7 MAY 1910, Page 3

The speeches at the Royal Academy banquet last Saturday were

more remarkable for discretion than brilliancy. In welcome contrast with former thrasonic utterances were the judicious remarks of Admiral Sir Edward Seymour on the Navy, which he described as being "on the whole in an efficient condition," adding, " God forbid we ever think it perfect ! " Sir Edward Seymour summed up the Dread- nought' controversy in two sentences :—" As regards Dread- noughts,' it was, perhaps, a mistake to begin them ; but that is past. As units they are superior, ship for ship, to their predecessors, but these, also, are splendid vessels, and too apt to be underrated."