10 JUNE 1972, Page 23

Shopkeeping

Sir: I was interested to hear on the radio news this evening that Sir Alec Home's excuse for continuing the blockade of trade with Rhodesia was that it would be to Britain's advantage commercially, because so long as they are continued we are gaining more money from trade with other African countries than we are losing by our blockade of Rhodesia.

And, conversely, that if we dropped the so-called 'sanctions' against Rhodesia, we should lose more business with other African countries than we would gain from renewed commercial intercourse with Rhodesia. Who was it who said "The English are a nation of shopkeepers?" Might. they also have been thinking of the Scots? P. F. Hesheth 57 Great Ormond. Street: London WC1