It is, it will be seen, far removed from a "theory hot-bed." In pursuance of the plan the society's members are incessantly at war with each other. Advantage is taken of the rivalry that exists between ships in the Navy--and one ship's officers are usually pitted against those of another ship. At other times it is the Navy against the Army; and before now personal enemies have been pitted against each other. "In cards and games you play for sport, but in war game you must 'play to win,'" is the principle inculcated. To this end anything whatever may be claimed, subject, however, to the provision that, should the umpire consider any claim impossible or absurd, the maker of it gets a breakdown to his best ship as a reward. The record in claims is held by a young lieutenant who acted as Admiral Alexieff in a Russo-Japanese War. His claim ran as follows:-- "Orders issued that no offal is to be thrown overboard from Russian ships. "A special field of small observation mines is to be laid at ---- (here a place geographically suitable near Port Arthur is mentioned). At this spot offal is to be freely thrown into the water to attract porpoises and sharks. When a good number have collected the mines are to be exploded and the stunned fish collected. "Each is then to have strapped to it a leather band, holding a short pole in position (as per small model accompanying), after which it is to be liberated. "I claim that these fish will, as usual, follow any vessels in the neighbourhood of Port Arthur dropping offal--that is to say, Japanese ships only--and that they will be taken for submarine boats when the pole like a periscope is sighted. "The Japanese will soon detect the imposition, and then grow so used to the sight that after a time a real submarine will be able to approach without attracting any suspicion." [Illustration: Attacking destroyers (Japanese). Russian merchantman. Russian battleship _Peresviet_. A TORPEDO-BOAT ATTACK IN A RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR GAME--PLAYED OCTOBER-DECEMBER LAST. AS USUAL IN TORPEDO OPERATIONS, THIS WAS PLAYED ON A BOARD WITHOUT SQUARES, IN ORDER TO RENDER IT MORE DIFFICULT TO JUDGE DISTANCES. _From a Photo. by West._] Truly an astounding claim! It was not allowed by the umpire, but the fertile brain whence it originated is never likely to let its owner come to grief for want of an expedient.