BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA

IS PLEASED TO PRESENT THE FOLLOWING UPCOMING EVENTS

28th February, 2015, Saturday evening with light OPERA by Victorian Lyric Opera Company: Haddon Hall written by GILBERT ( of G & S fame ) performed at 8:00 PM in the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at the Rockville Civic Center, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, MD 20851 (240-314-8690). For those that are interested you can have dinner two miles away at 6:00 PM in Clyde’s Tower Oaks Lodge, 2 Preserve Park- way, Rockville, MD 20852 (301-294-0200). Individual reservations to be made directly with the theatre and the restaurant. Questions? call William Barker call 571-723-1374 or email [email protected] (9:00 AM – 9:00 PM).

7th March, 2015, Saturday, watch the ST PATRICK’s DAY PARADE in Alexandria at 12:30 PM with a LATE LUNCH AFTERWARD at 2:40 PM in Bilbo Baggins Global Restaurant (serving European and Ameri- can dishes), 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 (703-683-0300). Before parade there is a 10:00 AM Car Show and a 10:30 AM Dog Show in Alexandria, VA. POC is Veronica Barker at 571-490-1970 ([email protected]). For head count please communicate with Veronica BEFORE 2nd March 2015.

21st March 2015, Saturday, 5:00 PM, Choir of King’s College, Cambridge will be singing at the Washington National Cathedral, Washington, DC (Tickets via 201-537-6200).

28th March 2015, Saturday night, Dinner Theater in Lorton, VA. Meal & Music Hall with Barry as Mr. Chairman. This is a tentative event, with more information in a future flyer.

11th April, 2015, Saturday, Afternoon Tea and tour at elegant Hillwood Estate, 4155 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 (202-686-8500) Movie & guided tour 1:00 PM followed by AFTERNOON TEA at 3:00 PM. Cost is $29.00 members and $32.00 nonmembers. Deadline for cheques to be received is 31st March 2015 and no cancellations after 31st March 2015. POC is Rhoda Waters, 8437 Chapelwood Court, Annandale, VA 22003 [703-978-2427 ([email protected])].

28th June 2015, Sunday, 11:30 AM, Commonwealth Brunch with a short AGM, at FT Myer’s Officers’ Club. $29.00 members and $33.00 nonmembers. Details later.

BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA—NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY—MARCH 2015 Page 1 of 12 Editorial Note: local long form: Dziko la Malawi local short form: Malawi Articles with By-Lines, sources, items former: British Central African Pro- made available to the Editor are pub- tectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, lished as submitted, no punctuation Nyasaland. changed, warts and all. Commonwealth Corner Capital (continued) Name: Lilongwe Geographic coordinates: 13 58 S, 33 Republic of Malawi 47 E Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours Established in 1891, the British pro- ahead of Washington. tectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in Executive branch eagle 1964. After three decades of one- Chief of State: President Arthur Pe- party rule under President Hastings ter MUTHARIKA (since 31 May Kamuzu BANDA the country held 2014); Vice President Saulos CHILI- multiparty elections in 1994, under MA (since 31 May 2014). a provisional constitution that came into full effect the following year. Source: CIA President Bingu MUTHARIKA, elect- ed in May 2004 after a failed Malawi has many different animals attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert elephants his authority against his predeces- sor and subsequently started his own party, the Democratic Progres- sive Party (DPP) in 2005. MUTHARI- KA was reelected to a second term in May 2009. He oversaw some eco- nomic improvement in his first Fishermen on lake Malawi at dusk term, but was accused of economic mismanagement and poor govern- ance in his second term. He died abruptly in April 2012 and was suc- ceeded by his vice president, Joyce BANDA, who had earlier started her own party, the People's Party (PP). Population growth, increasing pres- sure on agricultural lands, corrup- tion, and the scourge of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for Malawi. Hippo in the Shire River Mulanje mountain

Location Southern Africa, east of Zambia, west and north of Mozambique

Country name Conventional long form: Republic of Malawi. Conventional short form: Malawi. Water buffalo

