BANQUET. 297 



ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT-ELECT WASHINGTON L. CAPPS. 



Mr. Chairman, Mr. Secretary, our distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, fellow- 

 members, we have a tradition in this comparatively young Society which bids us not to at- 

 tempt too much early morning work. So, in view of the hour, you need not be alarmed at 

 the possible length of time I will detain you. 



This Society owes much to the city in which we are holding our "victory" banquet. 

 In fact, it was here that it was bom. It also owes to Philadelphia its first president, that 

 gracious and distinguished gentleman to whom allusion has already been made, Clement 

 Acton Griscom. And now we are having in Philadelphia our twenty-fifth anniversary meet- 

 ing under circumstances which I need not describe, — you all know how felicitous they have 

 been, — and this is by all odds quite the most successful annual banquet we have ever had. 



Our first president, in his inaugural address, said that he accepted the honor of the 

 presidency, not as a personal tribute but rather as a recognition of the important interests 

 over which he presided and which were so' intimately connected with the art of shipbuilding. 

 May I follow his lead, and, in all seriousness, say that I accept the tribute you have paid me 

 in electing me as your president, not as a personal one but rather as a tribute to the pro- 

 fession which we all love, and to the naval branch to which I have the honor to belong. 



But with your congratulations and good wishes I must ask your sympathy and help. From 

 this time on this Society is in danger of dwelling in the clouds and becoming a dreaming 

 branch of the aviation service. So many complimentary things have been said to-night about 

 shipbuilders and naval architects, and the dreams so graphically described by our fellow- 

 craftsman, Mr. Schwab, are so entrancing that I am very much afraid our members may try 

 to navigate the skies instead of keeping their Ifeet on this good old earth or sailing the seas 

 in ships. So please bear in mind that for the next year my main task may be to keep you from 

 flying. But I know you will obey and do your duty, as you have always done it. 



Now, gentlemen, for the real purpose of my arising to say anything. The success of 

 this Society has always been due to the devoted efforts of its members, and particularly of 

 those who have presided over its destinies from time to time. Your retiring president has 

 had the unusual distinction of holding the office twice. Our constitution does not permit a 

 president to succeed himself, but there are ways in which we can get two terms out of one 

 presiding officer, so that Commander Stevenson Taylor has been twice elected to the highest 

 office in your gift. On the occasion of the completion of his first term of office his colleagues 

 of the Council of the Society presented him with a silver souvenir. On this occasion they 

 have given him the privilege of subscribing handsomely to our Endowment Fund. So. you 

 see, he is a man dear to all our hearts — one who always appropriately responds to whatever 

 occasion may arise. Now that he is about to relinquish the cares of office, I wish to be ac- 



