From today's 'Daily Telegraph'. Must dash - off to the village of Moreton, Essex, for a patriotic village celebration of our defeat, once again, of those dark, freedom-hating forces on the continent. I've highlighted two key paragraphs.

Light up those beacons!

And more to come on Saturday 5 November when we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot. Those dastardly evil forces on the continent seen off yet again


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Nelson must be turning in his grave --- By Tom Utley
(Filed: 21/10/2005)


At daybreak 200 years ago this morning, the people of Britain woke with the long-familiar threat of an invasion from France hanging over them. Napoleon had had his plan of attack ready for more than two years. He had built a vast fleet of barges to carry his Grande Armée of more than 100,000 battle-hardened troops over the Channel from Boulogne. All that stood in his way was that narrow strip of water and a couple of dozen ships of the Royal Navy.

By nightfall on October 21, 1805, the threat of invasion had been lifted for good - although it was not until November 4, a fortnight later, that news of what had happened reached England's shores aboard the schooner Pickle.

The crushing victory inflicted on Villeneuve's combined French and Spanish fleets at Trafalgar had set history on a new course that would guarantee Britain's independence for as far ahead as men could see. It was Trafalgar that established Britannia as the undisputed ruler of the waves, Trafalgar that cleared the seas for the greatest trading empire that the world has ever known.

In not much more than five hours of battle, Nelson and Collingwood had made their country a superpower and ensured that Britons would continue to be ruled by governments of their own choosing for more than a century and a half to come.

A game that historians have always liked to play is What If…? It is usually a silly exercise, involving a great deal of guesswork. But we don't need to indulge in much fantasy to answer the question: "What would have happened if Nelson had lost Trafalgar, and Napoleon had been able to launch his invasion of England?" The question is fairly easy to answer, because we know how the French emperor treated the territories that he conquered, and there is no reason to believe that he would have treated us very differently.

It is safe to say, for a start, that the French invasion would have succeeded, with the Royal Navy out of the way. The Grande Armée was the most efficient fighting machine in the world at the time, and these islands were ill prepared to meet the threat that it posed. Within a matter of weeks, Napoleon would have established himself in power, perhaps crowning himself or one of his relations as King of England.

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One of the new regime's first acts, apart from sending any organisers of resistance to the guillotine, would have been to sweep away the Common Law, and to establish in its place the Napoleonic Code. Like so many dictators - from the Roman emperors to Hitler, Stalin, Chairman Mao and Pol Pot - Napoleon was a tidy-minded rationalist who believed in universal laws, applicable to all mankind. From a dictator's point of view, the trouble with Britain's common law is that it is an organic growth, based not on first principles, but on human nature and accumulated experience.

We can be quite sure, too, that Napoleon would have imposed on Britain his uniform system of decimal weights and measures - his absurd metres and centimetres, based on mathematical calculations (which have since been shown to be wildly inaccurate) of the dimensions of the earth. Another safe bet is that, before long, he would have imposed a single currency on Britain and the rest of his European empire.

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Unlike the earlier French revolutionaries, who thought that Italy should be governed by Italians and Spain by Spaniards, Napoleon was never a believer in nation states. He believed in centralised European government - one law and one authority for the whole of his empire. This was the fate from which Nelson and Collingwood saved the peoples of Britain, 200 years ago today.

Readers will already have seen the direction of my thoughts: on this bicentenary of Trafalgar, the similarities between Napoleon's vision of Europe and the regime now being imposed upon Britain from Brussels are simply too glaring to be allowed to pass without comment.

Like Napoleon, the champions of the European Union believe that one law, one currency, one system of weights and measures, one centralised authority should be imposed upon all the peoples of Europe, whether they like it or not. Like him, they see no place for the nation state in the modern world. They insist that European law should always take precedence over the laws of national parliaments - and to hell with the principle that people should be allowed to choose for themselves how they are governed.

One of the great triumphs of the Europhiles has been to plant the thought in so many people's minds that Europe is the future, and that anyone who suggests withdrawing from the European Union is seeking to "put the clock back". Somehow they have made it the received wisdom that pulling out now would be: (a) an extremely complicated matter; and (b) ruinous to the British economy.

In fact, nothing could be easier than withdrawal. Parliament could achieve it in a single afternoon's business, simply by repealing sections two and three of the European Communities Act, 1972. These are the pernicious clauses that provide for the supremacy of European law over British law. Nor is there any reason to believe that the British economy would suffer from withdrawal. On the contrary, as my occasional colleague, the Tory MEP Daniel Hannan, points out in his brilliant pamphlet for Politeia, Voting on the Constitution, there is every reason to believe that our economy would prosper, freed from the daily increasing burden of European regulation. Europe is the only continent on earth, after all, with which Britain runs a trade deficit. The other nations of Europe need our markets more even than we need theirs.

