“Favouritism was the secret of our efficiency in the old days and got us young Admirals….. Going by seniority saves so much trouble. 'Buggins's turn' has been our ruin and will be disastrous hereafter!”

—  John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher

Letter to Lord Selborne, dated 13 January 1901, describing Buggins's turn, a system by which appointments or awards are made in rotation rather than on merit.
Fear God and Dread Nought: The Correspondence of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher of Kilverstone. Vol 1 (1953), p. 181.

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Royal Navy admiral of the fleet 1841–1920

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