On Sat, 24 Jan 2004 23:08:11 +0000, Greg Hennessy
wrote:

It would also have been an astonishing waste of money, in a very lean
time, which would surprise me even more.

In a country with just 3 merchant ships to keep it supplied thats not
surprising.

They didn't have 3 ocean-going ships until Lemass got going in 1942.
Meanwhile, and afterwards, all Irisih imports crossed the German Uboat
blockade in British ships or ships in British-controlled convoys.

I'm sure the British were terribly annoyed that Ireland remained
neutral during WWII.

Handing back the treaty ports in 1938 was a gross act of stupidity.

It just proved, once again, that appeasement didn't work. For all de
Valera's encouraging noises about how dealing with such "injustices"
would improve relations, the British lost in the exchange and gained
nothing in return.

Gavin Bailey