DNA analysis of Richard III Cornwall', has retained close ties to the The Queen personally intervened to brings up questions about West Country after an influx of Cornish ensure the Duke of Edinburgh royal legitimacy miners in the 19th century. would become regent if she died in the DNA testing has positively identified Prince Charles and the Duchess of early years of her reign. Government pa- the bones found under an English park- Cornwall on Sunday visited a remote pers written just after the coronation in ing lot as belonging to King Richard III Mexican mining town to pay tribute to July 1953, show the Queen wished for her — and also called into question the hundreds of British expatriates who husband to act as regent until the young legitimacy of some royals. brought football and Cornish pasties to Prince Charles was old enough to rule It's been 527 years since Richard III Central America two centuries ago. himself. died, and this is the first genetic identi- Around 350 Cornish miners, wives and The change meant Princess Margaret, fication of a person so long after their children sailed to Mexico on three ships who had been in the position of regent, death, National Geographic reports. in the early 1820s, with the first arriv- was superseded by the Duke, the Prince’s Scientists looked at the mitochondrial ing in 1824. It took them 14 months to father, in a move said to have the full sup- DNA, which is inherited along maternal haul their equipment 250 miles from port of all members of the Royal family. lines, and the Y chromosome, inherited the coast to the inland Pachuca and Despite there being no suggestion the along paternal lines. They found there Real del Monte in what is remembered decision was influenced by the Princess’ was a 95 percent chance he had blue as the "Great Trek" in Mexican folklore. private life, a document detailing a cabi- eyes and a 66 percent chance he had Source: The Telegraph net discussed of July 6, 1953, expressed brown hair as a child, and his Y chro- the fear that “if the Bill were introduced mosome was uncommon for someone at this juncture, it might give rise to con- in an English family. Because Richard III died without any Asprin in a daily diet male heirs, researchers had to trace his The benefits for women of taking a lineage to find a male ancestor with daily dose of aspirin to stave off serious the same Y chromosome and any of illness, such as cancer and heart dis- that ancestor's descendants living to- ease, are outweighed by the risks, sci- day. If there was a false paternity — entists have concluded. "when someone's father is not who we Previous studies have suggested that think is their father" — in John of 6,000 lives could be saved each year if Gaunt's family, it could mean that Plan- middle aged adults took aspirin each tagenet kings like Henry V did not have day. But new research which studied 30,000 a genetic claim to the throne. "This The royal family circa 1953 would also hold true, indirectly, for the women over 17 years showed that the entire Tudor line," the study's authors protective effect was marginal yet the troversy owing to the publicity given by said. Don't worry about Queen Eliza- risk of stomach bleeding was high. certain newspapers to reports linking the beth II's legitimacy, though, as she is To test whether aspirin was useful par- name of Princess Margaret with that of a descended from a different line. ticipants were randomly assigned to commoner recently divorced”. Source: The Week take either 100 mg of aspirin or a dum- Under the terms of the Regency Act 1937, my tablet every other day, to see the Queen would have been succeeded whether it curbed their risk of heart by her son, now the Prince of Wales, in disease, stroke, and cancer. the event she had died prematurely or Prince Charles and the Mexican city During the trial period, which lasted 10 been incapacitated. with 'more pasties than Cornwall' years, 604 cases of cardiovascular dis- At the time, the issue of the regency was Pachuca, nicknamed 'Mexico's Little ease, 168 cases of bowel cancer, 1832 forced by the Queen herself, who in- cases of other cancers were reported. structed ministers she wanted her hus- However there were 302 major gastro- band rather than her sister to take over intestinal bleeds requiring admission to despite what was decreed in the constitu- hospital during the time. tion. Compared with placebo, regular aspirin A briefing note for a Commonwealth was linked to a lower risk of heart dis- Heads of Government summit held in ease, stroke, bowel cancer, and in London on June 5, 1953, further stated: some women, other cancers, but only “The Queen's wish in this matter was marginally so. shared by other members of the Royal The research was published in the jour- The Prince of Wales and The Family, and in particular, by Princess Mar- nal Heart. Duchess of Cornwall make pasties garet.” during a visit to the Pasty Source: The Telegraph Source: Daily Mirror Museum in Real del Monte

