Rank marks of the British Navy
Boy's Own Paper, Volume VI
11 1/4 x 8 inches
6 October 1883
[See commentary below]
Other Material from this periodical
Photograph and Text by Siobhan Lam
This plate, which accompanies an article entitled "Rank Marks of the Navy" that sets the tone of British young patriotism, concludes: "There may be many doubts as to the efficiency of our ships; there are none as to that of our men. Never was the Navy manned with a better or a smarter set than now. The British man-o'-war's man of these days is in no way inferior to those whom he has succeeded, and he holds the same position with regard to those who sail under foreign flags as did his predecessors. Our sailors afford us one of the few instances where the advance of the foreigner has been more than equalised by the Englishman. The press-gang is a thing of the past. Jack is specially trained for his work from early boyhood" (271).
Last modified 20 August 2007