100 years ago

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

... skeptical? skeptikal?? Has our Alpie gone all Amerikan???


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I orlwayz thort it were... sceptical

Leastways on this side of the Atlantic....









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I apologise - unreservedly.

[Serial_Apologist]

I apologise - unreservedly.

So do I - coz I started it!

[vinteuil]

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... o good Lord - I don't mind how anyone spells ennything : I was just teasing our Alpie who has establisht a reputation for his loathing of any Americanisation of the English language - and who inadvertently found himself indulgin' in some American spellin' ...






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[Serial_Apologist]

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... indulgin' in some American spellin' ...

One is given to understand that "young people" are being addressed with such spelling in Remain campaign leaflets - except that they have omitted the apostrophe's!

[vinteuil]

One is given to understand that "young people" are being addressed with such spelling in Remain campaign leaflets - except that they have omitted the apostrophe's!

... it's all a clever joke, apparently -

ravin chattin roamin learnin travellin... votin...

That is to say : vote in

Such a clever joke - or such a subtle joke - that Mme v (no slouch she) didn't geddit at all.

I wonder how many did geddit....

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/24/ravin-chattin-roamin-eu-remain-campaign-appeals-to-young-voters

[Historian]

Thanks for this Historian, I'm not familiar with Andrew Gordon's book. What's his thesis?
Best Wishes,
Tevot

I haven't finished the book yet, but I will let you know when I have. It's quite a thick tome so it may take some time. Still agree that the Michael White article is well worth the read.

[greenilex]

Too much negative emotin', IMHO. Someone needs to put the positive case properly.

[Historian]

I haven't finished the book yet, but I will let you know when I have. It's quite a thick tome so it may take some time. Still agree that the Michael White article is well worth the read.

Belatedly realised that I had never posted the promised reply about 'The Rules of the Game'; apologies.

It's difficult to summarise Andrew Gordon's argument but I will try. His contention is that the Royal Navy's failure to secure a clear victory at Jutland was mainly the consequence of trying to 'micro-manage' a naval battle in a way which was not possible with the technology of the time and the conditions under which battles were fought. This state of affairs, in turn, had developed during the nineteenth century when improvements in naval signalling had resulted in a growing resistance to naval officers using their initiative. The triumph of the Signals (S) branch of the Royal Navy was a result of the 1887 disaster when Vice Admiral Sir George Tryon gave an order which resulted in two if his battleships colliding, the loss of HMS Victoria and 2358 of the her crew including Tryon (think of the death of Admiral Lord Horatio D'Ascoyne in 'Kind Hearts and Coronets'). Tryon was the proponent of a tactical system which used a few signals but required ships' commanders to use their initiative. This 'TA' system died with Tryon. One of the survivors from HMS Victoria was Commander John Jellicoe who led the Grand Fleet at Jutland.

There is much more in the book, including a detailed description of the battle as well as the errors made by both sides and the various cover-ups made at the time and subsequently. I found it most interesting but I wouldn't recommend starting a study of Jutland with this work. As yet I have not been able to discuss it with another naval historian friend and I would like a 'second opinion' on Gordon's thesis. However I feel it has the ring of truth (if such a concept is valid when considering history). His description of the workings of the Royal Navy from circa 1805 to the 1920s is relevant to other organisations in many ways. The book was regarded as being so important that I believe the American Naval Institute funded a reprint.

So, have just managed to catch the tail-end of the centenary year.