LETTERS TO HILLERY:The PRESIDENT PATRICK Hillery had to field some strange requests during his tenure, including one from Admiral ER Welles III, who described himself as president of Oceanus.
The admiral, based in Maine, asked Hillery to recognise the developing government of Oceanus which he had established in 1970. It was claiming all the seas of the world greater than three miles, as its territory, and he ruled it from a 93-ft sailing schooner, according to a New York Times article enclosed with his letter.
According to Greek legend, Oceanus was the ruler of the waters that surround the world.
Welles told Hillery that Ireland would benefit from officially recognising and participating in the government of Oceanus. “Your recognition and participation of, and in, Oceanus will give your country greater influence around the globe, especially the global ocean being the country of Oceanus,” he wrote.
“Your Ireland will realise fewer fishing disputes over fishing rights and will probably realise larger income from fishing.”
Welles said he planned to visit Ireland and meet the president and Government officials to discuss the matter.
The president’s office sought advice on responding to the letter, saying it would not send out an acknowledgment “in case this group would think that the Office of the President was recognising them”. It was told by the Department of Foreign Affairs that “it would not be appropriate for the President to reply to the letter”. The office was advised to take no further action.
Thirty years later, the campaign to get official recognition for Oceanus is still continuing according to its website (oceanus21.tripod.com)
It says that management of the world’s oceans requires a world government as man has not only failed to understand our connection to the seas but continuously insists on using the global oceans as a huge repository for all manner of human waste.
As well as grappling with the finer details of Oceanus, Hillery also received a request from a German woman who was disillusioned with her country and believed it was full of megalomaniacs.
“This place is like a huge unfenced lunatic asylum,” she wrote. People were making poisonous detergents “even though the rain can wash and the sun can dry”. They were manufacturing washing machines, spin driers and fridges even though earthenware vessels were much better.
“I would like to emigrate to your country,” she told Mr Hillery. “I would leave fridges, stoves, running hot water, the stench of cars and the noise of people behind without a word of farewell,” she wrote, seemingly unaware that 1980s Ireland had also adopted these modern conveniences.
“If there is one of your subjects who wants to leave his cottage, field and cow to try his luck in a poor rich country, I would surely be a good new custodian of his property, however small it might be.” She added that she had four young cats and wanted to take them with her.
The president was unable to facilitate her request.
