science

Naval tradition

Naval tradition is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Naval tradition rather than just read about it. In short: A naval tradition is a tradition that is, or has been, observed in one or more navies. A basic tradition is that all ships commissioned in a navy are referred to as ships rather than vessels, with the exception of submarines, which are known as boats.

Key takeaways

Naval tradition belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Naval tradition to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Naval tradition from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A naval tradition is a tradition that is, or has been, observed in one or more navies.

A basic tradition is that all ships commissioned in a navy are referred to as ships rather than vessels, with the exception of submarines, which are known as boats. The prefix on a ship's name indicates that it is a commissioned ship. For example, USS is an initialism that expands to United States Ship; in the Royal Navy, HMS expands to His Majesty's Ship (or when a Queen reigns, Her Majesty's Ship); in the Indian Navy, INS expands to Indian Navy Ship, and so forth. An important tradition on board British naval vessels (and later those of the U.S. and other nations) has been the ship's bell. This was historically used to mark the passage of time on board a vessel, including the duration of four-hour watches. They were also employed as warning devices in heavy fog, and for alarms and ceremonies. The bell was originally kept polished first by the ship's cook, then later by a person belonging to that division of the ship's personnel. Another important tradition is that of Piping someone aboard the ship. This was originally used to give orders on warships when shouted orders could not have been heard. The piping was done by the ship's boatswain and therefore the instrument is known as the boatswain's Pipe or boatswain's call. The two tones it gives and the number of blasts given off, signify the order given. It is also used in a ceremonial way, i.e., to "pipe" someone aboard the ship — usually captains, including the ship's captain, and more senior officers. By English tradition, ships have been referred to as a "she". However, it was long considered bad luck to permit women to sail on board naval vessels. To do so would invite a terrible storm that would wreck the ship. The only women that were welcomed on board were figureheads mounted on the prow of the ship. In spite of these views, some women did serve on board naval vessels, usually as wives of crewmembers.

The custom of firing cannon salutes originated in the British Royal Navy. When a cannon is fired, it partially disarms the ship, so firing a cannon for no combat reason showed respect and trust. The British, as the dominant naval power, compelled the ships of weaker nations to make the first salute. As the tradition evolved, the number of cannon fired became an indication of the rank of the official being saluted.

By country

United Kingdom

Commissioned ships and submarines of the Royal Navy wear the White Ensign at the stern whilst alongside during daylight hours and at the main-mast whilst under way. When alongside, the Union Jack, as distinct from the Union Flag, is flown from the jackstaff at the bow, but can be flown underway in only special circumstances. A fleet review is a tradition of assembling the fleet before the monarch. In June 2005, to mark the bi-centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar, 167 ships of the RN, and 30 other nations, were present at a fleet review. The naval salute differs from the military salute in that it has the palm turned down, rather than outwards. The RN has evolved a rich volume of slang, known as Jack-speak. Nowadays the British sailor is usually Jack (or Jenny) rather than the more historical Jack Tar. Nicknames for a British sailor, applied by others, include Matelot (pronounced "matlow"), and Limey – mainly redundant in use within the Royal Navy. Royal Marines are fondly known as Bootnecks or often just as Royals. Nicknames for the service include The Andrew or Andrew Miller (of uncertain origin, possibly after a zealous press ganger) and The Senior Service as the oldest of the military branches. Within the Merchant Navy the Royal Navy is known as The Grey Funnel Line.

References

Illustrations

Naval tradition: Ship bell of ORP Iskra II - Polish Navy school tall ship — Ship bell of ORP Iskra II - Polish Navy school tall ship

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Naval tradition

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Naval tradition claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Naval tradition before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Naval tradition ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Naval tradition

In research: Naval tradition appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Naval tradition in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Naval tradition is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Maritime culture, Military traditions, Naval ceremonies, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Naval tradition outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Naval tradition in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Naval tradition means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Naval tradition out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Naval tradition in simple terms?

A naval tradition is a tradition that is, or has been, observed in one or more navies. A basic tradition is that all ships commissioned in a navy are referred to as ships rather than vessels, with the exception of submarines, which are known as boats.

Why does Naval tradition matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Naval tradition?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Naval tradition.