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The Queen appears on the Antiques Remembrance Day: 'Silence proves solemnly bowed. After representatives of Roadshow more powerful than terror' the Commonwealth nations had paid The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh The Queen defies terror threat as she their respects, Daniel Mulhall, the Irish discussed several items brought from leads the nation in memory of the Ambassador, stepped forward and Hillsborough Castle as it was revealed fallen on Remembrance Sunday placed his wreath – not of poppies, but she is a fan of the show The Queen In the end, silence proved more pow- of laurel leaves, in keeping with Irish tra- and the Duke of Edinburgh talk to An- erful than terror. As police continued dition. Then he, too, bowed. tiques Roadshow experts Hilary Kay, to question four men arrested last Tony Blair and Sir John Major watched as John Axford and Paul Atterbury at Hills- week over fears of an Islamist plot to their successor, David Cameron, laid his borough Castle, the Queen's official attack Remembrance Sunday com- wreath. residence in Northern Ireland. memorations, the Queen, politicians Sir Edwin Lutyens, created the Cenotaph She had a private meeting with the and thousands of veterans refused to in 1920. It was intended as a temporary experts, who at her request did not be distracted from remembering their memorial, but was made permanent value the objects but discussed their dead. after more than a million people visited it history. Hilary Kay said “We talked After a shot from a 13-pounder First within a week, laying 100,000 wreaths. about every object on the table and World War gun rang out across Horse Source: The Telegraph everything we talked about seemed to Guards Parade to signal a two-minute get a real response. It was fabulous,” silence, the only noises on Whitehall she said. were the squawks of a few seagulls Harry at 30, a Prince more at ease The Queen was said to have been par- and the gentle tumbling of another as he reached a landmark birthday, he ticularly interested in a small, bronze autumnal leaf, taking its place among has matured - but faces dilemmas over sculpture of a horse and jockey, be- the ranks of those already fallen. his future. lieved to be of the 1863 Derby winner Captain Rolfe Monteith, a 91-year-old Afghanistan, January 2013: sitting in Macaroni. She examined it carefully Second World War veteran, has front of a television camera, Prince Harry with her gloved hands. marched past the Cenotaph, that Port- decides to unleash a verbal missile attack Antiques Roadshow specialists told her land stone memorial to the Glorious on British newspapers, accusing them of the work, by the French artist Pierre Dead, each Remembrance Sunday for writing “rubbish” which “hopefully no- Mene, was created after the jockey the last 30 years, and was determined body actually believes”. won the Epsom race following 32 false to do so again, in spite of the height- Fast-forward 18 months to Chile, June starts. ened terrorist threat. On Sunday, he 2014, and the Prince is a different man. Describing it as “quite a moment for wore two service medals awarded to Gone are the usual barbed comments the Antiques Roadshow”, presenter his father, Harold, who fought in Ypres towards the travelling UK media, in their Fiona Bruce said that she had been a century ago as part of the Royal Ca- place a determination to make sure re- told the Queen “is a fan” of the show, nadian Artillery. porters and photographers get the words which has been running for 35 years. Captain Daniel von Barloewen, a 29- and pictures they needed. The display was intended to inform year-old Troop Leader in the Royal Earlier, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he opened up people about Hillsborough Castle, Yeomanry, who served in Afghanistan to reporters about how affected he which became part of the Historic Roy- with the King’s Royal Hussars said. was by meeting children orphaned by al Palaces group in April. “No matter what the threat, we will drugs and violence, even going so far still stand up and pay our respects. We as to say the loss of his own mother, will not cower.” Diana, Princess of Wales, was Crowds began to form along Whitehall “nothing” compared with their suffer- and into Parliament Square from ing. Yet this was a more relaxed and dawn, with people standing 20 deep in happier Prince Harry than I have come places. If anything could be called a across on any previous foreign tour. He show of defiance, it was surely the says he has “got over” the bitterness Duke of Edinburgh, at 93, standing he felt towards the media over the solemnly by the memorial for 20 pursuit of his mother in the moments The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh minutes, without any gloves to shield talk to Antiques Roadshow experts his hands from the November wind. before her death, though he still says Hilary Kay, John Axford and Paul Atter- To one side stood his son, the Prince he “doesn’t understand” the public bury at Hillsborough Castle.. of Wales; to the other, his grandson, fascination with his private life. the Duke of Cambridge, wearing his “Everyone noticed when he came back Source: The Telegraph RAF Flight Lieutenant’s uniform. from his second tour of Afghanistan The Queen, dressed in black with a last year that he had matured. You clutch of poppies on her shoulder, can’t imagine anyone doing a four- stood three paces in front, her head month tour like that and not coming Continued on page 5

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Continued from page 4 each of those competing interests back slightly changed, and it had a will go next. really positive effect on him. Harry is a staff officer in HQ London “It was something he really wanted to District, where his job coordinating do, he was able to see it through to ceremonial events such as Trooping the end [having had to cut short his the Colour has enabled him to organ- previous tour when his presence was ise the Invictus Games in his spare reported by a magazine] and it was a time. The Prince would love to re- real achievement.” turn to flying helicopters, but as he The Prince’s friendliness towards re- porters in Brazil and Chile certainly Damage to house suggested he has begun to make his However it fell into a neighbour's peace with the media. house and an attempt to remove it He upbraided one reporter for a story caused further damage. No-one was that suggested his engagements in hurt in the accident. Source: BBC Chile a week ago had been moved so that he could watch the Chile v Brazil Prince William and Kate release match. new pictures of Prince George As the fourth in line to the throne, Harry is not burdened with such pro- Prince William and his wife Kate, letarian troubles as how to get a Duchess of Cambridge, released pho- mortgage on his first home or wheth- tos of Prince George posing in a court- Prince harry at 30 er now is a good time to start paying yard at Kensington Palace in London in into a pension. But questions of mar- works towards a promotion to Major, riage and starting a family will weigh he accepts there is no obvious way in heavily on his mind. which he could return to operational He became broody whenever he flying. He is also arguably the most came into contact with small chil- popular member of the Royal family dren, saying he wanted to “take (the Brazilians specifically asked for them home” with him. him when they requested a royal visit during the World Cup), with demand Harry is far more natural with chil- for public appearances far outstrip- dren than his brother, the Duke of ping his ability to fulfil the requests. Cambridge, and is undoubtedly des- Source: The Telegraph perate to start a family if he can find himself a suitable bride. Easier said than done. Crane falls into Dutch house after In the meantime, the Prince has proposal goes wrong plenty of other things to contem- A crane tipped over and crashed into plate. The day before his birthday the roof of a house in IJsselstein, near will have seen the culmination of Utrecht in the Netherlands after a mar- the Invictus Games, four-day Para- riage proposal went wrong. A man had lympic-style event for wounded ser- hired a crane to drop him into his girl- vicemen, which has been the friend's garden so he could propose in Prince george late November spectacular fashion. Prince’s main focus for the past year. late November. The Prince, who was inspired to or- The great-grandchild to Britain's ganise the Games after visiting the Queen Elizabeth II and third in line to Warrior Games in the US. the British throne was born July 22, His thoughts, then, will inevitably 2013. The young prince will no longer be an lead on to not only how much of his only child with the arrival of a baby time the Games will take up, but brother or sister, due in late April. how that will fit in with his twin Ar- On a recent trip to New York, Kate my and royal careers, and where Crane tipping over Continued on page 6

