The British red
An old school atlas surfaced recently. It showed the vast territories around the world that were part of the old British Empire all depicted in red.
Most of those territories, including Canada, now have gravitated to another color although most maintain loose ties to the Commonwealth.
Remaining under the Union Jack are 13 small countries scattered around the world.
Among these are Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gilbraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Island and St. Helena.Total population involved is around 100,000.
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This is quite a decline from the days when the British Colonial Office had to consider the welfare of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Burma, Hong Kong, Newfoundland, Rhodesia, Ceylon and various protectorates.
We gave those Colonial Office types a lively time until we were granted autonomy.
Life doesn’t get any easier even today. The dependent territories have just negotiated a deal under which they receive full British citizenship.
Their people can now live and work in Britain and travel freely in the European Union.
However, the territories cannily refused to allow the Brits the same courtesy. Bermuda and the Cayman Islands might find their populations mushrooming to unprecedented numbers.
Some Britons might not be above moving to Napoleon’s island of exile, St. Helena, or Fletcher Christian’s refuge at Pitcairn where he went following the Mutiny on the Bounty. If there is a tax shelter included, as for the Channel Islands, relocating can be attractive.
The new agreement forestalls that. If they want their own island paradise they’ll have to go somewhere other than the British Dependent Territories.
Perhaps they’ll consider extending the British red to the moon or Jupiter.
