ABOUT HALF a century ago A. D. Godley wrote a
poem about a quarrel over an island between Greece and England. The island that Greece wanted then was not Cyprus.
'The Isle of Wight!' said Parliament, and shuddered at the word; 'Her Majesty's at Osborne, too—of course, the thing's absurd!'
The poem makes rueful reading today. Britain reacted strongly against the Greek demand of enosis for the Isle of Wight, but violence was prevented by an impassioned plea from a Greek admiral : 'You can't intend,' he said, said he, 'to turn your Maxims on The race that fought at Salamis, that bled at Marathon !' England responded with a good grace : They cast away their fathers' swords, those commoners and peers, Demobilised their Army Corps—dismissed their Volun- teers: Soft Sentiments o'erthrew the bars that nations disunite, And Greece, in Freedom's sacred name, annexed the Isle of Wight.
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