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Continued from page 5 A Leicestershire County Council disappear due to shopping taking over. spent time wrapping presents with stu- spokesman said: "We are reviewing Taking a step back from wrapping gifts dents at the Northside Center in Har- the ticket and looking carefully at the means we can really appreciate the time lem. The centre offers support and care reasons the driver has given for park- we have with family and friends at this for children working to overcome issues ing on the zig-zag lines next to a pe- time of year." such as poverty, discrimination and destrian crossing." mental health. Last year, the Hinckley Round Table Source: CBC News collection raised more than £5,000 for local causes and the volunteers are hoping to raise even more this year. Source: The Telegraph Traffic warden hits Santa's helper with parking fine Father Christmas's favourite mode of Christmas traditions dying out transport falls foul of 'heartless' traffic because we are too busy warden in Hinckley, Leicestershire. A study finds four in ten won't watch The queen’s speech after issuing a parking ticket to a car delivering Santa's sleigh. Source: The Telegraph UK Volunteer Chris Uttley was left frustrat- ed when his car, which was towing the Hinckley Round Table sleigh, was "pounced on" by the warden. Canadian navy sailors face near- Mr Uttley left the sleigh outside a Co-op total alcohol ban store before moving his car a short dis- Canada's navy has imposed a near-total tance away from traffic bollards and ban on its sailors from drinking while at parking it briefly on zig-zag lines near a sea. pedestrian crossing. Santa and his slay Previously, sailors were permitted to He was waiting for other volunteers to drink while off duty; now they will only meet him to take over the sleigh and the Queen's speech and 16 per cent be allowed to on special occasions at hold the collection. will have a takeaway instead of a tra- the captain's discretion. "I had moved outside of the bollards to ditional Christmas roast. The new measures come after a warship avoid blocking the way or being locked Christmas traditions such as midnight had to be recalled after incidents involv- in," he said." mass, carol singing and greeting cards ing allegedly inebriated crew. "There was nowhere else nearby to are dying out because modern life has The new restrictions bring the Canadian park and I didn't want to just leave the taken over, according to the study. navy closer in line with the navies of the sleigh - it could have been vandalised. I The researchers found that 68 per US, Britain and New Zealand. moved the car out of the way as much cent will be too busy shopping to en- as I could. joy any traditional yuletide activities. "I walked back to the sleigh to take over Just seven per cent will attend a a bag of collection tins that were in my Christmas Eve church service - and on car. My back was turned for no more Christmas Day, 16 per cent will skip than 30 seconds. the turkey dinner. "As I turned and walked back towards One in ten of those polled by the Sal- my car I found a traffic warden issuing vation Army said shopping is now the me a ticket. I explained the circum- most important festive tradition. stances only to be told that there was Spokeswoman Major Val Mylechreest HMCS whitehorse nothing that could be done. said: "It's hard to ignore that when "This now falls to the charity to pick up winter comes around there's a huge Beer vending machines will be removed the parking ticket out of much-needed emphasis on buying presents. from warships, and the price of alcohol funds given to us by the public. “ "Even from October we start to see will be raised in the onboard bars. "I thought it was very heartless - I was decorations and ads on the high street Royal Canadian Navy Commander vice- shocked. The vehicle was not unattend- pressuring us to prepare for Christ- admiral Mark Norman told journalists ed and there wasn't any observation mas. that several "questionable incidents" time given.“ "Though giving and receiving presents concerning drunken sailors had prompt- The ticket, which was issued in under a can make us feel great, it would be a ed the decision. minute, will cost the charity £35 if it huge shame to let the old traditions "This is about a growing concern over a pays within 14 days or £70 if later. period of a couple of years where we Continued on page 7

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Continued from page 6 identity of the buyer. The statue depicts had growing indicators of misconduct a man called Sekhemka, who, the in- across the navy," he said. scription on the statue's base says, was In July, Commander Norman ordered the inspector of the scribes of the royal warship HMCS Whitehorse back to Can- court. David Mackintosh, leader of the ada from an exercise in the US. council, said that "every penny" of the Three sailors were accused of sexual funds raised by the sale would be ring- misconduct, shoplifting and drunken- fenced for the museum service and ness while the ship was in port. allow its redevelopment plans to be- Source: BBC News come a reality. Source: The Guardian

