In another column we announce that any residents here who feel interest in H.M.S. Victory and her restoration to good condition have an opportunity of contributing to the fund for that _pur-post. Thanks to a very handsome initial. donation, the work of restoration has been started already, but to complete it a considerable sum must still be raised. In view of the interest ' of the subject it will not be out of place to quote here two extracts from a letter written by Mr. L. S. Amery, First Lord of the Admiralty, to Admiral Sturdes. He writes:— have recently visited Portsmouth and have seen the Victory in her resting place in the historic "old No. 2 Dock, Everyone. I suppose, felt a pang of regret at the necessity for bringing her there. even though: they might realize that it is more than 160 years since she first took the water, and that if we were to leave her afloat any longer without keed to the inevitable consequences, future generations would have just cause to blame us.
"J have been asked sometimes why the restoration of the Victory should. rot be provided. for in Navy Estimates, that is by: ordinary taxation. My reply is that this restoration, which we all desire to see carried out, cannot ba regarded strictly as a Naval requirement. If paid for out of Navy Estimates, the cost would have to be deducted out of a provision that is barely. sufficient to meet all the urgent needs of the Navy to-day. Would this be in ac-\cordance with the spirit of Nelson? There can only be one answer to such a question, And: that.thete is enough patriotism and liberality amongst..our British race. to contribute. individually the amount required for, such a splendid object I cannot for a moment doubt."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.