If Nelson had lost at Trafalgar, Britain would have been locked into a centralised, protectionist Europe. Instead, his victory opened up the markets of the whole wide world to British enterprise. Two hundred years on, we could do with another Nelson.

<<
In fact, nothing could be easier than withdrawal. Parliament could achieve it in a single afternoon's business, simply by repealing sections two and three of the European Communities Act, 1972.
>>

Then stop bleating on about how undemocratoc it all is. If British membership is subject to Parliamentary consent then it is also at the behest of the British electorate.

If the people of Britian wanted to withdraw they could easily instruct parliament to do so. They can mount protests when they want (as they have done over other issues) and parliamentary candidates ultimately have to comply with the wishes of the electorate when it comes to elections.

The fact that these things are not happening, as well as the fact that William Hague campaigned in 2001 on an anti-Euro ticket and got nowhere just shows you and your kind are out of touch with British people.

So take a leaf out of your own book and stop pretending you are campaigning with public opinion on your side when you really only care about your own opinion and prejudice against metric.

Nelson: “Order the signal, Hardy”

Hardy: “Aye, aye sir.”

Nelson: Hold on, that’s not what I dictated to the signal officer. What’s the meaning of this?”

Hardy: “Sorry sir!”

Nelson (reading aloud): “England expects every person to do his duty, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious persuasion or disability. What gobbledygook is this?”

Hardy: “Admiralty policy, I’m afraid sir. We’re an equal opportunities employer now. We had the devil’s own job getting ‘England’ past the censors, lest it be considered racist.”

Nelson: “Gadzooks, Hardy. Hand me my pipe and tobacco.”

Hardy: “Sorry sir. All naval vessels have been designated smoke-free working environments.”

Nelson: “In that case, break open the rum ration. Let us splice the mainbrace to steel the men before battle.”

Hardy: The rum ration has been abolished, Admiral, it’s part of the Government’s policy on binge drinking.”

Nelson: Good heaven’s Hardy, I suppose we’d better get on with it…full speed ahead.”

Hardy: “I think you’ll find that there’s a four knot speed in this stretch of water.”

Nelson: Damn it man! We are on the eve of the greatest sea battle in history. We must advance with all despatch. Report from the crow’s nest please.”

Hardy: “That won’t be possible, sir.”

Nelson: “What?”

Hardy: “Health and safety have closed the crow’s nest. No harness. They also said the rope ladder doesn’t meet regulations. They won’t let anyone up there until a proper scaffolding can be erected.

Nelson: “Then get me the ship’s carpenter without delay, Hardy.”

Hardy: “He’s busy knocking up a wheelchair access to the fo’c’sle Admiral.”

Nelson: “Wheelchair access? I’ve never heard of anything so absurd.”

Hardy: Health and safety again, sir. We have to provide a barrier-free environment for the differently abled.”

Nelson “Differently abled? I’ve only one arm and one eye and I refuse even to hear mention of the word. I didn’t rise to the rank of admiral by playing the disability card.”

Hardy: “Actually, sir, you did. The Royal Navy is under-represented in the areas on visual impairment and limb deficiency.”

Nelson: “Whatever next? Give me full sail. The salt spray beckons.”

Hardy: “A couple of problems there too, sir. Health and safety won’t let the crew up the rigging without hard hats. And they don’t want anyone breathing in too much salt – haven’t you seen the adverts?”

Nelson: I’ve never heard such infamy. Break out the cannon and tell the men to stand by to engage the enemy.”

Hardy: “The men are a bit worried about shooting at anyone, Admiral.”

Nelson: “What? This is mutiny.”

Hardy: “It’s not that, sir. It’s just that they’re afraid of being charged with murder if they actually kill anyone. There’s a couple of legal aid lawyers on board, watching everyone like hawks.”

Nelson: “Then how are we supposed to sink the Frenchies and the Spanish?”

Hardy: “Actually, sir, we’re not.”

Nelson: “We’re not?”

Hardy: “No sir. The Frenchies and the Spanish are our European partners now. According to the Common Fisheries Policy, we shouldn’t even be in this stretch of water. We could get hit with a claim for compensation.”

Nelson: “But you must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil.”

Hardy: “I wouldn’t let the ship’s diversity co-ordinator hear you saying that sir. You’ll be up on a disciplinary.”

Nelson: “You must consider every man an enemy who speaks ill of your King.”

Hardy: “Not any more sir. We must be inclusive in the multicultural age. Now put on your Kevlar vest; it’s the rules. It could save your life.”

Nelson: “Don’t tell me – health and safety. Whatever happened to rum, sodomy and the lash?”

Hardy: “As I explained, sir, rum is off the menu! And there’s a ban on corporal punishment.”

Nelson: “And what about sodomy?”

Hardy: “I believe that is now legal, sir.”

Nelson: “In that case...Kiss me Hardy.”

re (Stan): "Stop pretending you are campaiging with public opinion on your side..."

