THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
247 
The etymology of the word is said to be arx navalis, whence the Romaunt 
word arthenal, signifying generally a “ citadel/' though primarily it meant 
simply a “ naval citadel." 
The Royal Military Academy on the Common—whose construction cost 
£150,000—was opened on the 12th August, 1806 ; but the Duke of 
Wellington ordered, 14 years afterwards, that “ Cadets when reported 
capable and fit to have commissions in the Artillery or Engineers shall, 
till vacancies occur in those Corps respectively, be removed from the Upper 
Academy to the buildings in the Arsenal; they are there to learn Re¬ 
pository exercises, also the Laboratory duties, &c." 
In the January of 1821, the Lower Academy was broken up, but again 
formed in 1840 for a Practical Class of 20 cadets. In 1847 it was enlarged 
to receive 40 cadets, but finally removed from the Royal Arsenal in the 
year 1856. 
In the west lodge of the Main Gate, a small stone let into the wall bears 
the following inscription :— 
This Entrance to the Royal Arsenal 
was planned, and the Gateway constructed 
by order of 
General Yiscount Beresford, G.C.B., G.C.H. 
Master General of the Ordnance, 
in the ' tenth Year of the Reign of 
His Majesty King George IY. 
a.d. 1829. 
In 1844 the custody of the Royal Arsenal was transferred from the garrison 
guards to the metropolitan police, for the more efficient protection of the 
Government stores from theft, and the long river frontage from smuggling. 
In concluding these notes, their compiler is conscious how much he has 
omitted from what has already grown into too lengthy and discursive a 
paper. He is, however, anxious to delay no longer the appearance of such 
materials for a history of the Royal Arsenal as the foregoing notes with 
which he has chanced to meet. It would be a pity that, for want of graceful 
arrangement, they should remain any longer unknown and useless; whilst 
they might prove acceptable to many who are interested in the subject. 
Eor the which reasons the writer trusts to be pardoned the length of 
his paper. 
33 
[VOL. VI.] 
