The most instructive part of his evidence, however, was in connection with the establishment and maintenance of a training ship or college. He was of opinion that the need of a training institution of some kind arose in great measure from the fact that, after the abolition of the college course in 1837, a very large percentage of young officers came to no good, either voluntarily or involuntarily leaving the Service; and he quotes some of Mr. Inskip's figures in support of the view that a very great improvement has ensued in this respect after the institution of the _Illustrious_ and _Britannia_. Furthermore, he related how, when he was private secretary to the First Lord--the Duke of Somerset--in 1863, a letter was addressed to every captain then serving, or who had been serving within six months, asking for their opinions, as follows:-- Are you in favour of a naval educational establishment, or should boys go straight to sea? Thirty-nine were in favour of it, and two against it; thirteen did not reply. Shall it be on shore, or afloat? The captains were only asked for a reply to this in case they had any decided view; twenty-four were in favour of a college, and one only of a ship: the remainder did not reply. It will be realised from this that the fate of the _Britannia_ hung in the balance in 1863; and it is quite probable that the Duke of Somerset counted on an adverse decision, or at any rate on a majority upon which he could act. Several witnesses alleged that the cadets, when they went to sea, had to begin at the beginning, both in seamanship and other subjects; and this, no doubt, is what Mr. Inskip alludes to in his final remarks, above quoted. There is abundance of contrary evidence, however, in letters already quoted; and the captains and naval instructors who had this experience must surely have been exceptionally unfortunate in the youngsters sent to them. Dr. Woolley, late Director of Naval Education, stated that in 1868 the examinations on board the _Britannia_, which had until then been conducted by the staff of the ship, were undertaken by his department: a far more satisfactory arrangement, one would imagine, for all concerned. Dr. Woolley, while as reticent as the committee would permit him to be, distinctly gave the impression that the examinations failed in some degree as a true test, in consequence of the examiners knowing too much about the capabilities of individuals; and though he repeatedly disavowed any implication of unfairness, he pointed out, with some show of justice, that where the answers to a paper were below what might have been expected of the individual, there was a tendency to give him a lift if possible.