Navy cloth binding. Gilt ship on the front board. Gilt title and naval rating on the spine.

H.M.S. Britannia was the name given to the British Royal Navy’s ship used for the preliminary education of naval officers from 1859 to 1905. It was anchored first at Portsmouth, then Portland, and finally off the town of Dartmouth in Devon. The first ship used was the 1820 three-decker Britannia, which was replaced in 1869 by the three-decker Prince of Wales, which became the fifth ship to bear the name Britannia. From 1864 onwards the two-decker Hindostan was moored ahead of Britannia and connected by an enclosed gangway, providing extra accommodation and classroom space.

Cadets joining the Royal Navy were entered into a “term” in Britannia, in which they remained for two years of instruction. The number of terms started each year varied, ranging from two to four before normalising at three per annum. If cadets gained enough time through scholarly aptitude and good behaviour, upon leaving for the fleet they were rated Midshipmen; if not then they left as Naval Cadets and had to pass further examinations to become Midshipmen. Over the forty-six-year life of Britannia, the training and education changed continually, with seamanship and mathematics being the only constants.