Luncheon to Lieutenant J. P. Müller

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

Luncheon to Lieutenant J. P. Müller is an article published in The Times on 8 november 1912.

Report of the luncheon which Arthur Conan Doyle presided and gave a speech on 7 november 1912 at the Savoy Hotel (London).


Luncheon to Lieutenant J. P. Müller

The Times (8 november 1912, p. 17)

A luncheon was given at the Savoy Hotel yesterday to Lieutenant J. P. Muller, Royal Danish Engineers, one of the most famous athletes that Denmark has produced and the inventor of a system of physical culture which is now widely practised on the Continent and in England.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle presided, and there was a large attendance, mainly composed of those interested in physical culture, rowing, boxing, swimming, athletics, and other sports. Those present included Mr. Eugene Corri, Mr. T. A. Cook, Mr. W. E. Berry, Mr. Mostyn T. Pigott, Mr. Eric Green, Mr. H. T. Blackstaffe, Captain R. B. Campbell, superintendent of gymnasia, Southern Command and Channel isles, and Mr. Bruce Logan, who was hon. secretary of the luncheon committee. Lord Alverstorte, Lord Desborough, and others sent letters expressing regret that they were unable to attend.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in proposing the health of the guest, gave his personal experience of the benefit of the Müller system. He said that it might be called the cheapest form of exercise and recreation devised by the wit of man. No apparatus whatever was required, and the exercises had the advantage of not being too severe. Some time ago he had tried a system which developed the muscles, but Nature gave us only one banking account, and if we overdrew it in one place we had to underdraw it in another. He found that he put on muscle, but became "stupider and stupider" in the process, so he gave it up and the muscle melted like butter in the sun.

Lieutenant Müller, in reply, expressed his thanks for the honour done him. In the course of his speech he gave some account of his methods and the way he built up the system. He said that he owed the beginnings of it to England, and in his opinion England had now as fine material in man as any other country. He thought that if W. G. George had known the most modern methods of hygiene and development, his time for the mile race might have been nearer the 4 min. than 4 min. 12 1/3 sec. In conclusion he said he would be only too pleased to give any help he could give as an amateur to the Olympic Games Committee.

Mr. Mostyn Pigott proposed the health of the chairman.