Summer Art Late August

Summer Squares with Blues!   By Nigel A  James

James Bulloch

Ships at Sea - by Nigel A.  JAMES

 Strife on the Ocean Wave

During the American civil war, British companies were allowed to provide arms to both the north and the south, but, when it came to shipping, that was a different matter.  British companies were only allowed to supply unarmed ships to the confederates, the ships were then armed elsewhere (mostly always by British companies, too), and, so it was that the rules were nicely avoided by the British suppliers and the confederates. But, one ship threatened to scuttle this delicate balance!

The Alabama, which, at the time, was under construction in a Birkenhead shipyard, caught the attention of the Northern authorities who maintained that the ship was “more fitted out than that was allowed”.  They subsequently petitioned the British government to impound the ship. But, neither the Northern authorities nor the British government had reckoned with a certain Mr. James Bulloch, the confederate’s agent in the UK for the acquiring of shipping.  He got wind of what was about to happen and took immediate action!

And he was just in time. That very same afternoon, the Alabama, in great festive mood and complete with a brass band and well dressed ladies left port for what was described as “sea trials”.  However, upon arriving at Holyhead, the band and the ladies were put ashore and the ship sped out into the Atlantic, evaded the USS Tuscarora which was waiting for her, and set course for the Azores.  There she was fitted out with guns and ammunition which had been delivered by British merchant ships.

In the course of her action packed life, the Alabama captured and destroyed ten Union ships in mid-Atlantic, she sank the USS Hatteras in an amazingly brief encounter which only lasted thirteen minutes, and then, on a round-the-world jaunt, she captured eighty-four merchant ships.  But, then she met her match.

She was finally defeated and sunk off Cherbourg in eighteen-sixty-four.  Most of the crew and the captain were rescued by cheering spectators, amongst whom was the captain of a British yacht. But, that wasn’t the end of the story.

The British eventually had to fork-out 15,5 million dollars in gold for compensation. Much damage had been caused, and many people had lost their lives due to British incompetence.  A very big bill for letting the Alabama go.

The Greening of Peace - by Nigel A  JAMES

Hot Summer Art

This is a picture which I drew this week.  It is Brian enjoying his afternoon ice!  nj

Harry Golden

 Flying Expressions - by Nigel A  JAMES

Listen to this article

listen to ‘DIARIKOM - Harry Golden - The Golden Years’ on Audioboo

The Golden Years 

In 1958, when Harry Golden published his book, Only in America, he was at the top of one of the most unusual newspaper successes that America had ever seen!

His monthly paper, The Carolina Israelite, was a solo achievement.  It consisted of 16 pages, and each complete with adverts and items, and, every single word was his own.  He never wrote copy, personals, socials, or published press-releases. What he did write came all from himself and his past! 

And his past had a thread.  When he was young in New York he did everything.  He was a porter, a salesman, an editor, a journalist, and, many other things, as well. And, it was there, with the energy of youth, that he spent most of his spare time with a book in his hands. There was nothing better for writing than reading! And, so it was, that after arriving in Carolina he founded the Carolina Israelite. A paper, which despite its name, spoke to every man, woman and child in America.

 And, his paper was a success.  Harry Golden understood people. Many folk, whilst reading his articles (which, by-the-way, he called “editorials”) said that they were like reading letters from a friend, and, when the time came round for the paper - time came round for the family. Reading the paper together was the highlight of the month for many American families.

But, of course, sooner or later, everyone has to give in to the years that they’ve saved, and, in 1968, Harry wrote the last of his editorials and put the Carolina Israelite to bed for the very last time.  And there has never been anything like it since.  How could there be?  As Ralph Emerson wrote, “Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist”.  And a nonconformist was Harry in one!

A Hall for Relating! - by Nigel A JAMES

Summer Poem

Squares of time - by Nigel A.JAMES 

listen to ‘Diarikom Poem  To the virgins, to Make Much of Time by Robert Herrick  1591 -1674’ on Audioboo

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

By Robert Herrick (1591 – 1674)

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,

Old time is still a-flying:

And the same flower that smiles to-day

Tomorrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of  heaven, the sun,

The higher he’s a-getting,

The sooner will his race be won,

And nearer he’s to setting.

That age is best which is the first,

When youth and blood are warmer;

But being spent, the worse, and worst

Times still succeed the former.

Then not be coy, but use your time,

And while ye may, go marry:

For having lost but once your prime,

You may for ever tarry.

Departing Passenger

by Nigel A.  JAMES

The Duchess of Devonshire and President Kennedy

Oceans Apart - by Nigel A.  JAMES

A Duchess and a President

It was against a background of bitter cold and drifting snow that the Duchess of Devonshire confided her thoughts to her diary. She and her husband were in Washington as guests of the Kennedy family and the occasion wasJack Kennedy’s inauguration. It was 1961, the 20^th of January, and amongst that which she wrote were the differences between modern American ceremony and conservative British tradition.

Her day was divided into three major parts: the swearing in at the Capitol, the march-past at the White house, and the ball in the evening; and each part of this day in installments provided its own unique glimpse of cultures apart, and the first surprise came at the Capitol.  The Duchess was very clearly moved by the way that everyone ignored the prayers during the most solemn part of the swearing-in ceremony, preferring, instead, to move around taking snaps.   But what happened at the march-past at the White House was clearly one very big shocker!

Whilst an air force contingent was marching by, one of the airmen broke ranks, took a snap of the president, then fell back into line and carried on with the rest.  Could you imagine that happening in London at the trooping of the colours?  What would the Queen say?  But that wasn’t all!  The President, whilst the great march was marching majestically by, was busy drinking coffee and eating chocolate biscuits! Would Her Majesty do that?  But, the best was to come at the ball.     

The Duchess was very obviously taken by everyone’s willingness to speak to the press.  Unlike in Britain, the press presented no aggressive questions and the journalists were very respected people. But it didn’t stop there. The whole occasion was a melting of  rank!  Who ever YOU were – YOU were important!  Could this happen in England?

This Summer, I read “Wait for Me”, the Duchess of Devonshire’s memoirs.  It was a stimulating and exciting read  Full of not-too-distant-past-history and characters that still mean a lot to very many people.  Published by Picador, ISBN 978-0-312-61064-7 51800>  I very much enjoyed it!  nj.

Hot Summer Reading - by Nigel A JAMES