by Stan Mason
‘We don’t want to discuss it!’ interrupted Trevithick rudely. ‘The only comment we have to make is that we don’t want your dangerous rubbish here infesting our environment and the health of our families!’
Gross intervened intending to take the steam out of the meeting. ‘There’s a great deal of support for our campaign against the waste being stored here,’ he cut in sharply. ‘People are willing to march against you and they’ve put up a great deal of money to help us do it. You’ll have resistance every step of the way.’
‘Why?’ demanded Malford rather puzzled. ‘Once the material’s buried, it will lay there for years until it’s safe... buried under the Atlantic Ocean and sealed so that no one will be affected. Even tourists will be allowed to visit the mine as they have done in the past. There’s no chance of an accident or any leakage.’
Trevithick looked at him straight in the eye with his temper rising. ‘Huh!’ he muttered, ‘we only have your word for that and I for one don’t trust it. How would you like it if it were buried in your back garden?’ The question was treated as rhetoric and Trevithick continued after a pause. ‘Anyway we’ve laid the tin bounds to the mine an’ issued a Write of Possession to work ‘e. You’ll not be able to store waste here if we’re workin’ the mine. The case be with the Stannary Court.’
Devine decided to enter the discussion at that point. ‘Perhaps someone ought to inform you that the Stannary Court was abolished in 1896. Legal matters these days are effected through the County Courts. As far as the Stannary Court is concerned, Mr. Trevithick, it has no power although it can hold hearings and writs if it wants to. However it’s not regarded as a proper court of law and it has no legal standing or authority.’
‘In that case,’ stated James to Gross, wishing to establish his own claim, ‘the mine was bought recently and is being worked which means that your tin bounds are ineffective. You’re trespassing. You have no right to issue a Writ of Possession. When it’s known that other people own the mine.’
‘Why not,’ spluttered Gross in response. ‘You did it yourself a short while ago.’
‘I did it for a specific reason,’ retaliated the mining consultant.
‘And why do you think we’re doing it?’ demanded Trevithick belligerently. ‘This isn’t a game, you know. It’s for real!’
‘We have a right under Stannary Law to enter the bounds and to work the tin under the Atlantic Ocean,’ claimed Gross angrily. ‘A team of miners will be here today to work the tin. They won’t be along because we have a team of men ready to protect them. You should understand our position very clearly, Mr. Malford,’ he went on politely. ‘If anyone tries to prevent us, we’ll have no option but to protect ourselves.’
Malford shook his head from side to side. ‘We’re not here to take you by force, Mr. Gross,’ he explained carefully. ‘Our intention is to work harmoniously with you. Nuclear energy is essential to the lifeblood of the nation but it comes with waste products being left behind, like ashes and cinders left after a coal fire in the hearth and it has to be removed to safety. Sadly, it’s contaminated with radio activity which is dangerous to human-beings except when stored over a long period of time in a safe place. Botallack is perfect for that task and no one will be harmed.’
‘It’s not only the deposit of the waste that’s the problem, Mr. Malford,’ continued Gross adamantly. ‘It’s the knowledge that it’s there. It makes people feel uneasy. And you’re wrong about tourists. As soon as they learn that nuclear waste is being stored at the mine, they’ll avoid this place like the plague. It’ll become a ghost town. We’re talking about a county that relies on them in the summer. We’d be putting a nail in our coffin!’
‘I don’t agree,’ intervened James. ‘No one will know about the waste except for a few of us. It’ll have no effect on tourists whatsoever.’
‘Where do you live, Mr. James?’ asked Trevithick menacingly as his temper began to flare.
‘In Plymouth,’ came the reply
‘Plymouth! Well we live here... near to the mine! It’s easy for you to agree with the opposition because you live somewhere else!’
‘In Britain,’ continued Devine. ‘radiation from industrial and other processes represents only a small fraction of that which the population is exposed from the natural environment. You may rest assured it’s subject to stringent controls because of the long-term genetic effects on health. The Government carries out a continuous research programme into methods of treatment, storage, transport and disposal of radio-active waste.’
