The regatta of 1890 came off with great _éclat_; and as the editor has no disparaging remarks to make about the "gallery," it may be concluded that his gentle insinuations on former occasions have produced the desired effect. There was a very close race for the Rushworth Seal in the single sculls, Cadet Prentis just pulling it off, probably because he was a trifle fresher than Withers, who unshipped a scull close to the finish, which is always likely to happen when a pumped-out sculler spurts; and though he recovered pluckily, it lost him the match. Some "foreign" football matches are on record in the season 1890-91. Rugby. Blundell's School, Tiverton, _Britannia_ lost by 5 points. Royal Naval Engineers' College, a similar result. Exeter Grammar School, _Britannia_ lost by 3 goals to 1. Association was more successful:-- Against Paignton School, _Britannia_ won, 5 goals to 1. Return match, _Britannia_ won 5 goals to 0. Mannamead School won by 2 goals to 1. The match with Plymouth was a draw. Totnes Grammar School won by 5 goals to 0. In the match against Torbay Football Club, as they were a heavier team than schoolboys, Lieutenant de Robeck and Dr. South played; and after an exciting game, _Britannia_ won by 1 goal to 0. [Illustration: FIRST ELEVEN, 1889: OPPONENTS OF "W. G.'S" TEAM. _Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._] "A Newcomer"--evidently an executive officer who had passed the _Britannia_ in his youth--takes occasion to remark upon the vast improvement in the cricket of the cadets, and attributes this to the careful coaching of the professional. He says--"The form and confidence displayed now is quite different from that of twelve years ago. The bowling is much improved, but it is a bit wild at times, from the very mistaken idea of trying to bowl too fast, which is always prevalent among boys so young. The fielding is also very good, and quite up to the form of any of the public schools, who do not have such a difficult piece of ground to perform on." The year 1893, as many will remember, was remarkable for its long dry summer; indeed, the summer appeared to commence in April, and went right through to September, so that most cricket grounds--the _Britannia's_ included--were any colour you like except green. It was naturally a season for batsmen, and _Britannia_ made some long scores. Against Exeter Grammar School they declared at 249 for 3 wickets; their opponents were perhaps tired by their leather-hunting, for they did not avail themselves of run-getting weather, being all out for 49. Mannamead School and Plymouth Cricket Club were also handsomely beaten, while South Devon, against _Britannia's_ 186 for 7 wickets, scored 116 for 9, and just managed to keep their end up until time was called: a moral victory for _Britannia_. The second eleven won nearly all their matches: Paignton School were beaten by 203 to 74, and Montpelier School by 146 (for 7 wickets) to 32.