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As a historical anecdote, this was also the site of the Darien Disaster in the late 1690s: the plan was to build a Scottish colony, but it didn't go well. It we

As a historical anecdote, this was also the site of the Darien Disaster in the late 1690s: the plan was to build a Scottish colony, but it didn't go well. It went so poorly, in fact, that Scotland went broke and had to get a bailout from England, leading to the Acts of Union in 1707. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darien_scheme https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darien_scheme

pelle 13y ago
In the old days the Darien encompassed a lot larger area than it does today. The Darien Scheme was actually in the San Blas islands now part of the Kuna Yala territory belonging to the Kuna tribe. This territory lies further west that the Darien province of today. But yes it is an interesting story that I always bring up to Scots.
makomk 13y ago
Yeah, and now Scotland is seeking independence again - but they still expect England (or at least the Bank of England) to be on the hook to bail them out.
- JetSetWilly 13y ago
  Neither of those assertions are true. Only if there is a yes vote returned in the referendum will it be possible to say that "Scotland is seeking independence" - at the moment the most that can be said is some Scots are seeking independence. Secondly, the white paper released yesterday does not suggest that England (by which you rather arrogantly mean the rest of the UK presumably) be liable to pay any Scottish debts incurred after independence. So get that chip off your shoulder.
  - gadders 13y ago
    The White Paper released yesterday was a list of hopes and wishes. A lot of it wasn't confirmed.
    - JetSetWilly 13y ago
      Of course not, seeing as here in the real world, many questions can't be settled until there's a negotiation between the two parties undergoing a divorce. The sole reason for the white paper is unionists demanding "answers" for things they know fine well it is impossible to answer definitively, then moaning about how said answers are "hopes and wishes". However I'm impressed you read a 674 page document in less than a day, you win a speed reading award.
arethuza 13y ago
Ironically, the organisation set up to handle the bailout part of the Union evolved into what became RBS: http://www.rbs.com/content/otr/content/curriculum-for-excellence/darien-adventure/history.htm http://www.rbs.com/content/otr/content/curriculum-for-excell... Edit: An excellent book on the subject on the long rise and quick fall of RBS is "Making it Happen: Fred Goodwin, RBS and the Men Who Blew Up the British Economy" - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Happen-Goodwin-British-Economy/dp/147111354X http://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Happen-Goodwin-British-Econom...

pelle 13y ago

In the old days the Darien encompassed a lot larger area than it does today. The Darien Scheme was actually in the San Blas islands now part of the Kuna Yala territory belonging to the Kuna tribe. This territory lies further west that the Darien province of today. But yes it is an interesting story that I always bring up to Scots.

makomk 13y ago

Yeah, and now Scotland is seeking independence again - but they still expect England (or at least the Bank of England) to be on the hook to bail them out.

JetSetWilly 13y ago
Neither of those assertions are true. Only if there is a yes vote returned in the referendum will it be possible to say that "Scotland is seeking independence" - at the moment the most that can be said is some Scots are seeking independence. Secondly, the white paper released yesterday does not suggest that England (by which you rather arrogantly mean the rest of the UK presumably) be liable to pay any Scottish debts incurred after independence. So get that chip off your shoulder.
- gadders 13y ago
  The White Paper released yesterday was a list of hopes and wishes. A lot of it wasn't confirmed.
  - JetSetWilly 13y ago
    Of course not, seeing as here in the real world, many questions can't be settled until there's a negotiation between the two parties undergoing a divorce. The sole reason for the white paper is unionists demanding "answers" for things they know fine well it is impossible to answer definitively, then moaning about how said answers are "hopes and wishes". However I'm impressed you read a 674 page document in less than a day, you win a speed reading award.

arethuza 13y ago

Ironically, the organisation set up to handle the bailout part of the Union evolved into what became RBS: http://www.rbs.com/content/otr/content/curriculum-for-excellence/darien-adventure/history.htm http://www.rbs.com/content/otr/content/curriculum-for-excell... Edit: An excellent book on the subject on the long rise and quick fall of RBS is "Making it Happen: Fred Goodwin, RBS and the Men Who Blew Up the British Economy" - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Happen-Goodwin-British-Economy/dp/147111354X http://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Happen-Goodwin-British-Econom...