CARICATURIST'S VIBION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13983, 14 August 1909, Page 6

CARICATURIST'S VIBION.

Sir F. Carruthersi Gould presided on June 13 at Whitefield Tabernacle Men's Meeting, London, the les-sons were read by Mr. Hamar Greenwood, M.P.. and the address was delivered by Mr. J. A. Macdonald, managing editor of the Toronto Globe. Mr. Macdonald was the delegate to the Imperial Press Conference who secured the abandonment by the conferi ence of the resolution in favour of the i "systematic and universal training of ■ the male population" of the self-govern-ing dominions. It was clear that the i congregation at Whitefields had not ' forgotten the incident, for they rose to i their feet and cheered Mr. Macdonald . again and again when he stood forward to address them. In his capacity as chairman, Sir F. Carruthers Gould made a delightful speech, whimsical yet earnest, humourous yet full of a deep seriousness. ■ "We have had visions lately," he said, "and I had a vision the other night. I dreamt I was on Plymouth Hoe. Frankie Drake, and Raleigh, and the whole of the old seadogs were there, playing a game of bowls, and the news was brought that a Spanish ; Armada was coming up the Channel. ! Drake stopped the game of bowls, i found out now many ships be had, borrowed a pencil, or the Elizabethan equivalent of a pencil, from Raleigh, \ multiplied the number by two, and with considerable difficulty added 10 per , cent, margin. Then he turned to Raleigh, and, in bis broad Devonshire vernacular, said : — "Us can't fight 'em ; us bain't two to one.' " Tli is delightful sally was immensely I. appreciated, and when the laughter had fdied away, Sir Frank proceeded: "Then 1 woke, and I remembered that Drake ['finished the" game of bowls, took his i fleet out to sea, got to windward of the Spaniards, And whacked them. 1 wish we had some of that spirit nowadays. If some of our friends from overseas had come a little earlier, they might have thought John Bull was a doddering old imbecile, but he is a lit- , tie better now, and I am sure if all you here could have been at the naval review yesterday you would have baid that 'Armageddons were cheap.' "