My first impression of James Agate’s diaries was that they are a bit dry but as I get to know the recurring characters I am enjoying Ego 2 enormously. Now I want to tell you about four things that happened last weekend.
I got the idea from Agate who lists four things that happened over the weekend 16/17 March 1935. Here they are:
“1. Germany is to have a conscript army of 500,000 men which means that the Versailles Treaty is “off”.
2. The 30 mile-an-hour Speed Limit in built-up areas came into force.
3. The new Bridge Rules were published.
4. Ringmaster is off, and Frolic Wind continues.
Of these four occurrences number four is far and away the most remarkable.”
Here are my four events for the weekend 22/23 April 2017.
1. Centrist, Emmanuel Macron, got through to the second round of the French presidential election, when he will face far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
2. Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, promised four additional Bank Holidays in England. It would take the total to twelve in England and Wales, more in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
3. I saw the first electric car using a re-charging point on my street. As it was after dark the picture at the head of this post shows the usual stage of affairs.
4. I dined at Pratt’s on Sunday evening.
There was discussion about the EU, Brexit and the euro over dinner. One member informed me that the euro project had been tried already in Europe and it hadn’t worked then and so it’s hardly a surprise that it doesn’t work now.
The Latin Monetary Union started in 1865 and with difficulty operated until the First World War. France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland were the founding members. Greece joined the LMU in 1867. The coins struck by each member were supposed to have an agreed silver or gold content, so that like the euro they were interchangeable. In fact some members and Greece comes to mind, minted coins with too little gold and silver and then exchanged them for the genuine article. Even the Vatican got in on this scam.
For what it’s worth I have eaten at the following clubs so far this year: Boodle’s, Brooks’s, The Lansdowne, The Little Ship Club, The Oriental. Pratt’s, The Savile and White’s. Clubland flourishes. Now I must polish the letter box – the Apple Map van is in the street, about to start filming.
I have also heard Monetary Union being discussed over dinner on a Sunday at Pratts. It seemed to the universal of everyone around the table that the Euro would inevitably implode that the EU would break up and that things were definitely terrible for Europe. There would be fog in the Channel and the Continent would soon be isolated.
This is all complete nonsense of course. In many ways the Euro works very well. It allows the less well-off member countries to borrow cheaply, and it allows the strongest economies to remain competitive. It’s also hugely convenient.
You’ve left out the Oriental in your list of clubs eaten in.
You are correct and I have now corrected my mistake. How could I forget such a good lunch and with my family connection (my grandmother was born in Stratford House).