“No, there isn’t room for more,” the Captain said. “I dare say some of the Wardroom would do likewise if I dropped a hint, but, though it is some gain, there’s no real seclusion in another man’s cabin. That problem’s insoluble, Hartington, while ships are built as they are, and so they must be built if they are to be efficient fighting units. It brings us back again to the essential immorality of our calling, and--and to the _forces behind_ that make our calling inevitable. Doesn’t it?” He broke off, smiling. “There’s the solution of leave, sir,” Hartington said boldly. “I know,” the Captain answered. “I’ve thought of that. And I agree: the snotties must have all the leave we can manage to give them. But there are two difficulties. First, officers often stop snotties’ leave--it’s the recognized Service punishment, and the alternative is flogging. Second----You’ve never been on the China Station before, Hartington?” “No, sir.” “I have; and I’m not sure that short leave is much better than no leave at all. I can give them four or five days now and then, but you know what happens--Hong-Kong, Shanghai, they are Hell. Japan’s better; but even there unless by chance they go into the country, there’s Yokohama and Number Nine, or Tokio and the Yoshiwara. The East’s a bad atmosphere through which to see life for the first time. Let loose from the ship’s confinement into a strange land with an unknown language--not even a comprehensible theatre--what is there but bars and women? What’s needed is long leave among their own people, their own women--sisters, mothers. In the Home Fleet where distance makes that possible the drive of work makes it impossible. What do they get--an average of fourteen days a year, or a bit more if they are lucky. And out here, England, Home, and Beauty are thousands of miles away.” The Captain stood up. “But, as for your first cause,” he said, “as for the Service tradition and the chasing of midshipmen to produce efficiency, I can do something about that in my own ship. Fortunately all our snotties are of the same seniority, so that there can be no seniors trampling on juniors ‘to get a bit of their own back.’ And so far as you yourself are concerned--well, I know your somewhat unusual views. But other Subs may join us later on, or even the Wardroom may demand that the snotties be shaken. And I want you to understand that, no matter what may come--even if you get orders from the Commander himself, you are to stand out against anything that follows the principle of ‘the young gentlemen must be broken.’ The fact that these things were done in Nelson’s day doesn’t weigh with me. I will have none of it in my ship. Is that understood?” “Quite, sir.” “I shall hold you personally responsible.” “Yes, sir.”