Salisbury & District U3A Press Report
December 2004
| The chairman, John Illston, thanked the editorial team under James Mogford for the Newsletter. Secretary Neville Jennings gave details of U3A summer schools in July 2005 and the U3A Explore Science seminar in April 2005. |
| Rosemary Nicholls gave details of outings: December, shopping in Bath; January, 'A Winter's Tale' at the Watermill in Newbury; February, 'Rebecca' at the Mayflower in Southampton; March, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Poole. John Ewington takes over as Outings Secretary in 2005, and from 1st January payments for outings will be accepted by cheque only. |
| Group Organiser Christine Dickson announced a Family History trip to Islington Family Resource Centre. She asked for a volunteer to run a course in Creative Writing. One copy of the book '500 Beacons' by Eric Midwinter about the growth of the U3A is available to members on loan. |
| Treasurer David Wilson reminded members that subscriptions are due before 1st January 2005. |
| Tom Coombes announced a concert in Wilton by the U3A choir |
| James Mogford explained that the new smaller size of the Newsletter means that multiples of four pages only are feasible, and that omission of any material is due to technical problems, not editorial. |
| The
speaker, David Waymouth, gave us a detailed run up to the Battle of
Trafalgar, which has its 200th anniversary in 2005. Napoleon was a
ruthless leader but a terrible admiral. The French fleet was
second-rate, as many officers had been killed in the French Revolution.
Nelson was revered by his sailors and treated them generously. He broke
the old pattern of fixed battles at sea, employing tactics which used
the prevailing winds. His military philosophy was concentration,
aggression, and initiative. The French and Spanish fleet outnumbered
the English, but the English sailed very close to the enemy, firing
from three rows of powerful guns at point-blank range – 350 yards. In July 1805 Nelson was Commander-in-Chief. The French and Spanish ships had been blockaded in the ports around the coast of France and Spain. Villeneuve was in Cadiz, and Nelson placed Collingwood off Cadiz to contain him. The French and Spanish fleet of 34 ships tried to sail north to France. Nelson with 27 ships attacked them from the west breaking the line of ships and taking Villeneuve. In the battle the English lost 500 men but no ships. The French and Spanish lost 5,000 men, 17 ships, and 20,000 prisoners were taken. The French fleet never again tried to fight against the English Navy. Samuel Pepys wrote: “It is upon the Navy, under the good Providence of God, that the wealth, safety, and strength of the Kingdom do depend.” |
