1912 Olympic Games Official Report Part 2

Speeches were made, on proposing the healths of:H. M. The Kingby Colonel V. G. Balck;The Heads of Foreign Statesby H. Excellence, the Minister for Foreign Affairs;The Guestsby H. R. H. the Crown Prince;The Swedish Olympic Committee,by Baron Pierre de Coubertin.During the course of the banquet, there was a vocal performanceby a double quartette of men’s-voices, led by Herr Gentzel, Mus. D.At the close of the dinner, the guests were conducted to the OperaterassenRestaurant, which had been reserved for their accommodation,and the remainder of the evening was spent there, enlivened withinstrumental music and song.Speech made by Colonel V. G. Balck atthe dinner given by the Swedish OlympicCommittee at the Grand Hotel Royal,7 July, 1912.When Swedish men meet at a national banquet it is, quite naturally, our duty,and in accordance with a good old custom, to pay honour to our country’s king.This evening we are gathered at an international feast at which there arerepresentatives of most civilized countries, and it is a pleasure, as well as aduty for us, to give expression on such an occasion to the feelings of devotion,reverence and fidelity to our king which animate us, and we feel assuredthat our guests from abroad will gladly unite with us in the voicing of these sentiments.On such an occasion as this, when the leading men in the world of athleticsare assembled here, we are filled with a most special desire to give King Gustafour very heartiest thanks for all the care and support he has bestowed on athletics,for Swedes have the inestimable good fortune to see in His Majesty, not only apromoter and protector of all good sport, but also one of our foremost pioneers inseveral. branches of athletics.Speech made by His Excellence the Ministerfor Foreign Affairs, at the dinnergiven by the Swedish Olympic Committeeat the Grand Hotel Royal, July 7, 1912.787