Mister Midshipman Henry Wellard received almost all the attention from the Senior Officers aboard the Renown. He was constantly being sent to the Captain for the most minor of infractions, while the Captain consistently forgot my name. First Lieutenant Buckland did nothing to educate any unlearned seamen in the Midshipmen's Berth, but the others Lieutenants regularly visited Wellard in regard to his knowledge; Bush instructed him in seamanship, Hornblower assisted him in navigation, and Kennedy taught him about human nature. Where was the time for the education of the other five Midshipman aboard, including myself? Apparently, all other time for instruction was devoted to comforting the nautical incompetence of Mister Wellard, whether he was sent to the highest rigging or the Gunner's Daughter.

No solace for my ignorance was ever instigated by the Warrant Officers, nor for my other fellow Midshipman. Doctor Clive was preoccupied with administering laudanum to the Captain and Wellard, both who suffered maladies of opposite natures. Gunner Hobbs was legislating injustice upon any mariner he judged unseaworthy, particularly to seasick young sailors by the name of Wellard. Boatswain Matthews was executing punishment by the Captain's orders upon pressed men such as Randall, but he was often excused to bloody the posterior of the only Midshipman with the first name Henry. Even the Master, the Purser, and the Steward had little time to comfort the unknowledgeable Midshipmen, as rumor said Hornblower and Kennedy instructed them to bestow the utmost courtesy to Mister Wellard.

I know it is improper to criticize Senior Officers, especially when disobedience can deliver death; but the lives of the Midshipmen depended upon the duty of superiors in educating their ignorance. Are not the students of the sea to be sent to Lieutenant Exams, to continue the survival of the Royal Navy? Certainly circumstances were life and death aboard the Renown, with regard to the sanity of Captain James Sawyer; but could the Lieutenants and Warrant Officers not devoted ten or twenty minutes of their days to the education of Midshipmen? Apparently, that message did not even get communicated when I courageously dared to confront Hornblower.

Lieutenant Horatio Hornblower was the most influential and imaginative of the Lieutenants aboard the �Renown�, but he navigated this narrow strait with . He possessed the status of god among the seamen, with his unorthodox management of generously devoting his time to their oppressive situation; but he manipulated these men with callous calculation, knowing that their obedience and loyalty would accelerate his ascent to Captain. He mathematically maneuvered men with inhuman interest, displaying his humanity only to Archibald Kennedy and Henry Wellard.

On one of the most uneventful days aboard the exasperated vessel, I encountered Lieutenant Hornblower as he paraded below decks, perhaps pondering his continuous sentences of thirty-six hour watches. I stood before the Ward Room with the proper attention due to superiors, watching him approach with what I would deem desperation and wanderlust in his eyes as he halted before me. This was my opportunity to act for the welfare of the Midshipmen, though I suffered from the anxiety observed by all of my despondent status.

Clearing my throat, I politely asked, "Sir, may I have but one moment of your time?"

He sighed, with his shoulders heaving, "Yes, Mishipman, what is it now?"

"Sir," I addressed him, "is it not your duty to instruct the Midshipmen so they will one day assume officer status?"

"Yes, that is one of my duties," he replied while rolling his eyes. "But I don't have time today."

He attempted to depart in the most agitated and angered state, but I dared to intervene, "Sir, the Senior Officers have had no time to educate the Midshipmen during this voyage. It appears that none of you time for that duty!"

He glanced at me, fumigating like signal fire, "I know my duties, Midshipman. Do you know yours?"

I saluted, "Aye aye, sir. But I think you have been neglectful."

"Sir," he bellowed. "Addressing a Senior Officer in that manner is clearly insubordination. I can have you--"

"Horatio," the voice of Lieutenant Kennedy beckoned Hornblower from above. "Sawyer's summoned Matthews again."

Hornblower sighed, speaking to himself, "What does he think Wellard did now?"

As the Lieutenant appeared to be contemplating, I commanded my courage again, "Sir, what will you do about the education of the Midshipmen on ship?"

He glared at me as if I was suffering from the insanity of the Captain, "Mister Midshipman, I'll deal with this situation later!"

He marched off to confront the madness assembling upon the quarterdeck, forcing me to quietly contemplate how to remedy the worsening situation of the education for Midshipmen. Hornblower had been the best possibility to cure the epidemic of ignorance, but another means of medicine needed to be extracted. I discussed this with my fellow Midshipmen, sans Henry Wellard who was sleeping in the comfort of the Sick Berth under the concerned eye of Hornblower. We agreed that Kennedy would be the next most reasonable choice, as he was often doctoring conflicts between seamen such as Styles and Randall. Certainly, he would sympathize with our needs!

Being the bravest of the Midshipmen Berth, I was volunteered to speak with the sparkling visage of Kennedy. I admired this aristocratic gentleman who greeted all seamen as his equal with the eloquence of his Shakespearian tongue. He often appeared the angel, with his blonde hair shimmering in the lantern light and his pearl teeth smiling with sympathy when he visited the lower decks. Unlike Hornblower, he knew the names of the Midshipmen and had knowledge of their backgrounds, but he still devoted most of his attentions and affections to Wellard. I would dare to use my own speech to enlighten the Fourth Lieutenant, whose words all Midshipmen regarded as heavenly light among this purgatory of approaching mutiny.

It was during the day Hornblower had been sentenced to watch and watch for one week, that I wandered to the side Lieutenant Kennedy to speak of the situation that would make him wonder. He stood upon the quarterdeck, quietly observing the obstinate men skylarking with the still surly Randall. I coughed to catch his attention, hoping he would be contemplating Midshipmen rather than Midshipman Wellard.

