2020175th Anniv. of the Creation of the Escola Naval - First Day Cover

In 1779, the Portuguese Minister of the Navy, Melo e Castro, created the Royal Naval Academy in Lisbon, whose purpose was the academic training of naval and merchant naval officers. The academy’s teaching was essentially oriented towards subjects of a theoretical nature, without any component of military training. As this educational establishment was not sufficient to develop the proper military integration of future naval officers, Queen Maria I of Portugal re-established a naval military force, the Companhia dos Guardas-Marinhas, by ecree on 14 December 17821. The decree promulgated by the Queen stated that: “it is much in the interest of my royal service [...] that in the Navy there be skilful and educated officials to serve usefully in that exercise.”2