REPORT OF SPEECHES AT THE TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL DINNER OF 

 THE SOCIETY OF NAVAL ARCHITECTS AND MARINE ENGINEERS 

 HELD AT THE BELLEVUE-STRATFORD. PHILADELPHIA. NOVEMBER 

 15, 1918. 



Before the service of the dinner, the divine blessing was asked by the Rev. Floyd Tomp- 

 kins, D.D., and this was followed by the company singing "Praise God From Whom All 

 Blessings Flow." 



After the service of the coffee and cigars, Lieutenant Commander Stevenson Taylor, 

 president of the Society, acting as toastmaster, called the company to order and said : 



Ladies and gentlemen, on this beautiful menu, the handsomest we have ever had — 

 and we have had some good ones — the first in order is the president's address. I have no 

 intention of making an address, because we have secured men to be present at this banquet 

 who are much better speakers. 



There are many themes that one could speak about to-night, but I dare not venture 

 on more than one. Four and one-quarter years ago a great empire, — an empire so great 

 and one that had progressed so much in the previous twenty-five years that I feel warranted 

 in saying that had they been allowed to continue along the lines of science, trade, com- 

 merce, and maritime deveIopm,ent, they could have had the world by the throat; but this 

 same empire, populated by the greatest egotists of the world and led by the greatest military 

 egotistical government of the world, were not satisfied. They took advantage of a quarrel 

 between one of their own vassals and a minor kingdom, tore into pieces treaties as scraps 

 of paper, and started a debauching march through the innocent kingdom of Belgium and 

 down into the innocent republic of France, showing their contempt of the Christian world 

 as they went along, by taking Gott in partnership with them, not our God, but their own 

 tribal god. 



They showed contempt, also, for the great republic of the United States of America. 

 They had debauched Belgium, they had debauched France, they sank ships with our peo- 

 ple on board, they did everything that was frightful — violating every law of humanity — 

 until finally they drove the United States of America into the war just a year and a half 

 ago, and now the great empire has fallen. Their leaders, like yellow dogs, have fled from 

 their fate, and their people are now begging for bread. 



"How have the mighty fallen"- — a greater fall was never known in history, and, praise 

 God, I do not believe there will ever another one be known of the same kind. (Applause. ) 

 The people of Germany are asking for bread, and when we think of what the people and the 

 government of Germany have done we are tempted to say: — "You shall have no bread." 



