it. Neale neither likes it nor can do it." Not bad criticism for a boy of
fifteen.[18]

On Mr. Challis being appointed Plumerian Professor at Cambridge, in the
spring of 1836, Yule had to leave him, owing to want of room at the
Observatory, and he became for a time, a most dreary time, he said,
a student at University College, London.

By this time Yule had made up his mind that not London and the Law, but
India and the Army should be his choice, and accordingly in Feb. 1837 he
joined the East India Company's Military College at Addiscombe. From
Addiscombe he passed out, in December 1838, at the head of the cadets of
his term (taking the prize sword[19]), and having been duly appointed to
the Bengal Engineers, proceeded early in 1839 to the Headquarters of the
Royal Engineers at Chatham, where, according to custom, he was enrolled as
a "local and temporary Ensign." For such was then the invidious
designation at Chatham of the young Engineer officers of the Indian army,
who ranked as full lieutenants in their own Service, from the time of
leaving Addiscombe.[20] Yule once audaciously tackled the formidable
Pasley on this very grievance. The venerable Director, after a minute's
pondering, replied: "Well, I don't remember what the reason was, but I
have _no_ doubt (_staccato_) it ... was ... a very ... _good_ reason."[21]

"When Yule appeared among us at Chatham in 1839," said his friend
Collinson, "he at once took a prominent place in our little Society by his
slightly advanced age [he was then 18-1/2], but more by his strong
character.... His earlier education ... gave him a better classical
knowledge than most of us possessed; then he had the reserve and
self-possession characteristic of his race; but though he took small part
in the games and other recreations of our time, his knowledge, his native