves with the mates. After serving two years they became eligible for promotion to master's mate.
The practice of sending boys to sea at such a very early age proved unsatisfactory, and a Naval Academy was founded at Portsmouth in 1729, in which forty lads were trained for sea service. In 1773 the school was reorganized and the number in creased from forty to seventy. In 1806 it was again reorganized and became known as the Naval College. The number of mid shipmen borne in a man of war in 1815 was in proportion to the size of the ship. Thus a first rate was allowed 24, a second rate 15 and a third rate 12 and so on in proportion.
In 1837 the practice of sending boys direct to sea under in structors in the ships superseded the school, but in 1857 the system of preliminary training was reverted to and remains the basis of the supply of officers to the executive branch of the navy to this day. It was in this year that the training ship
"Britannia" was established. As the numbers became too great for the one ship, in 1864 a second ship, the "Hindustan" was linked up. It shares the name of the parent ship.
In 1902, under the aegis of Admiral Sir John Fisher, entry into the navy was completely reorganized, the preliminary train ing being modernized, while the period was extended from two years to about four. The first half of the course was spent at the Royal Naval College at Osborne, Isle of Wight, and the remainder at the newly-built Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. In 1921 Osborne College was abolished and the preliminary training for the greater part of the executive branch of the navy is now carried out at Dartmouth College alone.
Cadets now (1928) join the College, after a competitive exam ination, at about 13; years of age. They do 3i years there, after which they are appointed to sea-going ships. When they have served eight months afloat they are rated midshipmen. Special entry cadets, limited in number, enter the service by competitive examination about the age of 17. They do twelve months in a training ship before being rated midshipmen.
As a midshipman an officer serves two years and four months before he is qualified to pass the first of a series of five examina tions for eventual promotion to lieutenant. The initial examina tion is one to test his ability as a seaman. If he proves this to the satisfaction of a board of captains and commanders, he is given the acting rank of sub-lieutenant. He is confirmed in this rank when he has also passed examinations in general education, gun nery, torpedo, navigation and pilotage. Although a midshipman is regarded as being to a large extent under instruction, he is given very definite, if not unduly weighty, responsibilities as an officer, including such duties as complete charge of one of the ship's boats, sometimes one of the smaller guns, a fire control or am munition supply party, while in the administrative work of the ship he is the principal assistant to lieutenants of divisions and officers of quarters.