Whispers From the Fleet

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Encouraged by the indulgent attitude of my brother officers towards my late effort, in conjunction with the kind comments of the Press ; I have ventured to bring out this second, and generally enlarged edition of Whispers from the Fleet.<br><br>The chief additions comprise a Chapter Concerning Midshipmen, and an increase to the Remarks on Steam Evolutions, and as I have been questioned, more than once, why there was but little mention of Gunnery in my first volume, there will now be found a few pages set apart for some Hints on that subject by Lieutenant H. Stirling Lecky of this ship,-as being no expert in that most important branch, I have not dared to plunge unsupported into an element in which I should be straightway choked by the knowledge and utterances of many competent authorities, and the shoemaker should stick to his last.<br><br>Nevertheless whilst on the above topic, I can make the perhaps needless assertion, that the Navy fully recognizes that the Art of Gunnery is now far more vital to the Fleet than in former times.