How did Scott get the job to be Commander of "Discovery."
When Robert Falcon Scott was 18, he was aboard the "Rover," as the midshipman. The "Rover" was just casually cruising through the Carribean when the midshipman of 4 other ships raced their cutters, (small boats,) across to Saint Kitts in the West Indies. Scott joined in and narrowly came first!
4 days later, he was aboard "Acitce," dining with the commodore! Also at the dinner, was a man called Clements Markham, a cousin to the commodore. Clements was very impressed with what he had seen in Scott, and decided this would be the person. He wrote "My final conclusion was that Scott was the destined man to command the Antarctic expedition." Scott was later called up and it was confirmed. (For further reading go to "The Discovery.")