Policing cuts put public safety at Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe - Canada: Reward doubled over risk, warns Met chief Commissioner Met Police potato needle sabotage Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe suggests Police in Canada are trying to solve a scrapping more than 30 police forces within three years under the current case of potato sabotage, as sewing nee- and replacing them with nine super- funding arrangements. dles keep turning up inside the spuds, forces. Commissioner of the Metro- Source: The Telegraph it's reported. politan Police Service, Sir Bernard A reward for information over the Hogan-Howe, the head of the Metro- Northampton borough council crime has been doubled to 100,000 politan Police has warned that large sells Egyptian statue for almost Canadian dollars (US$87,000; £55,000), cuts to police budgets and other ser- £16m according to the The News website. vices will put public safety at risk. An Egyptian statue controversially put Needles were first found in the pota- He said “radical action” was needed due up for auction by Northampton bor- toes at the start of October, and the to the scale of the cutbacks and called ough council has been sold for almost Royal Canadian Mounted Police says it for more than 30 police forces in Eng- £16m. The 4,000-year-old Sekhemka seems they were shoved into the flesh land and Wales to be scrapped and re- limestone figure, which was given to deliberately. Ten affected potatoes placed by nine super-forces based on the town in 1880, went for almost have been found so far, all of which regional boundaries. £10m more than the guide price at the came from the same farm in the east- The police have made hundreds of mil- ern province of Prince Edward Island. lions of pounds in savings already but it An initial cash reward of 50,000 Canadi- was going to become much harder to an dollars didn't help solve the case, so cut costs from 2016 onwards, he said. the region's potato industry and local He also warned that data and cyber- government have upped the amount, crime was replacing the old-fashioned and say even anonymous tips will be “shotgun” robberies of the past and police needed to catch up. But cuts to other public services as well as policing were jeopardizing the assets forces rely on, such as CCTV cameras funded by councils, he claimed. “We have to have a shared view of the risks to public safety, from countering terrorism to child protection,” he wrote auction conducted by Christie's in Lon- in The Guardian. “We must be open don on Thursday night. The Egyptian potatoes about these risks with the public, politi- ambassador to Britain had earlier criti- cians and the media, so we can together cised the sale and said that the council eligible for the reward. "If there is any- make informed choices about our prior- should have consulted with his govern- thing good that can be said to come ities.” ment first. "Sekhemka belongs to from this mess, it is the sense of every He added: “If we retrench in isolation, Egypt and if Northampton borough one has shown us," Gary Linkletter, the risks to public safety can only in- council does not want it then it must be solidarity who co-owns the farm at the crease.” given back. The council said that the centre of the case, is quoted as saying. Sir Bernard’s warning comes after Neil funds raised by the sale would be used "Hopefully the reward will help to iden- Rhodes, the head of Lincolnshire Police, to help fund a major extension of the tify the culprit and bring this tampering said earlier this month that his force will Northampton museum and art gallery. episode to an end." The case triggered effectively go out of business Christie's has not yet revealed the a huge recall of about 800,000lb continued on page 8

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Continued from page 7 (more than 200) make it a rare and re- (363,000kg) of potatoes in the region, markable show of humanity. and prompted an investigation, which Source: The Telegraph used X-Ray machines and metal detec- tors to try and track down the suspect potatoes, the National Post website GCHQ's first app targets future cyber reported in October. sleuths Source: BBC News The government's electronic monitoring agency GCHQ is releasing its first com- puter app. Cryptoy was created by three industrial Britain’s homage to 'plucky Belgium’ placement students and tells the story of The German invasion of the tiny state four historical cyphers, including the drew waves of sympathy for its people’s German Enigma code, cracked at Bletch- including a unique book of tributes, ley Park during World War Two. published by the Telegraph 100 years The free app for Android tablet devices ago this Christmas. also encrypts messages using the codes. Prince albert of Belgium They came from the east, trampling the GCHQ says it is hoping it will help to en- golden fields underfoot. As far as the courage teenagers to be the next gener- eye could see, dark figures advanced Outcry swelled across Europe. Britain ation of cyber security experts. from the horizon, casting shadows was so angered by the invasion that it GCHQ said the app is intended as a "fun down the hillside. They came in their declared war on Germany the same teaching aid" to help 14-16 year olds thousands, dressed in smart green uni- day. Admiration for “plucky Belgium”, studying at the Key Stage 4 level learn forms and peaked caps, hacking at the stubborn and defiant in the face of something about code making and code grass with their rifles. They moved such horror, grew: though its army was quickly, determinedly; as if one unstop- a tenth the size of Germany’s, it held pable, terrifying swarm. Within minutes, up the offence for almost a month, the bright summer’s morning that had giving the French and British forces dawned across Belgium on August 4 time to prepare. The British public – 1914 turned black. unaware that they, too, would soon be Germany’s invasion of Belgium that day embroiled in battle – began to look for was unannounced. There was little ways to show their support for the warning; no hint of the barbarism that Belgians. Indeed, one of the biggest was to come. Only weeks previously, acts of gratitude to the Belgian king breaking. the Belgian government had declared and his people was commissioned by "All of this is extremely relevant to to- its neutrality. On August 1, King Albert I this newspaper. day's world where information security was sent an ultimatum: guarantee the Exactly one hundred years ago this is increasingly important and where we Germans safe passage through his terri- Christmas, the Telegraph published need young people to study the subjects tory, or they would invade. Two days King Albert’s Book. Conceived by Hall necessary," she added. later, the Belgians refused – the rest is Caine, the Edwardian novelist, it Cryptoy will be available to download etched in history. brought together princes, statesmen, directly from Google Play or through the The assault on this small, neutral king- authors, artists, composers and reli- GCHQ website. It is understood that a dom – which many historians call “the gious leaders to present their reactions version for Apple iPads will not be avail- rape of Belgium” – catalogued some of to the atrocity. “Never before,” wrote able until next year the worst atrocities of the First World Caine in his introduction to the book, Source: BBC News War. Liege fell first, after 11 days of “have so many illustrious names been inscribed within the covers of a single bloody violence, but the occupation Joke time volume… Out of the storm of battle a was to continue for another four years. An onion can make people cry but great new spirit of brotherhood has German troops looted houses and exe- there has never been a vegetable in- been born into the world, calling to- cuted innocent, cowering civilians. vented to make them laugh. gether the scattered and divided parts Libraries were burned to the ground; ~ Will Rogers. of it, uniting them in a single mind.” nuns stripped naked; women raped and This was not the first benevolent vol- mutilated; children abused. One writer Q. What's pink and fluffy ume Caine had edited – in 1905 and described the invading army as “a vast A. Pink fluff 1908 he compiled books to raise mon- gang of Jack-the-Rippers”. ey for Queen Alexandra’s charities – Q. What's blue and fluffy but the sheer breadth and profile of A. Pink fluff holding it's breath contributors to King Albert’s Book

