I have the best of reasons for welcoming the attention
The Times has drawn to the ;historical importance of Plymouth's celebration of the 5ooth anniversary of the granting of its municipal charter. There are not many British cities with more continuous history written into them, from misty pre-Roman times where the distinction between history and legend is fine, down to perhaps the most notable day in Plymouth's recent history when one autumn day twenty-five years ago the troopships carrying the first Canadian divisions to Europe were diverted from Southampton and made an unexpected and impressive appearance in Plymouth Sound. Nothing could be better than that the city should have Lord Astor for Lord Mayor in its commemoration year. It is true that he has no here- ditary connexion with Plymouth, but for thirty years he has been a singularly generous and discriminating benefactor to it, and the link between Plymouth, Devon, whence the Pilgrim Fathers sailed and Plymouth Rock, in Massachusetts, where they set foot on American soil, makes his choice and acceptance peculiarly appropriate.
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