One cadet, it was stated, compelled young Lloyd to sing in the messroom, contrary to regulations, whereby he incurred punishment; another kicked and knocked him down without provocation; and on more than one occasion he was compelled to give up his pocket money under threats of personal violence. His fear of being beaten by the cadets was greater than his fear of punishment by the authorities, etc. Captain Graham replies that he and his officers will investigate the matter when the cadets return from leave. Eventually, however, the Admiralty appointed a committee, presided over by Admiral Willes, to inquire into the matter, on board the _Britannia_, with the result that Mr. Lloyd was informed that there was not sufficient ground for these charges. He applied for the minutes of the inquiry, and was refused; but the Admiralty upheld him in deprecating the application of the term "worthless" to his son, in Captain Graham's first letter. There appears to be little doubt that there was some bullying of a somewhat gross nature at this time; like all other large schools, the _Britannia_ has suffered from occasional outbreaks of this kind, probably instigated as a rule by one or two big boys; and as the small boys are afraid to report it, there is often some difficulty in convicting the culprits. On June 18th, 1877, an attack was made by Mr. Shaw Lefevre in the House of Commons on the regulations of 1875, when, as has been described, competition was abolished as a result of the report of the committee. [Illustration: THE ROYAL CADETS AT SEAMANSHIP. _Photo: W. & D. Downey, Ebury St., S.W._] This gentleman maintained that the substitution of a test examination for competition was an unmixed evil; that a far better class of boys was obtained under the latter system: and quoted Lord Macaulay, who held that competition automatically preserves a high standard. Mr. Childers, supporting Mr. Shaw Lefevre, said that when he became First Lord of the Admiralty (in 1869) his predecessor, Mr. Corry, urged him to reform the _Britannia_, which he thought was in a bad state; and Mr. Childers further states that, although competition was abolished on the recommendation of the committee of 1874, ten of the witnesses were in favour of competition, and only three against it; which is certainly not borne out by the report. [Illustration: PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR. _Photo: Smale & Son, Dartmouth._] Mr. Ward Hunt, the First Lord, in replying, admitted that the test, as first laid down, was too easy, but it had since been made rather more stringent. He does not, however, give any reason for doing away with competition, other than on the score of injurious brain work; but probably Admiral Sir A. Cooper Key's remark when before the Commission sums up the matter pretty correctly; he says that he disapproves of competition for boys so young, but, as the number of applications exceeds so greatly the number of vacancies, he thinks it is inevitable.