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When Christmas carols were banned related Christmas festivities were not Chris Bates has been the official UK rep- A 17th Century woodcut shows a only abhorrent but sinful. According to resentative of Tristan da Cunha for sev- Puritan family meal historical sources, they viewed the cel- en years During the Puritans’ rule of England, ebration of Christ’s birth on 25 Decem- A pensioner has been awarded an MBE celebrating on 25 December was forbid- ber as a “popish” and wasteful tradi- for his work as ambassador for the den. Singing yuletide songs then was a tion that derived – with no biblical jus- world's remotest inhabited island, de- political act, writes Clemency Burton- tification – from the Roman Catholic spite living 6,000 miles away in land- Hill. When it comes to revolutionary Church (‘Christ’s Mass’), thus threaten- locked Birmingham. protest songs, what springs to mind? ing their core Christian beliefs. No- Despite visiting the island, which has a Billie Holliday’s Strange Fruit? Bob Dyl- where, they argued, had God called population of 267, just three times, Mr an’s Blowin’ In The Wind? Sam Cooke’s upon mankind to celebrate Christ’s Bates has been included in the New A Change is Gonna Come? I’m guessing nativity in such fashion. In 1644, an Act Year's Honours List. the humble Christmas carol is probably of Parliament effectively banned the low on your list of contenders, but in festival and in June 1647, the Long Par- mid-17th Century England, during the liament passed an ordinance confirm- English Civil War, the singing of such ing the abolition of the feast of Christ- things as The Holly and the Ivy would mas. have landed you in serious trouble. Oli- Bah humbug ver Cromwell, the statesman responsi- But the voices and festive spirits of ble for leading the parliamentary army English men, women and children were (and later Lord Protector of England, not to be so easily silenced. For the Scotland and Ireland), was on a mission nearly two decades that the ban on to cleanse the nation of its most deca- Christmas was in place, semi- dent excesses. On the top of the list was clandestine religious services marking Christmas and all its festive trappings. Christ’s nativity continued to be held Chris bates Since the Middle Ages, Christmas had on 25 December, and people continued been celebrated in much the same way to sing in secret. Christmas carols es- The overseas British territory lies mid- as today: 25 December was the high sentially went underground – although way between Africa and South America holy day on which the birth of Christ some of those rebellious types deter- and can only be reached by boat on a was commemorated, and it kicked off mined to keep carols alive did so more week-long voyage from Cape Town. an extended period of merriment, loudly than others. On 25 December Mr Bates' expenses-only stint as the lasting until Twelfth Night on 5 January. 1656, a member of parliament in the "voice of the people" saw him do every- Oliver Cromwell was the Lord Protector House of Commons made clear his an- thing from negotiating international of England from 1653 until his death in ger at getting little sleep the previous agreements to arranging for the deliv- 1658) night because of the noise of their ery of bus stop signs. The first ‘carols’ had been heard in Eu- neighbours’ “preparations for this fool- But much of his diplomatic work was rope thousands of years before, the ish day…” Come the Restoration of the done from a back bedroom he convert- word probably deriving from the French English monarchy in 1660, when legis- ed into his office at his Victorian ter- carole, a dance accompanied by singing. lation between 1642-60 was declared raced home 6,200 miles away in Selly These tended to be pagan songs for null and void, both the religious and Park. He steps down from his role as events such as the Winter Solstice, until the secular elements of the Twelve ambassador this week but his work has the early Christians appropriated them: Days of Christmas were allowed to be been recognised with an MBE for ser- a Roman bishop in AD 129, for example, celebrated freely. And not only had the vices to Tristan da Cunha interests in decreed that a carol called Angel’s popular Christmas carols of previous the UK and worldwide. Over the past Hymn be sung at a Christmas service in eras survived triumphant but interest seven years he travelled to London Rome. By the Middle Ages, groups of in them was renewed with passion and Three times a week for meetings with ‘wassailers’, went from house to house exuberance: both the 18th Century and various Government ministers and rep- singing during the Twelve Days of Victorian periods were golden eras in resented the island at conferences in Christmas, though, singing and carol-writing, producing many of the Greenland, Brussels and the Cayman treasures that we know and love today Islands. – including O Come All Ye Faithful and Despite rarely being seen on the island, God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen. he said representing it from the office at Source: BBC News the back of his £220,000 home had been a full-time job. MBE for man who represented "The great advantage Tristan has got is remote South Atlantic island from that it is so different to anywhere else his Birmingham bedroom on the planet and has a unique Wood cutting of puritan dinner Continued on page 10

