The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-12

was a sailor among sailors. He knew
how. He slid down the matches in the
accepted fashion. and when, in the in
spection of a gun he threw the breech
open with a snappy twist of his wrist.
there was a gurg1e of satisfaction
Some of US realized that some day he
would be king of England, and there
was contentment in the knowledge that
the throne would be filed by man
who knew.
1t had been arran ged that when the
name of a prize winner was called ne
should walk up to within a few PAGES
OF the duke, salute, receive the prize,
salute and swing about Each hoy was
horribly afraid of making lizzie or
the supreme moment of his cadet life,
and we had practiced the ceremony
until our arms ached. Our endeavors
were futile. The first cadet to be called
marched up as best he could, saauted'
received the prize and was about TO
salute again when he noticed the dukes
outstretched hand The salute stopped
half way. the boy fumbled. blushe'd lost
his head, dropped his prize-a sextant.
1 remember-and from the body OF
the cadets came q universal vow TO
kick him for ''mucking the proceed
ings The duke grinned for the nrst
time and. stepping forward, shook the
boy warmly by the hand To each ne
said few words
That's rather a heavy book for
little chap like you" he said, as he
placed in my hands volume or The
Heavens" a technical treatise on as
tronOmy, which. unfortunately nave
never had sufficient courage to read.
His speech to the cadets was Roosevelt
tian in type
There are times in your life he
said. when you will be confronted with
problems. and in the solving OF which
you will be-in doubt. In such moments
do your duty as you see it-your duty
as an officer and a gentleman Let
nothing swerve you from that
Among the prizes was the queens
medal. a gift from the then reigning
Victoria for the cadet who possessed
to the greatest degree the Qualities
of a sailor and a gentleman. The
requisites included scholarship, prac-
teal seamanship, popularity among the
cadets, respect of the officers, kindness.
gentleness to the weak and an upright
bearing before all men, IT was the
most coveted prize Of the year, and on
it the duke spoke at length, declaring
that while the medal necessarily could
only go to one. the others who had con-
scientiously tried for IL had in the try
ing improved themselves and learned
the first lessons of the duties OF a
gentleman and sailor.
1t was a plain speech. with simple
pointed; the speech of a sailor. Through
it he showed a dislike of all sham and
humbug and pettiness. Those who
heard him then, therefore. are not sur
prised at his recent action In refusing
to take the oath against the Catholic
religion, SO dfstasteful to his Irish sub
jects.
The many years at sea. mingling
with his fellow men as one of them.
have given his views width which
augurs i'll for meaningless established
customs Of Great Britain. My impress
sion of him from that afternoons OBJ
servation is that he is man who
would feel far more at home on the
quarterback than on the throne, but
that, finding himself upon the latter,
he intends to do his duty as he sees it,
The question is whether he viii see it
in the same light as England expects
it to be seen. and whether he has not
been too long naval officer and a
man to make good king