12th December

'I called the New World into existence to redress the balance of the Old' said George Canning, the British foreign minister today in 1826. He was referring to the fact that Britain had given cash, recognition and above all the guns of the Royal Navy to the new South American republics trying to break away from Portugal and Spain.

And how did they repay us? They hid escaping Nazis after 1945 and invaded the Falklands in 1982.

Thanks, guys.

In other news ...
In New York today in 1907, a statute was passed insisting that girls about to be married should sign affidavits declaring their age and good conduct. This is clearly a good idea. My good lady wife has just read this blog over my shoulder and 

8th June

Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince, died today in 1376, possibly of the plague. A brilliant soldier and a tough nut, his death paved the way for the reign of his son, Richard II. who started well by confronting peasants on the rampage in London when he was fourteen. After that it was downhill all the way until he lost his throne, his horse and his life to Henry Bolingbroke.

In other news ...
Today in 1969 General Franco closed the frontier between Spain and Gibraltar hoping to ruin its economy. He clearly hadn't noticed that Gib. could be supplied by sea indefinitely, so how was that going to work? It got me thinking, though, about who owns what and how it should all be given back. Britain belongs to the Celts (that's the Welsh, Irish and Scots) so the English can go home. Where's that? Well, some of them have to go to Denmark, Norway and Sweden and others to North Germany. And don't get me started on how the Americans are going to cope.
It is time, however, that we returned the Elgin Marbles to Greece. Their return alone would restore the country's economy overnight.