CHAPTER LVII. 



ARGYLL NAVAL FUND— ORDNANCE SURVEY. 



We print in this chapter a notice of the Argyll Naval Fund, 

 and of the Society's efforts in connection with the Ordnance 

 Survey. 



Argyll Naval Fund. 



John, fifth Duke of Argyll, the original President of the 

 Society, long observed with regret that such of the popu- 

 lation of the Highland districts as entered His Majesty's 

 service, almost uniformly preferred the army, and that com- 

 paratively very few, either officers or men, were to be found 

 in the Royal Navy. This disinclination on the part of the 

 men for the naval service, the Duke attributed to the want 

 of officers connected with their native districts, and who 

 were acquainted with their habits and language ; while his 

 Grace ascribed the deficiency of such officers to the ex- 

 pensive preparatory education which a young gentleman 

 must pass through to fit him for the na\y, as well as to the 

 want of an annual income which captains in command of 

 ships usually require to be possessed by those whom they 

 receive as midshipmen. With the view of obviating these 

 difficulties, the Duke of Argyll proposed that a trust-fund 

 should be raised, by subscription or otherwise, for the pur- 

 pose of assisting in the education or maintenance of younger 

 sons of gentlemen of small estates in the Highlands, who 

 might be destined for the Royal Navy. The Duke, accord- 

 ingly, with a munificence worthy of his exalted station, 

 placed £,1000 at the Society's disposal and management, 

 as the commencement of a fund towards promoting the 

 patriotic purpose he had in view. This liberal donation, 

 which was made in 1806, his Grace hoped would, from time 

 to time, be increased by further subscriptions. 



No other subscriptions were, however, received, and the 

 ;^I000 (which has always been kept separate from the other 



