AAA Coming of Age Dinner

i) speed and could run away. . Those sixships of the M' ajestic ' class are not unique. We were representing Faoreign Fleet . Those ships might be brought fromother countries, andthe fourteen wouldbe powerless, as they were against our six ; they were powerless to run away, and they could not fight us. And those ships arenow manned by this ideal man- men whom youhave trained, and intendto give pensions to (hear, hear). And the men manning those fourteen ships are worthno more than the men who manned the six; that is because the ships are oldIf. I were to say this in France or Russia they would say, ' We have every man occupied and every slipoccupied. ' It is not the case in England. We can replace those ships, andI hope you, as tax-payers, will not oppose if the Admiralty come down and say, 'We wanat few more millions to replace those ships and put sound fighting men in the best ships and so support the honour of the Countr"y. ' (Loud cheers). Col . FOX : " My Lords andGentlemen, Capt .MAY has taken the wind out of my sails in the true sense of the words, butI think he has omitted one fact , and that is that the Navy has done something in the affairs of Ladysmith (hear, hear). Now recent events with whichwe are all familiar, taught us, I think, this lesso:n that by some meaonrs another all able bodied citizens oafll modern states should itnhese days be fighting men. We all know the hardships and privations that our troops have during the present war endured. Always hardworked and often very indifferently paid ; and to agreater or less degree these conditions must always be inseparable from all campaigns.Now, you, the members of this great Athletic Association, hardnlyeed me toemphasize whast uch physical conditions really must mean a;nd I am sure youall realize the enormous value to each individual , and therefore to the nation, of this athletic training which takes a delight in anmdakes a sport of alhl ard things and hard times; and I feel justified in saying that this spirit , this ingrained spirit , this ingrained contempt of softness and effeminacy is what has made our English speaking race sucah gigantic factor in the political economy of the modern world. I am not going to occupy your time any longer, but I thank you most heartily on behalf of the Army for the very cordial manner in which youhave received the Toast to whiIchhave the honour to-night to respond." (Applause). TOAST: "THE AMATEUR ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION." The PRESIDENT, in proposing the Toast , "The Amateur Athletic Association," said: "Lord JERSEY and Gentlemen, I am one of those who have laid down the rule that the chief merit , ansodmetimes the only merit of after-dinner speaking, is brevityI. have endeavoured very often, as you know, to follow thartule. If on this occasion I transgress, Iask you to give me your attention aforlonger periodthan I should usually ask for; it is because this Dinner is absolutely unique, is extremely interesting, and really calls for it , as the Athletic Association is six and thirty years old. Now, gentlemen, Iwill , in the few observations I wish to make to