Nelson & His World

Enough said, but open to comments

Well, we all know that Nelson said, ‘You must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil’; and one’s first response is to imagine a few tremors under the dome of St Paul’s this morning as His Lordship revolved at a rate of knots.

But Nelson was an intelligent man whose first concern was the defence of the realm. In his day, and for many centuries past, France was the greatest threat; therefore France was the enemy. British foreign policy then was based on shifting alliances that sought to prevent any power becoming dominant in Europe. This meant, in Nelson’s day, thwarting the most militarily ambitious country, France. But times change: it is, thank heaven, almost unthinkable that European states would involve themselves in the destructive and endless wars that dogged the continent for generations. Today, the threat is from a different source and the countries of Europe are on the same side. In times of financial stringency, too, it perhaps makes sense to co-operate in the face of a common threat, though there will undoubtedly be reservations. Admiral Lord West has already commented that he admired the French for their devotion to their national interest but wondered if it would cause problems. Interestingly enough, Europeans think the same about us: I once heard French and German diplomats saying that we have the best Foreign Service in the world and it can tie foreigners in knots. I don’t know whether it’s true or not – but that’s the view from the other side of the Channel!

I think today, Nelson’s shrewd perception would have eventually overcome any prejudices, not without a struggle perhaps (!), and he would have enjoyed teaching the French a thing or two!

Incidentally, Franco-British military co-operation has existed for some time. I once attended the annual Firepower Demonstration on Salisbury Plain. There were hordes of French troops there, including some incredibly tough paratroopers and Legionnaires who looked as if the could split logs with their profiles. I’d prefer them to be on our side!

Here’s an interesting comment giving a French perspective.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11674037

You're not alone in asking, 'What would Nelson have thought?', Stephen.

Here's a succinct summary of what the deal involves:


http://newsok.com/at-a-glance/article/3510683

.....what would Nelson have thought today? Turning in his resting place, no doubt.

BBC Radio Norfolk was more than interesting yesterday when his fellow county folk were chucking in the two penn'orth, all of which Nelson would have approved.

- Mil -

What a pity the Times paywall prevents me posting a link to Peter Brooke's excellent cartoon published today.

President Sarkozy is wearing Napoleonic dress, Mr Cameron stands behind him wearing a British military uniform (The Duke of Wellington?), his right arm passing in front of Napoleon/Sarkozy, and his hand invisible inside Napoleon's waistcoat, suggesting that he is purloining the Emperor's wallet: a neat comment on the economic pressures that might have driven this new Franco-British treaty.

All joking and indignation aside, I'm not sure its too helpful to imagine what Nelson would have thought – he lived in a different age with different priorities. However, given the facts as they are today and the kind of man he was, he might very well have been in agreement. Having read what the deal involves, it would seem a sensible move, and we have to get past our old sensibilites and prejudices. However, as I think Admiral West may have been hinting at, there is a slight worry as to what the rest of the EU will think - to two partner nations seemingly forming a separate 'power' block within Europe. At least this idea has the backing of the Americans, who were rather worried about the scale of the defence cuts.

Recently I managed to watch a programme about the new HMS Daring, with all its high-tech missiles and detection systems. There were to have been I think around five other ships in the class, when the programme was made a few years ago, and I wonder what has happened to them. Perhaps they were scrapped in the planning stage by the present government.