It’s a bit late I know, but I’ve just reblogged a post of from Johnsstorybook.com, now I know most of you follow Johns posts, both of them; he runs two, glutton for punishment that he is!
But why have you waited so long, I trust you’re thinking.
Well when I read it, it kind of worried me a bit. Being what is sometimes called an AussiePom, my way of looking at the alliance between Australia and the United States of America has always been from a different angle.
From the time of my arrival in Melbourne, in April of 1951, I have been aware of a small, nagging grudge, against the English, not the British, but the English, by the older Australians, and those of my generation. It’s still there in a watered down version.
Mind you, in 1951 the ties to Great Britain, and England in particular, were still very strong. People stood for ‘God Save The King’, George VI was still alive then, and the greatest event on the sporting calenders were, ‘The Ashes’ & ‘The Cup’; there was still some tension when the Australians spoke of being let down by London, after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, ( Yankee spelling not mine) and they entered the war; in Australia’s back yard.
I could, in a sense, understand them, but they really couldn’t understand me, when I told what it was like, in London, during the war years. It really has to be experienced first hand, I was a lousy Cockney kid communicator (fine bit of alliteration, 🙂 ) at the time.
Off on a tangent, as usual, so back to Johnsstory. I do, on reading it over a few times, get the same sneaking suspicion, that the 1950’s belief is still there. That it wasn’t until 1942, when hostilities between Japan and the US, commenced that the close relationship between the two countries was cemented.
It was sealed long, long before! It goes back to the first settlement in Australia, in the late 18th century.
Great Britain was, (still is but for air travel) a daunting world away, from Sydney Cove. The ‘First Fleet’ departed Portsmouth, England 230 years ago today, 13th May 1787; arriving in Botany Bay some 252 days later on the 26th January 1788.
The fledgling United States was a much better option. It became the life line to the settlers in New South Wales.
Merchant ships, leaving New England ports for the orient, brought essentials to Sydney via ‘The Horn’, across to Sydney Cove, before heading up to China. In Sydney they were able to re-victual once the settlement became established.
The American sailors, would take orders for goods & crockery to be made specially for the Sydneysiders by the Chinese, which the Americans would pick up and deliver back to Sydney, a couple of years or more later. Bit hard to believe these days!
There is one item in the Australian national Maritime Museum, that came to Sydney by this circuitous route. It is a bowl, a very large bowl, and the decorations are of Sydney Cove, on the inside, and Aborigines decorating the outer. It is of the finest China, almost translucent, and is displayed in a sealed break proof glass box. It is one of only two in existence; and its value?
Well over $2 million! And it’s not for sale! 😀
America became the source of supply for much needed timber, for the booming Sydney Town. Had it not been for the American seaman and the American trade, the survival of the Sydney Cove settlement would have been in a very precarious position.
It was not one way however, with the timber trade, The Australian eucalypti, being a particularly hardy tree, became very popular in California, and subsequently, many thousands of acres, of Californian soil, and desert, became home to the Australian gum tree
The Americans brought more than many realize. Baseball was brought to this country and being played long before the Anglo/Australian Tests began. The Americans had high hopes of Australia, along with Canada, participating in the World Series, however, the powers that be in London frowned mightily on such an idea.
“Not cricket old boy, what!”
So it is evident to me at least, that the US/Australian alliance, has deeper roots than than far supposed long predating the Second World War.
So do I agree with John, is it time to close the book?
With the present incumbent in the Oval Office, and Mealy Mouthed Mal, the Bastard Banker cosing up to said incumbent I’m inclined to say yes; cut the ties. Then common sense tells me that these two parasites will not be there much longer, it will only seem much longer, and I say no.
Our ties are to great to allow this disastrous interlude to come between our two countries.
Being a Pom it’s backs to the wall, grit the teeth and carry on!
Just hope my Aussie mate feel the same!
🐻
LordBeariOfBow 
Fascinating piece of history of which I was unaware, Brian. Thanks
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Did you know that there were 3 Americans aboard the HMB Endeavour when Lt James Cook arrived at Botany Bay? True they were still part of the B.E then
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I didn’t, Brian. Thanks
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Lt Gore a New Yorker was with Cook on his last fatal voyage and was responsible for bringing the ships back to England with the news. He became a Captain RN.