I spoke, "Sir, have you one moment?"

He turned his head, revealing tired eyes most likely tortured by his sentence to thirty-six watch that ended yesterday.

He weakly smiled, "What may I do for you today, Mister Scanlan?"

He already was attune to the fact that I was presenting him with problems merely as to how I annunciated words! This gentleman had ears meant to be graced with music and theatre, not the torture of mutiny; but I had more important to address rather then the artistry of sound.

"Sir," I said with the utmost politeness. "The Midshipmen are concerned that we are not receiving the proper education we deserve."

He nodded, "Yes, I understand that's been problematic, especially with the crew being in this drunken state as of late. All the Officers have been doing double duty, especially Horatio, I mean Mister Hornblower. We can't be of much help, but it's probably better to stay below decks with your books, especially considering how Sawyer has been, shall we say, under the weather. Just come up at noon for the navigation lesson, even though you won't be well instructed."

He was sympathetic, but it required more than reasonably adapting to the situation.

I replied, "Sir, that is all well and good, but I would rather be occupied. I simply cannot study books--"

"Well, then I'll find plenty for you to do, lad," the vicious voice of Second Lieutenant William Bush interrupted. "You can go help Mister Hotchins patch the sails and help Mister Hobbs clean the cannons. Oh, I also hear that Mister Lomax needs some assistance accounting for what's in the stores. Does this satisfy you, Mister Scanlan?"

Bush was the most stern of the Senior Officers, acting with the exactness dictated by all seamanship books. He had attempted to devote his time to the duty of instructing us, but the Captain continuously interpreted him when he deemed that the other despondent Lieutenants needed his assistance to correct their actions; but I knew if I performed any act of insubordination, I would be put on stage for compromising his severe efficiency as I had experienced on my first day aboard. The need of the Midshipmen was paramount though, over threats of punishment on the rigging or by slapping, which Bush had rigorously performed on all Midshipman--even on Henry Wellard!

"Mister Bush, sir," I hesitated. "This is all well and good, but all the Midshipmen would like to have more instruction from the Lieutenants. We are not receiving the proper education from our books and--"

I could not speak further, as his infuriated eyes transformed before my eyes to sympathy. This troubled me, because Bush was not equated with friendship. All the Lieutenants, even Hornblower, had added him to the list of questionable crewmen who may remain loyal and obedient to the Captain. How could I postulate about any situation as Lieutenant Bush smiled ferociously upon me.

"Well," he chuckled. "Why did you not complain before to us? You're all so inexperienced, so we Lieutenants agreed to go easy on you. Looks like we made the situation last longer than necessary, huh? All of you lads, report to me tomorrow on the forenoon watch and I'll give you plenty to do. And also, no one brings any books to consult or it's a spell in the rigging!"

I was extraordinarily excited with this information, as were my fellow Midshipmen imagined the fortune I had discovered that we discounted the threats of Lieutenant Bush . The treasure was to disappear in the shipwreck of the next day, when the Captain resumed consciousness of mind and command of the throne--only temporarily, thank Heavens! All happiness ceased that day, after the excitement of gun exercises with Bush and Hornblower, and the spectacle of Hornblower being sprayed with hoses by the seamen. The price five Midshipmen was to be ignored for the crown jewel of accomplishment in Henry Wellard, who had the royal privilege of assisting the Lieutenants in battle.

I, along with the other four Midshipmen, was exiled to the service of the incompetent Acting-Captain Ethelbert Eugene Buckland the First and Last. First, he forced the seamen to reduced rum rations, confiscating it for himself, and doubled his own food rations--while the Lieutenants were going to the fortress. Secondly, under his command, his indecisiveness nature forced into unnecessary battle with rebellious slaves, who I would rather be prisoner of than to serve Buckland. Thirdly, I could dictate thousands of his actions that warranted the utmost criticism, but my focus is upon the privileged treatment of Wellard--who the other Midshipmen christened "Acting-Lieutenant Well-Unearned."

The few hours the Lieutenants did instruct us proved Wellard to be the most ignorant and incompetent, with each of his errors remaining unaddressed--even by Lieutenant Bush! At eight, the Midshipmen assembled for lessons on seamanship with Bush, who lashed out verbally at those who could not identify the anatomy of the ship; but Mister Wellard was spared the humiliation when he had difficulty with naming the variations in knots. During the noon navigation lesson with Hornblower, his trigonometry was terrible, with his navigation reading resulting in the course of the ship being directed toward Africa. His gun crews took almost two minutes to load their guns, while everyone was expected to do it under one minute and thirty seconds or else be tortured by the gluttonous glares of Gunner Henry Hobbs. Could the Lieutenants not observe his failure under their tutelage and our success with only the education of our independent efforts? Apparently they could not, being ignorant of Midshipmen who were not invited into mutinous conferences because the Captain had him flogged on four or five occasions.

What else could have possible merited the privileged position of Mister Midshipman Henry Wellard? He could not have earned it through connections through the Admiralty, having no relatives who have served within either the Navy or the Army. He had no contacts who sponsored him, since he was orphaned by age eleven and inherited no wealth from his parents, considering that they were mere laborers at the mills near Manchester. He did have the elderly aunt who was employed by the Earl of Edrington, but what influence would that possibly acquire? Whatever has prompted his power, it had only earned him only the contempt and the cruelty of his fellow Midshipmen, even if he died in battle alongside his nemesis--Captain Sawyer.