The Cruise of the Branwen

THE OLYMPIC GAMES lack of the proper publicity, in the first of these cases, and the expense of the voyage over the Atlantic in the second, militated against the full success which Paris and St. Louis deserved. Until two years ago Rome held the privilege of organising the Games of 1908. But during the meeting of the international representatives at Athens, where our own King and Queen, with the Prince and Princess of Wales, were present, this privilege was offered by the Italian Represen- tatives to England, and provisionally accepted by the British Representative, after the Crown Prince of Greece had very courteously expressed his good wishes for the success of London's enterprise. Fortunately for us, a nucleus for future work already existed in the British Olympic Council, presided over by W. H. Grenfell (as Lord Des– borough then was), with the Rev. R. S. de Courcy Laffan as secretary, and a few devoted helpmates. This Council was immediately developed into a gathering which contains the president, or secretary, or some distinguished member officially appointed, of each great club or association which is at the head of the various branches of sport in this country. After due con– sultation, it was decided that the Games could be held in London in 1908, and should begin on July 13, under the control of the following gentelmen whose names I give in full as the best guarantee possible for the excellence of the preliminary arrangements :