Normally, it is not necessary to keep all the men on board; but whenever, or if ever, it becomes so necessary, the men can be kept on board and everything made ready for instant use.

It is perfectly correct, therefore, to say that, so far as it may be necessary, a fleet in active commission is always ready.
_Training_ .-- Before this state of readiness can be attained, however, a great deal of training has to be carried out; and this training must naturally be designed and prosecuted solely to attain this end.

Unless this end be held constantly in view, and unless the methods of training be adapted to attain it, the training cannot possibly be effective.

To go from any point to another point, one must proceed in the correct direction.

If he proceeds in another direction, he will miss the point.
The training of the fleet naturally must be in doing the things which the fleet would have to do in war.