The Debating Society

"At Suez we had to join several other ships at anchor awaiting permission to enter Suez Bay. This is to allow the south-bound convoy to get clear of the port. "At 3 a.m. we entered Suez Bay and anchored again. The pilot boarded at 9 a.m. but just as we started to move a signal came from the Canal authorities stopping all ships owing to bad visibility in the Canal. There

was a sand storm and visibility was reduced to a few feet. This lasted until it was too late for us to proceed, and so we had to remain at anchor till the following morning. One ship which grounded in the Canal also held up ships. These delays cause terrific congestion. When we started at 10-30 a.m. the following morning, there were 20 of us plus some ships which had been in the Canal when the sand-storm blew up. When we reached the Bitter Lakes there were at least 50 ships waiting. In the Lakes it is usual to reform the convoy. Ships not stopping at Port Said are put next to the tankers, which lead. Ships stopping at Port Said are then placed according to where they berth at Port Said. By this system there ;s no delay. We were lucky, as after the convoy had been changed the ship astern of us went aground and all the ships following were held up. Fortunately it was not a serious grounding and the ship was refloated without assistance after an hour or so. We were at Port Said before the delayed ships were in sight. As we cleared the Canal, the Agent came aboard with the ship's papers which had been landed at Suez for inspection. These were the cargo manifests and log books. Proof has to be produced that the ship has not been to an Israeli port and that no cargo destined for Israel is on board. The police also come on board to ensure that no members of the crew have been left behind. I have never heard of crew members running away in the desert.

Our two Canal pilots were Polish and Egyptian, and both were very good. We took 11 hours 14 minutes to make the transit and this time included 45 minutes at anchor in the Bitter Lakes. We cleared Port Said for Lisbon at 11 p.m."

Dates and ports of call : 24th July. Sailed from Birkenhead. Called at Aquaba, Aden. 12th Aug. Arrived Bombay. Called at Murmagoa, Cochin, Madras. 9th Sept. Arrived Chittagong. 16th Sept. Arrived Calcutta. Called at Pondicherry, Madras, Cochin.

I8th Oct. Sailed from Cochin. Called at Aden and Lisbon. 9th Nov. Arrived off Gravesend.

Over the past term the Society has shown a marked change in its attitude to debating; and first and foremost, the President, Mr. M. A. Clegg, is to be thanked for being largely instrumental in producing enthusiasm from apathy. At the first closed meeting of the term 48 members were present: at the last there were 67, and a successful term was crowned by the success of the final open meeting, with an attendance of something in the region of 150 boys.

The first motion of the term was that "This House feels that its first loyalties are to the Commonwealth". The Society did not agree with Mr. J. J. Kettlewell, the proposer, who insisted that Britain, as a parent, could not disown her children. Mr. C. G. Evans, opposing, insisted that Britain should first of all be loyal to herself. Mr. J. L. Richardson and Mr. H. Biddle seconded.

At the second meeting of the term Mr. P. M. Kemp proposed that "This House thinks that manners are more important than morals". Mr. Kemp said that manners were what one was judged by, and therefore were highly important. Mr. P. C. N. Brown, opposing, objected to "keeping up with the Jones's". Mr. D. K. Hirst and Mr. A. G. Collomosse seconded : the motion was lost by 26 votes to 13.

It was decided that at the term's third meeting a new debating procedure should be tried, in which only one speech from the platform on each side was allowed, and that these speakers should have prepared supporters on the floor. Mr. A. V. A. Dickie agreed to become a guinea pig and proposed that "This House rejects all forms of censorship". Heckling was allowed, and, as far as we know, Mr. Dickie insisted that censorship was a denial of the "rights of man". Mr. J. N. Spencer argued that censorship in wartime and for children was essential. He proved victorious by 48 votes to 10.

The fourth meeting of the term was a debate about the verdict of "not guilty" passed on the Belgian mother accused of murdering her child, deformed by the drug Thalidomide. Four visitors from Ampleforth came to propose the motion. The debate was at times rather fiery. This was, of course, inevitable, as a religious conflict existed between the proposition and the School. We are very pleased that Ampleforth should choose such a motion, and also that we were able to argue about religion with heat and occasionally conviction, but nevertheless without excessive bad-feeling.

Mr. S. F. P. Halliday and Mr. M. G. Tugendhat, in proposing that "This House condemns the Liege verdict", told the Society that the child had a right to life, and that only the state had the right to remove it. They said, too, that the acquittal of an obviously guilty woman set a legal precedent.

Mr. C. G. Evans and Mr. M. V. Smith showed the love of the mother for her child, and unselfishness of her action. Just because a child breathed, was it necessarily human?

Whether through true feeling or natural patriotism, the motion was lost by 30 votes to 23.

The term was concluded with a balloon debate. Fidel Castro (M. A. Clegg), Guy Fawkes (J. N. Spencer), Nell Gwynne (D. R. Gow), Socrates (P. M. Kemp), Jimmy Greaves (A. G. Collomosse), John Osborne (D. E. A. Higgins), in an uproarious meeting, defended their right to stay in this leaky balloon which was floating round the earth, under the guiding hand of Sub-Lieutenant Evans. Fidel Castro was voted as the most valuable, and Socrates the least. One wonders how people's minds work !

Then followed four impromptu debates in which Messrs. Ibberson, Smith, Shah, Clegg, Richardson, Lumley, Adamson and Flintoft took part. The result was well, surprising!

Thus, the term was brought to a conclusion, and we are pleased to report that the condition of the School's debating is very satisfactory, and we hope that next term will continue in the same spirit. P.C.N.B.