SteveT

Pilot & self appointed internet pedant. Sometimes wrong. Will drive trains instead of helicopters.

[Ben Thompson @TheStoicEnglish]

On behalf of the British people, I would like to apologise for the slave trade. I am sorry we were the first great power in history to turn its guns on it. I am sorry it cost us around 2,000 sailors to free 150,000 people they would never meet. I am sorry the rest of the world took so long to follow.

Slavery did not begin with Britain. It is as old as civilisation. Babylon wrote it into law. Rome built an empire on it. The Vikings sold Englishmen through the slave market at Dublin. In 1625 Barbary corsairs took 60 men, women and children out of a Cornish church; by 1640 Parliament was told 3,000 to 5,000 English people were held in Algiers alone.

Every great power of the age took part in the Atlantic trade. Portugal and Spain for a century before an English ship did. Then the Dutch, the French — and the British, who in the eighteenth century carried more than anyone. That is the record. It is not disputed here.

Then a nation turned on the trade that had made it rich.

Wilberforce's bill was beaten year after year. On 25 March 1807 it passed. Then Britain did the part the critics never mention — it sent the Royal Navy to enforce it. The West Africa Squadron sailed in 1808, two ships for 3,000 miles of coast, and hunted slavers for nearly sixty years. Britain paid Spain and Portugal to open their ships to search. HMS Black Joke ran down the slaver El Almirante in 1829 and found 466 people in her hold.

Around 2,000 British sailors died doing it — most of fever, to free people they would never meet. 1,600 slave ships seized. 150,000 Africans set free.

In 1833 Parliament borrowed £20 million to end slavery across the Empire. The debt was not finally redeemed until 2015. The United States needed a civil war. Cuba held slaves until 1886. Brazil until 1888 — eighty-one years after Westminster voted.

Yes, we took part in the trade. Every power of the age did. None of them fought it like we did.

So yes. I will apologise. I am sorry it cost us so much. I am sorry the rest of the world took so long to follow.

That is not something you apologise for. That is something you teach.

#history #britishhistory #royalnavy #westafricasquadron

[SEOforDeplorables @DeplorableSEO]

@MerriamWebster It's a mute point. For all intensive purposes, this list doesn't pass mustard. I could care less if people use them. Case and point: enough time has passed that the statue of limitations has run out, per say.

[SteveT @Steveeet]

How much for a wildcat martlet shot?

[Gully Foyle #UKTrade @TerraOrBust]

It currently costs the Royal Navy in excess of £1 million to shoot down a single drone using a Sea Viper missile.

After the DragonFire laser system is rolled out from 2027, 5 years ahead of schedule thanks to Brexit, it will cost around £10 a shot.

Such a massive saving for UK.

[Gully Foyle #UKTrade @TerraOrBust]

It currently costs the Royal Navy in excess of £1 million to shoot down a single drone using a Sea Viper missile.

After the DragonFire laser system is rolled out from 2027, 5 years ahead of schedule thanks to Brexit, it will cost around £10 a shot.

Such a massive saving for UK.

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

Last week, Royal Marines conducted a Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) exercise on 🇩🇪FGS Berlin as part of Exercise Strike Warrior 26-2.

[RNAS Culdrose @RNASCuldrose]

Having achieved 6,000 flying hours, over 34 years' service, @RoyalNavy Merlin helicopter pilot Lt Cdr Steve Thomas was treated to an affectionate soaking, courtesy of the Culdrose fire crew (he actually dared them to do it) as he returned to #824NAS yesterday afternoon. #BZ Steve

[Bob Golen @BobGolen]

If I ever trip slightly while walking, I make sure to look back and down at the ground so that the people around me know that I'm normally great at walking, but in this particular instance there was something wrong with the ground.

[Andy @AndyAitcheson]

RAF regiment has one job. Just one job

[RNAS Culdrose @RNASCuldrose]

Great action shots of Merlin Helicopter Force's #824NAS taking part in exercises with aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales last week. 824 NAS is one of three Merlin Mk2 squadrons based at RNAS Culdrose.
Video: @RoyalNavy Great Leading Photographer Dan Rosenbaum

[RNAS Culdrose @RNASCuldrose]

RNAS Culdrose’s 824 Naval Air Squadron carried out a special flight this week when they flew His Majesty The King to aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. The Merlin crew were highlighted for their high level of aviation professionalism. #824NAS See https://t.co/A5YlRUHAqk

[SteveT @Steveeet]

@HMSPWLS @HMNBPortsmouth @27_Sqn @RoyalNavy Great phot of some superb machines. ⚓️ 🚁

[RNAS Culdrose @RNASCuldrose]

This week saw the last flight of Lt Cdr Ross Spooner, stalwart of Merlin Helicopter Force and a former @820NAS commanding officer. As a @RoyalNavy reservist @RNReserve he's served as a pilot & instructor with #824NAS for the last 7 years. He retires in a few months time.

[SteveT @Steveeet]

@MrJamesMay Carpet underlay?

[SteveT @Steveeet]

@mrdanwalker @thesheff1000 Tough levers considering your height Dan! Good luck 💪🫡

[SteveT @Steveeet]

@AllThingsCivil Kit bag surely?

[SofaRacer @SofaRacer]

Hey Ducati,

Just give him a GP25 at Gresini.

He’ll Win it anyway, and you will look so much Cooler for it.

People will Love you rather than like you.

It’s Marketing which can’t be bought.

Yours Sincerely

The People

[Dubhghall @macnahgalla]

This is the steel used in the base of a wind turbine. To complete it you still have to add between 600 and 800 cubic metres of concrete, which is a weight of nearly 2000 tons. Once the wind turbine is dismantled, this base will forever be buried in the ground. Wind is not Green.

[SteveT @Steveeet]

@AnnekaRice From a time when Health and Safety wasn’t king, and risk assessments were barely heard of. Happy days indeed

[SteveT @Steveeet]

@liamgallagher I hear they’re literacy STINKS more than there ATTITUDE.

[SteveT @Steveeet]

@aaibgovuk I am all those things, but as a current military multi engine/crew helicopter pilot/instructor without an ATPL, I don’t meet your starting criteria. A shame because this sounds like a really fascinating, challenging and rewarding opportunity.