Just when you thought that ENT surgeons are, well; just think about them that is all! Now why I mentioned ENT is because of a war!
Now there have been several wars but did you know that there is a war fought for an EAR! In fact the war itself is called The war of jenkin’s ear!
The War of Jenkins’ Ear was a conflict between Great Britain and Spain, primarily fought in the Caribbean and North America, from 1739 to 1748. It began due to trade disputes and colonial tensions, but gained its popular name from the incident in 1731 where a Spanish captain severed the ear of British captain Robert Jenkins. This incident was used as a pretext for war, although the underlying causes were more complex.
The war stemmed from British resentment over Spanish restrictions on trade in the Americas, particularly the activities of Spanish guarda costas (coast guard vessels) that harassed British ships. The incident involving Captain Robert Jenkins, whose ear was cut off by Spanish authorities, fueled public outrage in Britain and provided a rallying cry for war!
The war officially lasted from 1739 to 1748, though the major fighting in the Caribbean largely concluded by 1742. A notable victory was the capture of the Spanish port of Portobelo in 1739!
Now this is the official version! According to Bill Bryson in His novel about American History it was just an ordinary war with two major results!
First things were some interesting linguistic spin-offs. The first one came with the introduction of a daily ration of rum and water for the sailors on the instructions of the commander of the fleet, Edward Vernon.
Vernon’s nickname was Old Grog – no one seems to know why – and the drink, as you will doubtless have guessed, was soon called grog. Which is why even now those who drink too much would perforce become groggy!
Another achievement was due to the fact that Vernon was by all accounts an inspiring figure, and was greatly loved by his men. One of his colonial officers, Lawrence Washington who was half-brother of George, was so taken with the admiral that he named his Virginia plantation Mount Vernon in his honour! It stands there to this day! Now you know why it is called so!
The final contribution according to Bill of the war of Jenkins’ Ear is that it marked a telling semantic transition. It was then for the first time that the British began to refer to their colonial cousins as Americans, rather than as provincials or colonials. American had been recorded as early as 1578, but previously had been applied only to the native Indians. No one realized it yet, but a new nation had begun!
All because of the EAR!
Now do not ask what happened to Poor Jenkins! And no jokes on the EAR! Or you will get an EAR full!
That’s the strength of the EAR! Strength or shakti reminds me of Shakthiman aka Mukesh Khanna!
Shubh ratri!
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