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Continued from page 9 Blame your primal instincts: The high- tunnels, and yields are up every year. The philosophy and way of life. pitched sound is similar to an infant's tunnels protect the cherries from the "There is nowhere as remote so it grabs cry or a predator's shriek—noises that British weather and the dwarf trees people's attention and if you're dealing can trigger your fight-or-flight re- make the fruits harder for birds to steal, with a Government minister it catches sponse. and easier to pick. their interest. When U.K. researchers had people lis- Source: The Telegraph He often took things like bus stops signs, wrapped in brown paper, down to the Post Office to send over to the island. MoD reminds the lower ranks to "The requests were as varied as supply- salute their seniors ing dog whistles for shepherds, souvenir The Ministry of Defence published a re- badges, silk ties and police badges." minder on who to salute after military "We just got on with everyone and were chiefs complained they were not getting enchanted with the island and the outly- the proper show of respect from the low- ing islands and the volcano. er ranks. "What became evident was the island Senior officers insisted personnel were didn't have anybody to represent them reminded of the rank hierarchy after in the outside world, they had no voice. complaining that younger officers "They paid my expenses like my train ten to a variety of unpleasant sounds, were failing to salute their seniors, par- fares or half of my phone bill but there MRI scans showed that the nails-on-a- ticularly from other services. was absolutely no salary at all.” chalkboard screech lit up the partici- The problem has become more apparent Tristan da Cunha lies 1,243 miles pants' amygdalae. This brain control with increasing numbers of joint opera- (2,000km) from the nearest inhabited governs your body's automatic re- tions where the Army, Navy and RAF land, Saint Helena, and 1,491 miles sponse to stress. serve alongside each other, defence (2,400km) from the nearest continental Source: Trove sources said. land, South Africa. Lax saluting is not the only cause of an- The island is part of the British overseas noyance. There have also been com- territory that includes Saint Helena and plaints of personnel referring to superi- Ascension thousands of miles to its 2015 is the year of the Great British ors as “boss”, or in extreme examples north. Cherry “mate”, instead of sir. At one time Tristan was on the main Pickers are working every daylight hour The reminder, called The Pecking Order, trading route between Europe and the in Kent and Herefordshire after yields was published in a recent MoD in-house Indian Ocean, but the small community of cherries trebled in three years. journal. living there is now extremely isolated. The apparently light-hearted guide illus- Food experts are hailing the come- It was discovered in 1506 but remained trated with cartoon figures was in fact back of the Great British Cherry as uninhabited until it was used by US insisted upon by senior officers, defence farmers predict a record harvest of sources said. whalers in the late 1700s. the juicy red fruit. The British navy stationed a garrison there during Napoleon's exile on St Hel- After decades of importing cherries, ena and, when it was withdrawn, three hardier varieties and better technology men stayed behind and became the have turned UK growers’ fortunes founders of the present settlement. around. Source: The Telegraph This year’s cherry-growing harvest is expected to be worth £20 million, up from just £7.5 million last year. Why the Sound of Fingernails on a Fifteen years ago, just 400 tonnes of Chalkboard Drives You Freaking cherries were produced in Britain. Tra- Prince Harry salutes as the Last Nuts! ditional orchards, including those grow- Post is played when he joined Brit- Ever wonder why the sound of finger- ing cherries, were phased out from the ish troops and service personal in nails on a chalkboard drives you crazy? 1960s because they produced too few Afghanistan in November 2014. It's not just because it triggers bad fruit to make them worthwhile. memories of your grade-school. Thousands of acres of cherry orchards A sound like this falls within the 2,000- were destroyed. Cherries were increas- The guide says: “As anyone who works in to 4,000-hertz frequency range, where ingly imported from Turkey, Spain and defence knows, there are clearly defined the ear is most sensitive. Human speech the US, and British varieties became rank structures. But, while the pecking is also within this range. That's beneficial rare. order may be clear within your own Ser- when you're straining to hear a quiet But now, cherries are mostly grown on vice, equivalent ranks or grades in the conversation over a candlelit dinner. smaller trees sheltered in plastic Continued on page 11

BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA—NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY—MARCH 2015 Page 10 of 12

