Last Updated on July 2, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Word Count: 161
Context: Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty, arrives aboard the warship Pinafore, surrounded by the glory of his position and the adulation of many female relatives. In a song he reveals the course of his progress to his high office, and the secrets of success in the Royal Navy. He began as office boy for an attorney, and, by doing his tasks well, and always with an attention-getting flair, became an attorney himself, and, in time, a member of Parliament. His fundamental qualification as administrator of the navy was that he had never been to sea, and knew nothing of naval science.
SIR JOSEPH
Now, landsmen all, whoever you may be,
If you want to rise to the top of the tree,
If your soul isn't fettered to an office stool,
Be careful to be guided by this golden rule–
Stick close to your desks and never go to sea,
And you all may be Rulers of the Queen's Navee!