‘Mr. Devine,’ affirmed Malford earnestly, ‘is saying that the Government would not store nuclear waste in a mine if it wasn’t certain that all precautions had been taken to ensure complete safety for the period until it becomes safe.’
‘Assurance of that kind can never be acceptable where the lives of people are at stake,’ retorted Gross defensively. ‘There may be many accidents in the future involving the release of radio activity into the atmosphere. What excuse will you pundits make then?’
‘In view of the fact that Stannary Law is no longer in practice,’ pleaded Malford, ‘will you delay your occupation of the mine?’
‘Not a chance!’ spat Trevithick. ‘We work the mine for tin later today and for ever if necessary.’
‘I suggest that you listen to Mr. Malfor,’ added Devine anxiously. ‘He has the law on his side. You’re on a very sticky wicket.’
Trevithick stood up to his maximum height to face him. ‘I’ve had enough of this!’ he growled. ‘We’re just going round and round the mulberry bush. We tell you that we don’t want nuclear waste here but you’ve made up your mind to do so. It’s a stalemate!’ He moved across to Devine and grasped him by his shirt front. ‘If anything happens to my family or friends you’ll be in very serious trouble! I’m holding you responsible!’
A great commotion followed in which everyone became involved with the exception of Ivan who tried to drag Trevithick away from his quarry. Eventually it calmed down and the miners glared at the officials before stalking out of the Counting house. Gross offered belated apologies and followed his colleagues to await the arrival of the miners. Meanwhile, James had considered calling the police to prevent the men starting work at the mine. Instead he employed a group of thugs to protect his property. Four men had been hired for this purpose and they all looked exceedingly unpleasant. The rest was in the hands of fate.
At five o’clock that evening, twelve miners smashed the lock of the main gate with axes and walked through, followed by another twelve carrying wooden clubs and pick-axe handles which they were prepared to use. Before lone, they encountered James, Ivan and the two officials, plus the four mercenaries... one of them holding two Doberman pincher dogs which growled viciously and strained forcefully at their leashes.
‘Go back!’ ordered James in the vain hope that they would listen to him. ‘Go back! Think of your wives and families!’
‘That’s exactly what we’re doing!’ charged one of the miners. ‘Why do you think we’re here?’
‘These two men,’ continued the mining consultant pointing to Malford and Devine, ‘are here from the Government and they assure you that the storage of waste will be perfectly safe.’
‘Piss off!’ shouted Trevithick rudely, showing off in front of the men. ‘We know all about Government assurances. They’re not worth the paper they’re written on!’
The miners supported him vociferously, some of them bursting into laughter. As Trevithick stepped forward menacingly however, the dogs snarled and strained to break free. The dog-handler snapped orders holding on to them tightly but they were difficult to control.
Trevithick stepped back quickly with apprehension, trying not to lose face. ‘You’d better keep those dogs where they belong!’ he warned anxiously, ‘or you’ll have real trouble on your hands!’ The dogs growled at him savagely, neither one
finding the miner’s tone acceptable.
Gross stared at James, his face hardening with concern. ‘Look, Mr. James,’ he began seriously. ‘We’ve no personal quarrel with you and we don’t want to take over the mine permanently. Surely you can see what we’re doing. If we mine for tin, the Government can’t store nuclear waste here. Let it pass. It’ll save a lot of heartache and bloodshed.’
‘If you use those dogs, there’ll be hell to pay,’ cautioned Tevithick, eyeing the canines warily.
‘Perhaps I ought to explain to you the realities of life, Mr. Goss,’ responded James. ‘The mine has to pay its way. At the moment, the price of tin is low. Mines have been closing in south Cornwall for many years and miners seek employment overseas. If Botallack is to remain alive, it has to do something extra. The contract for storing nuclear waste is the idea thing for it.’
‘At the expense of the lives of Cornishmen!’ blurted Trevithick, his face turning red and the veins protruding from his forehead.
‘Untrue!’ retorted the mining consultant. ‘I wouldn’t consider accepting the contract if it meant risking the life of one man, one woman or one child.’