Continued from page 10 currency saw against the US dollar from UK's Lost Beagle 2 Mars Lander, other Services may be less apparent. early 2011 until early 2013 have had Missing Since 2003 “With joint operations becoming two major impacts on the wine industry, Beagle 2 disappeared during its descent increasingly common and many ba- says Paul Evans, chief executive of the phase, after successfully detaching ses run by a mix of uniformed and Winemakers' Federation of Australia "A from ESA’s Mars Express Orbiter. The civilian MoD staff, you need to know lot of the export volume that we were mission was officially declared lost on where you stand. previously selling to overseas markets has February 6th, 2004, after the confirma- One source said: "You would be come back to the domestic market as tion message to be relayed after land- amazed by some of the greetings international demand for our wine has ing was never received. [from young officers to those above dropped off." While the subject of the press- them in the hierarchy]." Tax and prices. conference remains unknown, The Another added: “Over the last dec- "What you have in Australia is a regime Guardian reports that it is highly likely ade, some have been very informal where wine and cider are taxed different- that NASA’s craft has spotted Beagle 2; with each other. They often refer to ly," explains Prof Robin Room, an interna- the HiRise camera (the High Resolution a senior officer as boss, rather than tionally recognised leader in alcohol re- Imaging Science Experiment) has previ- sir. Some accept it, but others want search who heads up Melbourne's Turn- ously captured images of the two Mar- to be called sir. It’s been a minor ing Point Alcohol and Drug Centre. problem for some time, but they are "They are taxed on the value of the prod- trying to keep it very much in uct as it is sold, rather than on any partic- check.” ular amount of alcohol it has in it," This situation, he says, means that if wine is sold very cheaply, then there's a very Source: The Telegraph small tax on it. "So the people who are Australia's wine 'cheaper than a making the expensive stuff are taxed at a bottle of water' higher rate, and if they don't make the A bottle of red wine on sale for A$1 cheap stuff as well, they feel that they're on a tasting table in Melbourne. And this has caused a division in the in- Picture released by the European It depends what wine you're looking dustry, he says. Space Agency (ESA) in December One of Prof Room's roles is to help reduce at and where you get your bottled 2003 shows an artist's impressions water, but on some big retailers' alcohol-related health issues in Australia. of the Beagle 2 lander (top R) leav- shelves in Australia it's not too hard So would a hike in the tax paid on cheap today to find water that is more ex- wines ease competition on the domestic ing the Mars Express orbiter pensive than wine. front, and help reduce some of the wider You may be considering a little- health issues? tian Viking landers that made it to the known bottle of red that's sitting in a "We would see a reduction in the really red planet in the 1970s, as well as bargain bucket selling for one Aus- serious health problems - and some of the NASA’s Phoenix, Curiosity and Oppor- tralian dollar (53p). problems of social order and violence tunity rovers. Or you could be about to purchase a from drinking," he says. A senior space scientist in The Times well-known white going for A$2.99. Instead, Prof Room says there's been a who has reportedly seen the HiRise That's all before you spot your fa- steady rise in alcohol associated health images has also said the image is vourite four-litre box of cask wine issues. "about the right shape and in about the selling for less than A$17. "It's particularly true for incidences of right place," while adding that "It tells Whatever you fancy, if you compare people being really heavily intoxicated," us how close it got to the right landing your purchase to an average 350ml he says. spot and that it was in one piece." of bottled water selling for about "And that's across every region. We're Source: BBC A$2.50, "then you've certainly got told everybody needs to pull out about wine that's cheaper than buying a 10% of our vines to bring things back to bottle of water," says Prof Kym An- balance. Joke time derson from the Wine Economics "But nobody wants to do that. And I'm The first rule of holes: If you are in Research Centre in Adelaide. not pulling out 10% of my vineyard. So it's one, stop digging. How did it happen? really only the people who don't under-

It's not the first time this kind of stand the scenario who whinge about the I went to school to become a wit, only pricing scenario has made news in retail duopoly," he says. got halfway through. Australia, but today, the situation Source: BBC

according to some experts is quite It was all so different before every- dire. thing changed. Some of the highs that Australia's I wish the buck stopped here. I could being treated rather badly." use a few ... BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA—NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY—MARCH 2015 Page 11 of 12

“A good time was had by all at the Café Renaissance Christmas luncheon...the food and atmosphere were, as usual, very good with a quiz, carol singing and President, Barry Kelly’s saucy jokes. Thanks to several members who donated raffle prizes and to all who bought raffle tickets to help swell the charity fund. The club will again this year be donating $300 to the British Legion and $300 to the Sasha Bruce Youthwork (an organization sup- ported by the British Embassy in D.C.). Why the Utrecht crane article? How did you give or remove your proposal? Did it compare?

BRITISH & COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA (B&CSNA) OFFICERS FOR 2015

President Barry Kelly Membership Chair Deepak Malhotra Events Chair Vacant

Vice President Milton Davis Member at Large Regina Barker-Barzel Member at Large Elsie Howenstine Member at Large Vacant

Secretary Elizabeth Member at Large Joycelyn Baccus Member at Large Marilyn White Newsletter Editor Anita J. Hood Davis

Treasurer William Barker Ex-Officio Veronica Barker-Barzel Ex-Officio Rhoda Waters Asst. Newsletter R. Donald Hood

To reach one of your officers please use the following email: [email protected] or [email protected] For newsletter inquiries please contact the newsletter Editors Anita or Donald Hood: [email protected]

BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA—NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY—MARCH 2015 Page 12 of 12