The Sun finally sets on the British Empire

Soft power is not a thing

I went to Portsmouth over the weekend to take my son to see some ships. Although HMS Victory was moving and the story of the Mary Rose’s recovery impressive, our favourite was HMS Warrior. 

Launched in 1860 during the premiership of Lord Palmerston, of gunboat diplomacy fame, it was built in east London by the Thames Ironworks, the company from which West Ham United emerged, and the ship is today represented on the football club’s crest.

Firing its cannons every 55 seconds, compared to a minute and a half for any rival navy, Warrior could destroy any vessel, any fleet and any city it came across. The ship was destined to take no part in any heroic battle, nor become the scene for glorious sacrifice, for the simple reason that it and its sister ship, The Black Prince, were invincible. Peace is the definition of success in defence spending.