[English] SEA SCOUTS. Interesting Address by Captain Streatfeild.

SEA SCOUTS.

Interesting Address by Captain Streatfeild.

An address was given by Captain Streatfeild, R.N., M.V.O., of H.M.S. Triumph, at St. Joseph's College, last night. His Lordship Bishop Pozzoni was present, and others who attended included Major Bowen, A.P.D. and Mr. de Martin (Inspector of Schools).

Bishop Pozzoni presided, and in introducing Captain Streatfeild, said:- Ladies and Gentlemen, and Boy Scouts: "Greater love than this no man hath than a man lay down his life for his friend." (St. John, Chap V. 13) These are familiar words to you as they are to me. I quote them with a certain amount of appositeness to-day, as I have the honour of introducing to you this evening a distinguished member of the Service to which the hero of Trafalgar belonged and to which Lord Charles Beresford - the First Commissioner of the Sea Scouts - belongs. I introduce to you Capt. Streatfeild, of His Majesty's Ship Triumph, now in this harbour. It was Earl Nelson the patron of the 8th Portsmouth ("Lord Nelson's Own") Troop who quoted the words of Our Blessed Lord in his message to the Sea Scouts "that you love one another." (St. John, Chap. XV. 12). The injunction of that commandment was most tragically exemplified the other day when the Mirror - the fine training yacht of the Sea Scouts branch of the Boy Scouts Association - was run into at Tilbury and one assistant Scoutmaster and three Sea Scouts met their death like little heroes. About the Mirror and the training which it was designed to afford in all branches of seamanship, we hope to hear from Captain Streatfeild this evening. My duty is limited to that of introducing him to you. I think it was Captain Streatfeild who first organized the Sea Scouts at Devonport, and I hope he will be the first also to get together a troop of Sea Scouts in this important seaport of Hongkong. You, boys, who, I am sure, are better acquainted with Scout literature than I am, must have seen a full page illustration in the official organ of the Boy Scouts for the first week of May last year. It showed Captain Streatfeild, who was then Assistant Commissioner for Sea Scouts of the Plymouth district, taking the "salute" from a body of the Scouts on board H. M. S. Doris at Devonport. He had invited the 3rd and 5th Plymouth and the 2nd Devonport (Sea Scouts) Troops on board his ship, where he enrolled a number of recruits. So that he is no utter stranger to us. To-day, we are privileged to listen to his informal "Talk" on the subject of Sea Scouts - a subject that is extremely fascinating.

"There's a charm and I use the term 'Scouting,'

A splendid one, too, you may guess;

It is not the flag-waving or shouting,

It is not the smart outfit or dress;

'Tis the spirit that Scouthood is teaching,

The spirit to fight the good fight,

To stand up for truth and the right."

Of all this spirit and more we hope to hear from the experiences which Captain Streatfeild may be good enough to recount to us to-day. (Applause.)

Captain Streatfeild said he almost felt like an impostor, because, although he was a Commissioner of Scouts at Home, he had to resign his commission on coming out to this Colony. Consequently he held no official commission at all, but he had written to the authorities asking them to re-instate him, in order that he might be able to enrol Sea Scouts, and teach them.

He intended to give instruction on board ship. He had already tried to organise instructors, for signalling, knotting and splicing, and the Scouts would be instructed in Naval phraseology generally. The Scouts would have nothing whatever to do with guns and torpedoes. The organisation was created simply to make them better citizens and more useful. They did not pose as fighting men at all. The Scouts would also be instructed in morse and semaphore signalling and in the way to steer a ship.

The College corps of Boy Scouts paraded about 50 strong, under Scoutmaster Edwardes.

Source:

1. Page 5, "Hongkong Telegraph", Tuesday, 30th December, 2nd Year of the Republic of China

   • 4th Day, 12th Lunar Month, Gui-chou Year

   • Tuesday, 30th December, 1913 Common Era