The horror of the flood disaster in Mozambique was well described by Chris Wynn in her letter in the Cornish Times of March 10.

No doubt those of us in Cornwall who can do so will generously provide aid privately. Our Government has at last bestirred itself to send some of our ships, helicopters, boats and helpers as well as money.

But the bizarre delay in sending our ships and helicopters when we all know the flood waters were rising catastrophically has cost more than 3,000 people dead or disappeared in this friendly Commonwealth democracy which has long been one of our trading partners.

The Labour Government was much more prompt in arresting a visiting octogenarian Chilean senator and detaining him for more than a year at a cost of us of £15 million, plus at least £60 million in lost export orders.

This dishonourable detention of a man who was a vital ally in the Falklands war saved no lives and achieved nothing beyond tormenting the old man, damaging our reputation and making a hole in our pockets.

Since Edward Heath gave away our sovereignty in 1972, successive Governments have concentrated on shrinking what was our United Kingdom to insignificant enslaved regions of Europe. They seem unaware that we are a global trading nation with the fourth largest economy in the world and more friends overseas than in Europe.

KEITH BRIAN

Looe