Mr. Warren.—“It is bringing a great calamity on the land. It is one of the biggest evils England has to contend with. The young people in Luton are led away to an alarming extent.”
Alderman Sir J. Renals.—“Street betting has become an intolerable nuisance in the city.”
Lord Chief-Justice (Lord Alverstone).—“Sport never ought to be of necessity associated with gambling or betting. Those who had to do with the administration of the law knew that there was nothing in their great towns—and he was afraid in the smaller ones too—that brought more people in the humbler walks of life misery and ruin than the betting agents.”
Bishop of Liverpool (Dr. Chavasse).—“He called upon them, in the name of their Master Christ, to rise up and fight this awful foe of gambling and betting, lest they ate the heart out of the Church and nation, and a just God punished them with a righteous retribution.”
Recorder of Bath (Mr. H. C. Folkard).—“He was afraid that the pernicious practice of betting and gambling was becoming very prevalent throughout the country. Many gave way to the evil who were in good situations and positions of trust. The bookmakers were a great evil.”
Lord Charles Beresford.—“The worst of all vices. On board a ship it is particularly pestilent. Its practice has destroyed many fine characters, and has been the means of causing unbounded misery to innocent and deserving persons.”
Sir George White (of Ladysmith).—“I know the evil effects of gambling. Society in which gambling is promoted fails in all the higher aims. Instead of its members being drawn into real friendship, they generally dislike and distrust each other.”
Admiral Sir H. H. Rawson.—“I have no hesitation in saying that next to drunkenness I think gambling is one of the worst and most dangerous of the vices. I have always set my face against it, as I have seen three or four cases where it has led to most terrible consequences. It becomes a regular mania and an absorbing business.”
Admiral Swinton Holland.—“It is ruining some of our finest English sports, specially football.”
Prince Louis of Battenberg.—“As regards a man-of-war, there is one aspect which is not always borne in view. Two men of different service rank gambling together; the senior loses money to the junior, perhaps more than he can pay at once. Think of the effect on discipline.”