28 MY MEMOIRS

they could do anything at all. Then in the autumn the crews came ashore, mostly to the depots, But they were not arranged in categories as was done later— but treated just like regiments. There was no time left during the short summer manoeuvres for any battle, or even squadron, training, and indeed scarcely any time for the roughest training in ordinary ship routine. In the words of one admiral, the squadron training in battle tactics resembled " an attempt to mould something solid out of loose sand/'

Strict watch duties, in the military sense, were introduced on board the ships and devoured time and energy without having any real use. We had to wear the uniform with the hussar's sash introduced by Stosch, even on watch in the tropics, until one officer fainted on the bridge; then white drill appeared once more. Further, mobilization on army lines was introduced. Formerly the commissioning of ships had lasted several weeks, but later on we gave it up, so to speak, and kept the ships permanently in commission. Stosch, on the other hand, demanded that since a regiment was mobilized in three days, the same should be done with the ships. The fact that the complicated microcosm of technical matters which a ship represents, interspersed with the most varied requirements and considerations, does not form an organism if all the material is thrust on board within three days, was passed over at this period with a big sponge. Stosch was never a sailor, and in addition, his advisers who were not always well chosen, neglected to