The activities of the Russian ship's company that has brought
the 'Royal Sovereign' home to Rosyth must be regarded, I suppose, as a slight chink in the iron curtain. There is a certain camaraderie between all navies, and the Scotland v. Wales 'match had fortui- tously a happy place in the 'scheme of things. For sport (in spite of the rather excessive dynamism of the Dynamos) is another effective solvent of antagonisms. If the Russians are to see only one British city, there could be few better chokes than Edinburgh. The official interchanges have been marked by no stiff formalities, any more than they were when a Russian crew visited Rogyth a year or two ago to take the Royal Sovereign' off on loan. The visitors were companionable then, and showed a good sense of humour, for which interchanges with Sir William Darling, who was then Lord Provost, gave plenty of scope. (Sir William took off his badge of office, saying that, like the workers, he had nothing to lose but his chain.) The Russians may feel compelled to go home and report that net one in Edinburgh has enough to eat or wear ; but the suits'and lengths of cloth they have been buying- in Princes STreet will put that story in its right place.
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