sonnel which it is the most important to train
is, of course, the commander-in-chief himself; and no reason is
apparent for supposing that his training should be conducted on
principles different from those that control the training of every
other person in the fleet. Men being the same in general, their
qualities differing only in degree, it is logical to conclude that,
if a gun-pointer or coxswain is best trained by being made first
to understand the principles that underlie the correct performance
of his work, and then by being given a good deal of practice in
performing it, a commander-in-chief, or a captain, engineer, or
gunner, can be best trained under a similar plan. Knowledge and
practice have always been the most effective means of acquiring
skill, and probably will continue to be the best for some time
to come.

Owing to the fact that navies have been in existence for many years,
the general qualifications of efficient naval officers are fairly
well known; and they have always been the same in the most important
particulars, though the recent coming of scientific apparatus has
made available and valuable certain types of men not especially
valuable before this scientific apparatus appeared.

In all navies, and equally in all armies, the qualification that
has been the most important has been character. To insure, or rather
to do the utmost toward insuring, proper character in its officers,
all countries for many years have educated certain young men of
the country to be officers in the army and navy, and they have
educated young men for no other service. If knowledge were the
prime requirement, special training for young men would not be
needed; the various educational institutions could supply young
men highly educated; and if the government were to take each year
a certain number of graduates who could pass certain examinations,
the educational institutions would be glad to educate young men to
pass them. In securing young men of proper education and physique,
little difficulty would be found. Special schools could even give
sufficient instruction in military and maritime subjects to enable
young men to become useful in minor positions on shipboard and in
camp, after a brief experience there. In fact, for some of the
positions in the army and navy, such as those in the medical corps
and others, military or naval training is not needed, or exacted.

The truth of these remarks is not so obvious now as it