You might find this interesting about the Gore’s
https://lordbeariofbow.com/2013/11/14/cooks-senior-american-john-gore/
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More good history. Thanks, Brian
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Yes Brian, There is much history between them and us. In fact one little known fact, (What with me being a Ballarat boy) is the arrival in Melbourne in 1865 of the Confederate ship the Shenandoah and the gala ball that was thrown for the crew by the people of Ballarat,.only 14 years after the discovery of gold. And there were many American in Australia after the 1849 Californian Gold Rush petered out.And there are quite a few place names with the word Yankee. I guess I was more inclined to separate us from the current President than from the Country. So although I am still annoyed by his attitude to Australia I do eventually agree with you.
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I was aware of the Shenandoah, I seem to recall there is mention of it at the ANMM in the US Gallery. Was my favourite part of the museum, I loved takig people through when I was there, especially our Yankee cousins. They don’t seem to have much idea of the depth of the Australia/USA connection and it was a great feeling to open their eyes to it!
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Please don’t judge America by the idiot that fewer than half of us voted for.
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I don’t think I was judging Americans ill PT, only two men, one American, whose name I will not utter and one Australian, our excuse for a Prime Minister,
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Not sure what makes Australians special . . . Trump has just as much contempt for most Americans. You don’t see us wanting to cut and run.
. . . well, ok . . . if there were a place to cut and run to, I might. Don’t say Australia; they seem stuck on appearances and somewhat thin-skinned.
Plus, everything there will try to kill you. I hear clumps of grass will swarm and attack unwary humans and huge crocks roam the land unfeathered. I’ve even heard they have something called a “Russel Crowe”, a hideous creature that will assault your hearing. Rumor has it, it killed the previous top predator, something called a “Paul Hogan”, whatever that was.
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Paul Hogan was is an obnoxious fellow and I came very close to punching him square in the face some years back, arrogany pig that he is. The Crow is actuallya kiwi, a non flying bird originating in New Zealand, an outer Sydney suburb.
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New Zeland, Australia . . . they all look the same to me.
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Old Australian adage
“Blind as well as stupid”:D 👿 😈 🐻
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Wait . . . I didn’t know you were blind!
Oh, wait . . . you mean to say that I’m lacking in the mental acuity department. Gosh, you kiwis got clever sayings. I’m impressed; you kiwis surpass my highest expectations (higher even than those I have of Brits).
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The only crocks we have roaming around are those old ones like me, the other species of croc are harmless enough if they can’t get near you.as are our ever friendly snakes in the grass or in the roof under the cars bonnet/hood. need I go on?
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Good of you to own crockiness; thanks.
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Brian,
I think POTUS should be changed to TOTUS – Twitter of the United States, given his penchant for using twitter. Perhaps Twitter can be shortened to Twit.
Neill.
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I thik of stronger words than twit to describe the present incumbent of the Oval Office
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Lots of great information in this post, and the comments make interesting reading too.
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There are even more now even more interesting especially for an Aussie. 😀
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You mean The Little People? I just caught up with John’s Storybook and your re-blog. How divine!
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lovely story, not the usual Aussie tough digger style that we like to convey
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You need your own blog site Neill, I’ll come around and help set it up.if you like.
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I had covered a bit of this in my 2013 post on Gore, including the bit about his son and Australia.
https://lordbeariofbow.com/2013/11/14/cooks-senior-american-john-gore/
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I appreciate your viewpoint, Brian. I think POTUS has already damaged our international relationships to such a degree that we’ll all be in the soup if/when things go really bad. I’m watching his live performance on the world stage this week with trepidation. The rule of thumb seems to be ‘If anything can go wrong/worse, it will.’ Not that I wish it. I’ve just come to accept that it will.
Elouise
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It’s amazing how easy it is to con the”average” American, seems that nearly half of them thought they were going to get something for nothing, in-stead of which they got nothing for everything! 😦
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Something like that, plus the harsh reality of watching the gap between the ultra rich growing at an obscene rate, and the predominance of likeminded individuals shrinking by the decade, and in my view, the refusal to deal with our long history of entrenched white privilege that doesn’t understand the meaning of white privilege in this country. Sorry for the long sentence! All of which still makes DT an unlikely savior. 😟
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White privilege brings with it the obligation of compassion, and not the hypocritical type that is prevalent.
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