‘More assurances!’ scoffed Trevithick, followed by angry comments of the miners. ‘I say we put an end to it now. Storm the mine and take it. That’s what we’re here for, isn’t it?’
The two dogs pulled strongly at their leashes, growling and leaping forwards as the noise of the shouting unnerved them. The thug controlling them grimaced as he struggled to keep them under control and it became obvious that he wouldn’t be able to hold them back much longer.
‘I think we should pause there for a moment,’ suggested Gross, seriously concerned that the stalemate situation would lead to violence. ‘We should give each other a cooling-off period of, say, half-an-hour to see whether we can hammer out some kind of agreement.’
‘Good idea!’ returned James in accord. ‘It might prevent people getting hurt.’
‘He’s threatening us!’ challenged Trevithick unwarrantedly. ‘Everything he says and does is used as a threat!’
‘Shut up!’ ordered Gross in an attempt to defuse the situation. ‘No one’s threatening anybody. Get the boys back to the main gate. We need to talk for a while.’
The disgruntled Trevithick turned unhappily to herd the miners and their supporters back towards the main gate where they sat down to give vent to their feelings. ‘There are more of us than they.’ he told them flatly. ‘If six of you with clubs take the two dogs, the rest of us can tackle them. Then we can get to the mine and they won’t get us out.’
‘Shut up, Ken!’ repeated Gross becoming angry with his colleague. ‘The idea of taking a break is to work a way out of this problem.’
‘We’re not giving in!’ persisted the second in command.
‘Of course we’re not giving in. It’s up to them to sort it out. That’s why I suggested the break.’
The essence of the discussion was simple. They had come to take the min, by force if necessary, to work it for tin. By using such tactics, the Government would be frustrated in their aim. However the conversation was somewhat different across the rugged terrain where James and his party had taken refuge. They realised that Gross and his men would be totally intransigent, therefore it was pointless to stand one’s ground indefinitely in defiance. A compromise was needed to prevent violence. The two factions were absolutely deadlocked and James went into deep discussion with the two officials in an attempt to find a solution. However nothing emerged to alter the situation. When all seemed lost, James strolled across to Ivan and looked at him in despair. ‘You haven’t said a word so far, Ivan. Do you have any views that might help?’
‘I think I can settle the problem,’ stated the Russian calmly. ‘It depends on whether the two officials are willing to trust us. Shall we put them to the test to find out?’
They walked back to Malford and Devise, and the Russian related his idea to them. ‘These men will not be satisfied until they enter the mine to work it,’ he began slowly. ‘They feel very strongly about radio-active waste which is not unnatural. If you resist them, there will be violence and maybe some people might be killed.’
‘We know that but we can’t back down,’ muttered Devine glumly. ‘We do have the law on our side.’
‘You don’t need the law,’ continued Ivan. ‘You need to practice diplomacy in its worst form. The mine means more to them than anything else in the world. The only way out is to do a deal.’
‘They won’t agree to any deal,’ returned Devine impatiently.
‘Not with them!’ returned the Russian deviously. ‘I meant between us!’ James stared at him in surprise while the two officials appeared puzzled by the remark. ‘On the one hand, we must tell them that the Government agrees to review the case and promise not to despatch nuclear waste here until the results are published. If you accept the idea in principle, I’m sure the men won’t occupy the mine. I mean there would be no point. On the other hand, we can agree between ourselves that the storage of nuclear waste will start as soon as arrangements can be made for its delivery.’
‘But the Government has already decided to store nuclear waste here!’ insisted Malford firmly. ‘I can’ t tell those men a lie!’
‘Maybe not,’ stated Ivan bluntly, ‘but I can.’
Devine seemed perplexed. ‘How can we deliver nuclear waste to the mine when we’ve told them that Government intents to review the matter? They’ll spot the lorries even if they travel overnight.’
‘It needs a little imagination,’ declared the Russian. ‘The promise of a review will prevent them from taking over the mine. The waste can be brought, not by road with lorries, but shipped by vessels in containers to the Crowns side of Botallack. No one will pay attention to ships passing the Crowns and if they come by night, no one will ever know. Then, if the miners decide to return, the waste will have been sealed off and the won’t be able to do anything about it.’
