The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-11
NOW ENLISTED IN THE
FIGHT AGAINST KING ALCOE 4OL
George v Following Precedent Set by His Father Edward
VlI, in Setting His Approval on Temperance-Why
Prohibition Is Impracticabe in England


the cafe or harroom of the suburban
pub or gin mill Swearing and
coarse language. too. we're thus put
out of fashion. Neither Lord nor
commJncr deems il necessary any
longer to preface every remark with
an oath, nor to intorlard each sem
tence with blpodcurdling hlaspheny
This change for the better is. like the
decrease In hard drinking. mainly at
tributable TO the social influence OF
Edward VII, prior and subsequent 20
his accession to the throne.
Within a year after the succession
Of Edward VII. to the crown he caused
a notification to he quietly issued t.
the officers OF tho navy and army that
he would feel himself just as much
honored by their drinking his health
in water as in wine or Spirits Al the
mess dinner Of every British regiment
save the Black Watch. and on boarl
every British warship the toast T
The King is given each night OF
the year.
1t is a custom dating from the end
Of the seventeenth century. when
sympathy for the lost stuart cause
was widespread and It was considered
necessary to require officers Of the
army and navy to pledge each day IN
this fashion their loyalty to William
and Mary. to good" Queen Anne and
& the British sove.eiCns Of the House
of Hanover. Some secret adherents
Of the Stuarts used to compromise
matters with their conscience 10y hold
ing their glass, when toasting the
sovereign. over their finger bowl. SO
as to satisfy themselves that they
were drinking the health, not of the
monarch in London. but OF the King
"over the water" that IL Ia say. OF the
exilcd James II. at the court OF So.
GERMAN, and f his son and grand
son, known respectively as the old and
the Young Pretender. For this reason
the use Of the finger bowls was pro-
hibited in most military and naval
messes. and even TO this day Il Is
contrary to etiquette to have them
appear on the dinner table when any
member Of the reigning family OF
England is present.
II the Black Watch refrain from
giving the daily toast OF The King
al their mess dinner II IL because.
having been raised to fight the Stuar,s
they have always claimed that their
loyalty to the English House of Han
over was above suspicion.
In the army the toast of The King"
is drunk standing. But in the navy
the officers honor IL while seated 1t
was William ". who ordered this
II may be remembered that he was
sailor by profession. In his time
the cabins were far less roomy and
the ceilings much lower on board
ship than in these modern days
on one occasion. dining on board
battleship at Portsmouth, the King
noticed probably not for
the first time-the difficulty which the
officers present experienced in stand
ing erect TO honor tho toast to his
health. and accordingly directed that
in future all officers should remain
seated when The King" was given at
dinners on shiphoard,
Those who may wish TO learn more
ahou, the personal views of Edward
VII. on the subject OF intemperance
former Archbishop OF Canterbury. en-
titled Life Of Archbishop Benson"
publi shed in London In 1899. 1t con-
tains remarkable private letter OF
the late King. written to the then
primate, shortly after the bacCarat
scandal and in which he complained
bitterly OF the manner in which ihs
position in the matter had been mis-
represented by the press.
In the letter he describes gambling
as form of incompetence, According
to him. the word intemperance does
not merely mean an abuse OF liquor.
1t may be applied 20 the abuse OF
eating. Of smoking. OF card playing
Of betting. Sc. The incorporate use
Of anything constitutes intemperancc,
that intempcrapCe for which he en-