REPLY: THE FACTS - YouGov survey 2004: "The poll asked 'If there were a referendum now on whether Britain should stay in or get out of the European Union, how would you vote?'. The results were ‘Should stay in’ 39%, ‘Should leave’ 48%, with 13% undecided.

Another recent poll showed 50% wanted to get out and only 36% stay in.

General elections are held on many issues, Europe being a relatively minor one in too many people's minds.

If membership of the European Union were the only issue, e.g. in a new national referendum on Europe, the British would probably vote to leave.

As with the whole metric issue, I'm with the majority

<<Nelson: “Order the signal, Hardy”
>>

LOL. That gave me a good laugh, Tony.

That "smoke free environment" is probably a problem when firing the guns too. That smoke can't be good for you.

Had Nelson actually lost, history would probably have followed a VERY different trajectory that would not include WWI, WWII, EU and numerous other historical events. I don't know my European history well enough to construct an alternate scenario, but nearly everything would change.

"REPLY: THE FACTS - YouGov survey 2004: "The poll asked 'If there were a referendum now on whether Britain should stay in or get out of the European Union, how would you vote?'. The results were ‘Should stay in’ 39%, ‘Should leave’ 48%, with 13% undecided.

Another recent poll showed 50% wanted to get out and only 36% stay in."


What are the percentages independently for the four nations of Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland? Could it be that the majority of votes for leaving are coming from England and the majority for staying are coming from the other 3? Why doesn't the UK leave the EU? Because those at the top know it would spell the end of the UK.

The UK would fly apart if it left the EU, and the nations of Wales and Scotland would re-enter the EU as independent nations and be given the honor of adopting the euro immediately. Ireland would annex Northern Ireland. England would be too weak and in chaos to stop any of this from happening. The move would make the EU even more stronger then it is now.

So yes, I agree with Tony that the UK should leave the EU and the sooner the better.

<<
We can be quite sure, too, that Napoleon would have imposed on Britain his uniform system of decimal weights and measures - his absurd metres and centimetres, based on mathematical calculations (which have since been shown to be wildly inaccurate) of the dimensions of the earth.
>>

First of all, the term "wildy inaccurate" is a complete rubbish. For most practical purposes, an inaccuraccy of 0.02% is not "wildly inaccurate". Moreover, once the reference metre had been manufactured, the French Government decreed that it would be the standard, even if it were not exactly one 10 millionth of the distance from the pole to the equator through Paris. This view has been re-iterated every time a better standard was developed for the metre.

Although the French laid some of the principals of a "uniform system of weights and measures", they lost the plot with a couple of decades and it was really the *** BRITISH *** who formalised the system in the mid-nineteenth century. In particular, even though, in 1842, the French spoke of a kilogramme, theny never used a kilometer - instead they used another unit of measure that was 10,000m. It was the BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OD SCIENCE in the mid nineteenth Century that proposed using the prefixes "micro", "milli", "centi","kilo", "mega" etc is a rational way.

Moreover, when in the late ninteenth century the original prototype kilogramme and metre were upgraded, the new prototypes were "MADE IN ENGLAND" by Johnson, Mathey & Co of London.

<<And more to come on Saturday 5 November when we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot. Those dastardly evil forces on the continent seen off yet again>>

The participants were all english catholics.

Guy Fawkes.
b. 1570, York, Eng.
d. Jan. 31, 1606, London


Robert Catesby
b. 1573, Lapworth, Warwickshire, Eng.
d. Nov. 8, 1605, Holbeche House, Staffordshire

Catesby was the chief instigator of the Gunpowder Plot.
A member of a staunchly Roman Catholic family, Catesby became embittered against the government of Queen Elizabeth I as he saw his father, Sir William, persecuted for refusing to conform to the Church of England.

Btw: Ned Kelly was hung on the 5th of November.

Nelson: Hardy, what's this I hear about a new measurement system?

Hardy: Oh yes sir, it's called the metric system.

(Hardy explains)

Nelson: Sounds logical. Will it catch on do you think?

Hardy: Don't know sir. It, err, is a French invention I'm afraid sir.

Nelson: (groan)

Hardy: Mind you Boneparte doesn't like it much. Something about it being "an abomination of the human mind."

Nelson: Oh well, if Bonyfart doesn't like it, it must be good eh, Hardy? Heh heh heh heh ...

That Hardy-Nelson encounter continued...

Hardy: Two of our 32-pounders are malfunctioning, sir. Their range has dropped from half-a-mile to just 500 yards

Nelson: Save them for close combat, Hardy, increase our speed to 8 knots, check all our 24-pounders are functioning correctly, and, oh, fetch a gallon of brandy for the men

OK. That's enough! I'm off!

Too much juvenile trot here for my liking.

Tara then.

Who would love the above post to be from Danial?

To be honest - after his latest Jack Daniels effort I'd hate for him to leave!!!

Classic stuff about the UK!