The youth "Navilus," in his booklet, it will be recollected, records how he and his companion went on board the German man-of-war. This was a breach of rules, without first obtaining permission, but not a very terrible offence; indeed, it would have been almost too much to expect that they should, in response to such a cordial invitation, reply that they were not permitted to do so. The course of studies and seamanship as at present pursued is contained in the Appendix, and needs but little notice here. It will be observed that instructions as to working sails and masts, manoeuvring a ship under sail, etc., are wiped out; all that is taught is the names of sails and how to "bend" fore and aft sails. All fitting of rigging is also abolished, and only such bends and hitches, knots and splices, retained as may be occasionally useful. It was quite time, no doubt, to take this step, seeing how much else there is to learn, and that none of these lads will ever see a sail set in their future ships; still, there is a certain feeling of regret about it. England attained her unrivalled place on the ocean by her sailors' smartness in the old style of seamanship; she will have to maintain it with the new appliances when the time comes. Another source of regret--entirely sentimental, no doubt; but are not sailors proverbially sentimental?--is the final disappearance of the big ship under a cloud of canvas. Such a sight as the cadets were called from their studies to witness one day at Portland, when the _Revenge_, a very handsome two-decker, was beating into the roads; Captain Harris stood on the poop, a veritable sea-dog, and criticised every movement. A big battleship or cruiser is a fine sight, the embodiment of power and dangerous energy; but she cannot hold a candle to the _Revenge_ as a picture! In 1902 great excitement was caused by the news that the _Racer_ was doomed; and in due course her successor put in an appearance--a very different sort of craft. The _Isis_ is a second-class cruiser of 5,600 tons and 8,000 horse-power, though she is capable of developing a good deal more than this when it is found necessary to press her. She is reckoned as a 19- or 20-knot vessel, and, as will be seen from the illustration, is a very business-like looking craft, presenting quite an imposing appearance in the narrow waters of the Dart. Her first cruise commenced on October 2nd, 1902, when she took the fourth term cadets to sea for a blue-water cruise; the first since the days of the _Ariadne_ in the early 'seventies. It was during this trip that, while at Santa Cruz, in Teneriffe, some idiotic Canary Islanders attacked Captain Mundy, and injured him rather seriously.