Tuesday 21st March Clive Tucker on Victorian Vingnettes

 

To our surprise Clive is an expert on the history of the Victorian Royal Navy. He explained in detail the origins of “Rule Britannia” and how no other nation could match the size and experience of our navy during Victoria’s reign. However continued Clive, our wooden hulled ships became obsolete when a French designed war ship clad with iron plating was launched. This revelation shocked the dominant British Navy into re-designing their whole vulnerable fleet. Although, still with no one to engage in battle, the landed gentry, from whom officers were enlisted, sought careers in other disciplines. Gradually experience evaporated and the Navy became obsessed with cleanliness and micro managed discipline. It was forgotten why the Navy existed. During this period Clive concluded, the Germany navy was growing in strength and becoming a threat to the British, which eventually brought this misguided ethos into sharp focus. Derek Waugh gave a worthy vote of thanks