Saturday, March 14, 2009

The Sailor Prefers His Talks 'Neat'

"A Sailor does not want to be mustered on someone else's mess deck to hear a succession of vague and long-winded discourses on nothing in particular. Neither does he enjoy false heroics or "flannel". Like his tot, the Sailor prefers his talks 'neat'...make certain you have something quite definitive to say, and work out exactly how to say it beforehand. If Winston Churchill has to rehearse all his speeches, there is no reason why you should not."

Royal Naval Officer's Guide, 1943

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