Page:Boating - Woodgate - 1888.pdf/116

The time comes when a captain retires from office, but it is quite possible that he may find time to row again for his flag after he has laid down his baton. In his new 7é/e he can do, in another line, quite as much to preserve discipline as when he held the office in his own person. He should be the fore- most to set an example of subordination and of strict observance of regulations and of training. Nothing does more to strengthen the hands of a new captain than the spectacle of his late chief serving loyally under him; and, on the other hand, nothing does more to weaken the new ruler’s authority than the exanrple of an ex-captain self-sufficient and too proud to acknowledge the sway of his successor. The ex-captain does not lose caste by strict subordination ; unless his successor is a man devoid of tact, he will freely take his predecessor into his counsels ; and, on the other hand, the predecessor should be careful not to support anarchy by interfering until he is asked to advise. We have known the entire morale of a college crew upset because the ex-captain, a University oar, has taken French leave and ordered an extra half-glass of beer for himself (beyond the statutory allowance), without observing the formal etiquette of first ask- ing the leave of his successor, whose standing was only that of college-eight oarsmanship. Such a proceeding at once made it more difficult than ever for the new captain to preserve dis- cipline and strict attention to taining orders among the thirsty souls with whom he had to deal, In some college boat clubs there is a rule that the captain must be resident in college. ‘The object of this is'to prevent the archives and trophies of the boat club, which are in custody of the captain, from passing outside the college gates, and so possibly gelting astray in lodgings. Such a rule as this naturally prevents many a senior oarsman from holding the office (for after a certain standing undergraduates migrate from college walls to lodgings). In such cases those members of the college club who belong to the University eight constantly find themselves under the formal authority of one who does not pretend to equal their skill or knowledge of aquatics, As a rule these retired generals work