THE PRINCE AND SEAMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22563, 6 May 1935, Page 18

THE PRINCE AND SEAMEN

THE EMPIRE'S ADVENTURE FOSTERING TRADE (By Air Mail.) (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, March 30. As Master of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, wearing the badge and robe of his office, the Prince of Wales presided at a Livery Dinner which was attended by many eminent men in the shipping industry. The Prime Minister of Australia was a guest. The Prince made a great speech, which was cheered over and over again. He spoke of Imperial trade, world conditions, of the need for efficiency in the merchant navy. He introduced light touches —stories of the sea—which occasioned roars of laughter. "The 1 British Commonwealth, of Nations " was the toast entrusted to his Royal Highness. In the course of his remarks he said:—

"The great economic development of the British Empire in the last 80 yeagp would hardly have been possible had not the Empire been spread all over the world and served by the seas, and had not the traffics of those seas been mostly in the hands of the British Mercantile Marine. Last year the value of the trade over the sea that passed between the constituent parts of the Empire was no less than £550,000,000.

"Trade within the Empire serves its interest in two ways —not only does it assist the development of the prosperity of all parts of the Empire, but it strengthens the material chain which binds the Empire together. We all regret that the economic disturbance of the world which has created so many problems and caused so much suffering, has led for the time being to the contraction or, at any rate, to a check, in the expansion of the trade between the British dominions and the Old Country. "It is bad for all concerned. It is bad for the farmer overseas, it is bad for Great Britain, and bad for the Mercantile Marine, which is not able to be employed. Obviously a situation such as this to-day, where there is plenty of raw material overseas and still too much evidence of poverty and malnutrition at home, must be regarded as an abnormal and temporary condition. "We look forward to the time when once again we can accept all that the dominions can send us without detriment to the. interests of'our own producers. • THE EMPIRE CAPACITY ,"The prosperity of this country has been built up on world trade and British ships carrying full cargoes to and from every part' of the globe. But there is hardly a commodity, be it either necessity or luxury, which the British Empire does not or cannot produce in ample quantity and finest quality. We must not, and we shall not, neglect our foreign trade. But it is by fostering trade within the Empire that we shall prosper, and because the growth of the Empire in the past has been made possible by the courage and enterprise of British seamen, they must have their share in future developments. We can never forget the part played in the building up of this great British Commonwealth by those mariners who went overseas in face of countless perils to make discoveries of new lands. Can we not regard the component parts of the British Commonwealth to-day as engaged in a similar adventure, a similar voyage of discovery, as partners in seeking out a hew world era of justice, cooperation, and peacei"—(Loud cheers.) The Prince said that he knew the Dominions were as much concerned as we were in this country that the British merchant navy should lead the world in efficiency, and as Master of the Company he had on many occasions emphasised the necessity for the systematic training of young men who would ultimately • become officers and master mariners. Mr Lyons had extended to him an invitation to revisit Australia as "An Ancient Mariner." It was 15 years since he had a wonderful three or four months in Australia and he had not forgotten them. Mr Lyons's visit was significant as the visit of the Prime Minister of one of our great dominions in jubilee year. OLD AGE The Prince humorously remarked that the company, while being the youngest of the City Liveries, was running the danger of having the oldest Master since it had made him permanent Master. "Not that I anticipate living to any very great age. Old age has little merit except curiosity, and even the most distinguished men lose a great deal by living too long."

BAD WEATHER SEA STORIES Two sea stories which the Prince told greatly delighted the gathering: "Imagine a foggy night in the mouth of the Thames. An officer went to the captain and said: 'Aren't we getting a little close to the mud flats?' The captain, who had had a hell of a time, replied: 'You mind your part of the ship, Mr Jones, and I will mind mine." Half a minute later there was the rattle of/ the cable running out, and the officer, coming back to the captain, exclaimed: ' My part of the ship is anchored.' " The other etory also related to bad weather. " In a very bad spell a ship was sending up rockets, and a nervous passenger went to the captain and said, 'Do you think this is a night for a celebration?" "AN ANCIENT MARINER" The Prince of Wales drank the health of the Prime Minister of Australia in a loving cup, and thus demonstrated the atmosphere of Imperial good will which prevailed at the banquet. " The memory of the Prince of Wales's visit to Australia remains green, and there is a love for him there that will never pass away," said Mr Lyons. " His brothers have visited Australia since, and I suggest to him that, as in the cas* of other lovers, he should not take any chances, and the sooner he, comes back to Australia the better. There is a warmhearted welcome awaiting him there. We know him as the direct representative of the King, as a wonderful Ambassador, and as a sportsman. Next time we shall know him as an ' ancient mariner.'" — (Cheers.) MR THOMAS'S " JOKE" The Secretary of State for the Dominions had a joke at the expense of Mr Lyons. " Before the Prime Minister of Australia arrived," he said, " I asked one of the permanent officials for a chit about this old bird, and the chit read: * He is a family man—l 6 children —has an innocent look, and can get away with it, but do not worry about it.' Directly Mr Lyons had finished speaking, Walter Elliot sent me a note: 'This old perisher will want watching.'—(Laughter.) "With that innocent face he talked to you just what you wanted to hear — more ships, more trade, more work for you—but all the time at the back of his mind was the idea of more Australian meat for this country. Don't think for a moment I am kidded by that."—(Laughter.)