Turning our back on Tsar
QUESTION Did the British government offer the Romanovs asylum?
When Russian Tsar nicholas II abdicated in March 1917, only Britain and Germany were strong enough to exert any influence over his fate and that of his family, the Romanovs.
It was unthinkable to approach the Kaiser during World War I, but the Tsar could surely expect help from his cousin, George V. They had been friends since childhood family gatherings in their mothers’ native Denmark. They even looked alike.
Yet things were not that simple. George was concerned about nicholas’s safety, but as a constitutional monarch he had to act on the advice of his government. There was unrest in Britain, where republican rallies were held to celebrate the fall of the Tsarist regime.
In Russia, the provisional government’s foreign minister Pavel Milyukov asked British Ambassador Sir George Buchanan whether arrangements had been made for the Tsar to go to the UK. The Foreign Office in London pointed out it had not yet sent an invitation.
The result was a formal request from Milyukov. The British government had to make a decision. After a heated meeting, a reply was sent to Buchanan: ‘The King and his Majesty’s Government readily offer asylum to the emperor and empress in england, which it is hoped they will take advantage of during the war . . .
‘ To avoid any possible doubt . . . you should emphasise the fact that the offer made has been entirely due to the initiative of the Russian government.’
The provisional government hesitated, fearing the anger of extremists if they tried to move the Tsar. The delay proved fatal because George V changed his mind.
On March 30, 1917, he sent a message to Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour expressing his concern about the proposal that the Imperial family should come to Britain. Two days later, his private secretary fired off two more letters to Balfour. The king ‘must beg you to represent to the Prime Minister that from all he hears and reads Close: Nicholas II (left) and George V in the Press, the residence in this country of the ex-emperor and ex-empress would be strongly resented by the public and would undoubtedly compromise the position of the King and Queen . . .’
In response, Lloyd George agreed to approach the French government.
George V and his government were against nicholas coming, but for different reasons. The King was afraid his throne could be in danger, while from the government’s point of view, it was vital to maintain national unity.
Britain abandoned the Romanovs. On the night of July 16/17, 1918, the family was massacred in ekaterinburg.
Coryne Hall, author of To Free The Romanovs: Royal Kinship And Betrayal In
Europe, 1917-1919, Bordon, Hants.
QUESTION MTV launched with Video Killed The Radio Star by the then littleknown British electronic duo, The Buggles. Which song was played next?
On SATURDAY, August 1, 1981, at 12:01am eastern Time, MTV (Music Television) was launched.
The opening montage featured footage of the Space Shuttle launch countdown followed by the launch of Apollo II and doctored footage showing an astronaut planting the MTV flag on the Moon to the soundtrack of a guitar riff and the words: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.’
The video that followed was, prophetically, Video Killed The Radio Star by The Buggles. The second song was You Better Run by Pat Benatar.
The next songs played were She Won’t Dance With Me by Rod Stewart; You Better You Bet by The Who; Little Suzi’s On The Up by Ph.D.; We Don’t Talk Anymore by Cliff Richard; Brass In Pocket by the Pretenders; Time heals by Todd Rundgren; Take It On The Run by REO Speedwagon; and Rockin’ The Paradise by Styx. On its first day, MTV played 116 unique music videos. In total, 208 videos were shown. Rod Stewart made the most appearances — 16 — with 11 videos.
Ian Maggs, Sheffield.
QUESTION The joke is Nasa means No Aliens Seen Anywhere. What other amusing versions of acronyms are there?
FURTHER to previous answers, nowhere was this satirical subversion funnier than with the railway companies.
Suggestions were supportive, outrageous, but always amusing. here are a few I have collected:
GWR, Great Western Railway: Great Way Round (before they built the Severn Tunnel), Goes When Ready, God’s Wonderful Railway (by fans), Gresley Was Right (by enemies referring to the designer of rival LNER’s much faster Mallard). GC, Great Central: Gone Completely. GNER, Great north eastern Railway: Got no engine Ready.
LBSCR, London, Brighton & South Coast Railway: Lay Back So Comfortable Railway.
LNER, London & north eastern Railway: Late & never early Railway.
LM&SR, London Midland & Scottish Railway: Lazy, Mucky & Slow Railway.
L&Y, Lancashire & Yorkshire: Languish & Yawn.
M&GnR, Midland & Great northern Railway: Muddle & Go nowhere Railway (my favourite, it really was a bit like that).
MS& L, Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire: Money Sunk & Lost.
SECR, South eastern & Chatham Railway: Slow, easy and Comfortable Railway.
S&D, Somerset & Dorset: Swift & Delightful, Sabotaged & Destroyed.
WIMR, Woolmer Instructional Military Railway: Will It Move Railway.
Benedict Le Vay, author of Britain From The Rails, A Window Gazer’s Guide, Emsworth, Hants.
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