[quote=@AlysCole] It does help, thank you. I absolutely like the idea of more counterfeiting. Let's say she [i]does[/i] manage to forge a letter of service stating she has more experience in the sea than she actually does (hence her gaining the position of midshipman). Having been the daughter of a seaman, she's done her research, but not enough. The large holes in her sailing knowledge might've been apparent when they actually set sail and so, during their course of travel, she's revealed to be less than an able midshipman. When she lets slip that she'd forged the documents she came in with... what do you think a suitable punishment would've been, with the Navy? A demotion? A flogging? That would've revealed her as what she is straight out, which I could go along with. [/quote] Oh! Midshipmen actually are taking lessons in navigation and mathematics from the sailing master and bookkeeper/purser. Sometimes the Captain himself oversees lessons to pass time on long voyages. The point of these lessons is to prepare the midshipmen for their examination for Lieutenant when they reach 18 years and 6 years at sea, guaranteeing a steady supply of competent officers. So as a midshipman you'd not only be allowed mistakes, you're not even expected to have experience. If you want a good example of a midshipman's life, look for a Mini Series called "Hornblower". Very good presentation of sailors and officers' life shipboard and a great source for learning the jargon. There is also a very young midshipman in the movie "Master and Commander". Both fantastic :)