3 MARCH 1984, Page 17

Dizzy's deal

Sir: Pace Colin Welch (Centrepiece, 28 January), Britain's economic complacency and decline might have been abated by Gladstone's 'sinking to selling cement to Arabs': after all, Disraeli wasn't above arranging a cost-efficient route for it.

P. M. G. Shiel

Pasture House, Hexham, Northumberland