The banquet began with a blessing by the Reverend A. H. Wright. The guests then attacked the oysters and the soup and went on to the striped bass, roast beef, duck and quail. Chandler’s Orchestra provided background music. "The last course disposed of, and cigars lighted," the toasts and the speeches began. The first toast hoped that the Marine Society might "meet the changes of the coming century as steadfastly as it did those of the last," and its president, Captain Deering responded. His speech was brief but set a theme that would be repeated throughout the evening, the "serious questions that confront every officer of our navy and of our merchant marine." Other speakers expanded on the subject at such length that by the time the sixth toast was drunk President Deering ceased introducing the speakers and simply "announced the names.
To wrap up the evening Captain James Keazer read the Society’s "official log." Its membership stood at fifty-three, "the largest number we ever had at one time." Since 1805 the Society had raised $71,492 through monthly dues and the "slop chest," and paid out $45,796. Currently it was paying out about $1,100 per year to its beneficiaries while maintaining healthy sum on hand "for standby."
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