Silence reigned as they all thought about the plan carefully before James submitted his opinion. ‘He has a point, you know,’ he admitted. ‘Lorries would be the obvious method of transport but no one will take any notice of ships passing in the night especially at this remote tip of the coast. Can you arrange for it to be shipped.’
‘I don’t see why not,’ returned Malford. ‘My concern is the promise made to the men about a review.’
They laboured on the point for the next twenty minutes before Gross, Trevithick and the others came back. The two factions stood facing each in ostensibly calm with the exception of the two hounds which barked and yelped furiously, still tugging fiercely at their leases.
‘Have you come to a conclusion?’ asked James, knowing full well the answer. ‘Are you going to leave?’
Gross faced him tiredly. ‘We’ve already outlined our intentions. Are you going to back down?
‘We’ve made progress,’ continued the mining consultant. ‘The Government is prepared to undertake a review which will take about nine months to complete. We ask you to withdraw and await the result before you take any action.’
Trevithick inhaled deeply. ‘How do we know that’s true?’ he demanded angrily. You’re just trying to put us off. I say we take the mine now!’
‘Yes!’ agreed another miner. ‘Let’s take it now!’
‘Stupidity!’ yelled Ivan at the top of his voice, involving himself in the conflict. Sheer stupidity. If you run the mine, the price of tin is so low you’ll be bankrupt in less than four months. The Government will then move it to store the nuclear waste. You’d be known as the ‘fools of Botallack’.’
‘Who is this man?’ enquired Trevithick angrily without taking his eyes off the Russian. ‘Why do we have to listen to the monkey when the organ-grinders are here?’
‘I’m Ivan Obsiovitch,’ he boasted, ‘who escaped from Russia... an underdog
like yourself. If I was a miner, I’d be standing right beside you holding an axe to make my message clear but I’m with Mr. James.’ He paused for effect. ‘You’re all good men and I would hate to see bloodshed. But with the review and another approach to the Stannary Court, it’s unnecessary to resort to violence. Furthermore, if you occupy the mine, you’ll be arrested on charges of trespass and vandalism and your case will be lost from the start.’
‘Are you one of the Russians already working the mine?’ asked Gross.
‘Already working the mine?’ Ivan’s head shot up in surprise as his mind went into a whirl. If the Russians were working the mine, Anna would be there... and Peter... and Josef. He paused to consider the outcome of meeting them. They would probably not wish to speak with him... not any more!
Gross turned to the men and shrugged his shoulders. ‘What do you say?’ he asked the men tiredly. ‘The Government promises to review the situation which will give us more time to fight the cause.’
‘If we turn back now, we’ve lost!’ predicted the second in command.
‘I think we should wait for the review, uttered Gross miserably. ‘We’ve elected a Member of Parliament. Let him do the job for us!’
The dogs began to growl viciously again and the handler started to lose control of one of the leashes. The miners began to move backwards which seemed to incense the hounds. Then one of the Doberman dogs pulled its way free and raced towards them menacingly. There was a general panic among the miners, and they could be seen running for their lives in all directions. Remarkably, no one was hurt but it was the end of the assault on the mine that day. James was extremely grateful to his apprentice for providing the solution to the problem and he intended to compensate him. According to his principles, action above and beyond the call of duty was not to go un-rewarded. He would think of a suitable way to do that in due course!
Chapter Sixteen
In the wake of despair, repression and unhappiness, the ideals of escapism, in one form or another, is a breeding ground for actions which might be regarded as rash or foolhardy. For a group of Russian students, the role of itinerant travellers was becoming part of their life-style. Effectively, somewhere along the way, they had lost their rights to be treated accorded to convention as a result of political stature beyond their control. One person alone could claim political asylum and attract little attention; a group of people, however, created political problems and had difficulty in being afforded such privilege. Therefore their case was left in the pending tray of one department after another. They still stood united in their aims, with the exception of Ivan who had left them, but their morale had drifted downwards to its nadir following disinterest in their plight by everyone concerned.