Hi MJ, I normally deal mostly with Genealogy, prefer Scottish interests, and have accumulated a mass of peoples names and Batten came up in a search. I came up with some Batten names, and co-incidentally, low and behold, came up with three Battens interred into the Royal Navy.
I'll put the briefest of details of them, hopingly you may recognise the names. A big maybe!! They come from the 1911 census era. Two are English, one Irish.
Royal Navy: James Batten, aged 29, From C/O Wicklow. Dublin. Royal Navy: Harry Batten, aged 23, From Kent. England. Royal Navy: Arthur G Batten, aged 22, Hants, England. One or two Batten's I have downloaded have served in The Royal Yacht, Britannia.
As I see it from the Ships Listings Joseph did serve onboard HMS Briton, from 30th March 1881 till 30th April 1884. Subsequently, joining the Duke of Wellington on 1 May 1884. He picked up his Able Seaman's rate on board Briton. The reason he was not on the 1881 Census Form, he was at sea on HMS Briton for three years.............................Ron.