[quote=@TheIratePirate]
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 :)
[/quote]

Oh, oh. I see! That's good to know, thanks. So midshipmen, if I'm getting this right, would usually be boys/men of a higher social class than, say, an ordinary seaman?