French Colonialists Visit An English Fiend

The Manx media report on a visit by a number of French warships to Mann it's one of a regular series of such military jollies in the Port of Douglas and the vessels Officers were entertained by local civic dignitaries and the Islands English Lt Governor.:

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=40624&headline=French%20Navy%20...

You could say it was a case of one old colonial power dropping in on another although one assumes that one ‘shanty’ not sung as they imbibed merrily in the Mayors parlour was not that old Manx song ‘Marrinys yn Tiger’ (The Cruise of the “Tiger”) which opens with the immortal words:

‘The patriot sons of Mona, Great Bonaparte to whip
Subscribed to buy the tiger an ancient battle ship’

It tells the story of how the good burghers of Douglas were less welcoming to our Gallic friends during the Napoleonic period. Of course such old animosities between the two sea adversaries are history now.

However in more recent times French naval visits have provoked controversy as in the early 1980s when members of the Celtic League picketed a French naval vessel in Part St Mary in protest over the unjust imprisonment of Breton nationalists. Since that time to French Navy tie up in Douglas obviously they feel more secure behind the lines of ‘Port Security’!

Image: The Isle of Man Lt Governor meets Gallic ‘colonial chums’ when the French Navy' come to town.