Illustrated by the game of “Snooker.”

Huddersfield Chronicle, Saturday 26 February 1898

Colonel Carlile, in response, thanked Major Welsh and those present for the hearty manner in which his health had been proposed and drank. He dwelt with pleasure on the steps proposed by the Government to offer increased inducements to serve in the navy and army, and especially to secure lengthened service in the army. Many of them thought short service was a mistake. They did not see how it was possible for men to be satisfied with their profession if they only adopted it for so short a period as three years. As that was a meeting in connection with billiards, he thought they might say that wherever Lord Salisbury took his cue from he always took care to chalk the tip—(laughter)— and if foreign countries did appeal to the game of “cannon,” he thought they never found us backward in meeting them as fair opponents. Abroad he believed they played the game without pockets, but when we had to meet them we played the game with pockets, and took care to have plenty in them. (Laughter and applause.) Of course, there must be uncertainty in foreign politics and such a thing as hazards, but it was not the losing, but the winning hazard that we played. (Hear, hear.) Some of the most formidable foreign Powers seemed to look upon British commercial interests as a sort of happy hunting ground, illustrated by the game of “Snooker.” Whilst foreign countries might oppose one another occasionally, they seemed to concentrate their powers upon England’s interest and wealth. So whilst sometimes the yellow and sometimes the green might bo played upon, yet it only appeared to bo to get them out of the way, in order that they might strike the British “Snooker” to try to pocket it and score 10. (Laughter and applause.) With our army and navy, it would be “hard lines” if we did not succeed in “obliging” our enemy with a double “baulk.” (Laughter.)»