Some of the despatches were, all by themselves, enough to make you cringe all over again with post colonial guilt.
But not all, by no means.
And the romantics among us can definitely sigh for the days when despatches could be written as beautifully as was that by Sir James Craig on his quitting the post of Queen’s Political Agent in Dubai in 1964. Strophe & antistrophe indeed!
Sobering too, to realise that his duties had included the manumitting of slaves.
The programme also explained some of the detail of how modern ambassadors & foreign secretaries communicate in these days of international telephones, email & twitter.
But not all, by no means.
And the romantics among us can definitely sigh for the days when despatches could be written as beautifully as was that by Sir James Craig on his quitting the post of Queen’s Political Agent in Dubai in 1964. Strophe & antistrophe indeed!
Sobering too, to realise that his duties had included the manumitting of slaves.
The programme also explained some of the detail of how modern ambassadors & foreign secretaries communicate in these days of international telephones, email & twitter.
