In those matches, also, in which they play "full strength," with the "pro." and officers, there appear invariably to have been some among the latter who were exceptionally good, sometimes nearly the whole eleven being made up of them. It may be that a certain prowess in athletics is taken into account at the Admiralty among the qualifications of a lieutenant or instructor for appointment to the _Britannia_; it is certainly worth considering, and should turn the scale between two officers, _cæteris paribus_. Boys are all subject to seasons of slackness, and do not moreover always realise the value of games in promoting the _mens sana in corpore sano_, and the importance of the advice and co-operation of their superiors in these matters can scarcely be overrated. A little practice is worth a ton of precept, and when the lads find that the lieutenant who inspects them at divisions, the instructor who teaches them spherical trigonometry, the doctor who physics them in the sick bay, or the paymaster who sends in the account to their parents are well able to take a bat and show them how to play a fast "yorker," or bowl them with a "break-back" on occasions, there is sure to be a far keener spirit about cricket than if they were left to themselves. In all these branches there have been notable cricketers in the _Britannia_, nor must the Engineer officers be omitted--of whom more anon. One of the earliest matches recorded in the magazine is Officers _v._ Cadets, on May 10th, 1884, of which the score is as follows:-- OFFICERS. Lieut. Thomas, retired 102 Mr. Finlay, c Johnson, b Nugent 2 Captain Bowden-Smith, b Nugent 0 Lieut. Stokes, b Nugent 10 Mr. Aldous, c Johnson, b Collins 2 Mr. Lane, b Collins 0 Com. Bainbridge, not out 44 Mr. Braithwaite, b Nugent 0 Sergeant Meakin, b Nugent 0 Mr. Mason, b Nugent 4 Mr. Langmead, c and b Nugent 0 Extras 1 --- Total 165 CADETS. Nugent, b Meakin 11 Collins, b Meakin 0 Grenfell, c Bainbridge, b Meakin 3 Johnson, b Meakin 36 Brock, b Meakin 7 Gurner, c Bainbridge, b Meakin 2 Domville, b Braithwaite 21 Margesson, b Thomas 7 Loring, not out 10 Vivian, c Bowden-Smith, b Thomas 8 Murray, b Meakin 0 --- Total 105