Kyrenia Castle-Girne Kalesi), at the east end of the old harbour in Kyrenia is a 16th-century castle built by the Venetians over a previous Crusader fortification. Within its walls lies a twelfth-century chapel showing reused late Roman capitals, and the Shipwreck Museum.

 

Kyrenia has existed since the 10th century BC. Excavations have revealed Greek traces that date back to the 7th century BC, but the site was developed into a city under Roman rule.

 

Research carried out at the site suggests that the Byzantines built the original castle in the 7th Century to guard the city against the new Arab maritime threat. The first historical reference to the castle occurs in 1191, when King Richard I of England captured it on his way to the Third Crusade by defeating Isaac Comnenus, an upstart local governor who had proclaimed himself emperor.

 

After a short period, Richard sold the island to the Knights Templar who could not control it because of peasant revolt, and then to his cousin Guy de Lusignan, the former king of Jerusalem. This began the 300 years of the Frankish Lusignan Kingdom of Cyprus (1192–1489). Initially the castle was quite small. John d'Ibelin enlarged it between 1208 and 1211. The Castle's main function was military and the improvements consisted of a new entrance, square and horseshoe-shaped towers, embrasures for archers, and dungeons.

 

The castle was subjected to several sieges. A Genoese attack in 1373 almost destroyed the castle, and the longest amongst the sieges, in the 15th century, lasted nearly four years and reduced the unfortunate occupants to eating mice and rats. By 1489 the Venetians had taken control of Cyprus and in 1540 they enlarged the castle, giving it its present-day appearance. The chief changes, such as the addition of thick walls and embrasures for cannons, were adaptations to changes in warfare in the form of gunpowder artillery. The Venetians also installed gun ports at three levels so that they could direct cannon fire against attackers from the land. Inside the castle, they built huge long ramps so as to be able to drag artillery up on the walls. When the work on the castle was finished, its walls also encompassed the small church of St. George, which the Byzantines may have built in the 11th or 12th century.

 

In 1570, Kyrenia surrendered to the Ottomans. The Ottomans too made changes to the castle, but the British removed these during their occupation. The castle contains the tomb of the Ottoman Admiral Sadik Pasha. The British used the castle as a police barracks and training school. They also used the castle as a prison for members of the Greek Cypriot EOKA organization.

 

The Kyrenia Department of Antiquities took over custodianship of the castle in 1950, though it reverted to British control during the EOKA turmoil. The Department regained control in 1959 and since 1960 the castle has been open to the public. However, during the period from 1963 to 1967 the Cypriot National Guard used the castle as a military headquarters. Following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, in 1974 the Girne Department of Antiquities and Museums took over responsibility for the castle's preservation and use. The Department is keeping icons that were collected from churches in the Kyrenia area pre-1974 and has stored them in the castle's locked rooms for safekeeping. Some of these are now on display in the Archangel Michael Church.

 

The moat on the landward side of the castle was full of water prior to the 14th Century AD and served as a harbour to the castle. One enters the Castle through its north-west entrance, which opens on a bridge spanning the moat. From the first gate, lying to the north west of the fortified wall that the Venetians built, one comes to a vaulted corridor that leads to the entrance of the Lusignan castle. A passage to the left of the corridor gives entry to the cruciform Church of St. George. The dome of this church rests on marble columns with Corinthian capitals that were salvaged from an older building elsewhere and placed here.

 

The tomb in the entrance corridor of the Lusignan castle belongs to the Ottoman Admiral Sadik Pasha who conquered Kyrenia in 1570. The corridor then leads to the castle's large inner courtyard, which is lined with guardrooms, stables and living quarters. The arched rooms (royal guard rooms, prison etc.) to the north and east of the yard belong to the Lusignan Period. The Royal quarters to the west of the yard, as well as the big and arched windows of the little Latin Temple also date back to the Lusignan Period. On the southern part of the yard there are fortifications and remains belonging to the Byzantine Period. Ramps lead to the defences on the upper sections of the walls. One can climb steps to the Lusignan royal apartments and a small chapel. The depths of Kyrenia Castle contain dungeons, storage rooms and the powder magazines. Off the courtyard, there is a room displaying the finds from various archaeological sites such as the Akdeniz village tomb, the neolithic settlement at Vrysi, and the Kirni Bronze Age tomb. There is also a small souvenir shop and simple cafe at the northern end of the courtyard.

 

Kyrenia is a city on the northern coast of Cyprus, noted for its historic harbour and castle. It is under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus.

 

While there is evidence showing that the wider region of Kyrenia has been populated before, the city was built by the Greeks named Achaeans from the Peloponnese after the Trojan War (1300 BC). According to Greek mythology, Kyrenia was founded by the Achaeans Cepheus and Praxandrus who ended up there after the Trojan War. The heroes gave to the new city the name of their city of Kyrenia located in Achaia, Greece.

 

As the town grew prosperous, the Romans established the foundations of its castle in the 1st century AD. Kyrenia grew in importance after the 9th century due to the safety offered by the castle, and played a pivotal role under the Lusignan rule as the city never capitulated. The castle has been most recently modified by the Venetians in the 15th century, but the city surrendered to the Ottoman Empire in 1571.

 

The city's population was almost equally divided between Muslims and Christians in 1831, with a slight Muslim majority. However, with the advent of British rule, many Turkish Cypriots fled to Anatolia, and the town came to be predominantly inhabited by Greek Cypriots. While the city suffered little intercommunal violence, its Greek Cypriot inhabitants, numbering around 2,650, fled or were forcefully displaced in the wake of the Turkish invasion in 1974. Currently, the city is populated by Turkish Cypriots, mainland Turkish settlers, and British expats, with a municipal population of 33,207.

 

Kyrenia is a cultural and economical centre, described as the tourism capital of Northern Cyprus. It is home to numerous hotels, nightlife and a port. It hosts an annual culture and arts festival with hundreds of participating artists and performers and is home to three universities with a student population around 14,000.

 

The history of Kyrenia, a city in Cyprus that the Turks have occupied since 1974, dates back to Prehistoric Cyprus and continues into the present.

 

Prehistoric and ancient times

Kyrenia dates to the end of the Trojan War when many settlers arrived there from Achaea in the Peloponnese with Kephios[1] and established towns in the district. Evidence from archeological sites excavated in and around the town of Kyrenia bespeak of the area's settlement since the Neolithic period, 5800-3000 BC. Moreover, many Mycenaean, Geometric and Achaean tombs dating from 14th to 5th centuries BC, were also discovered. A fine climate, fertile soil and an abundance of water offered ideal conditions for the town's early settlement.

 

Cepheus from Arcadia is believed to be the founder of the town of Kyrenia. A military leader, he arrived at the north coast of the island bringing with him many settlers from various towns in Achaea. One such town, located near present-day Aigio in the Peloponnese, was also called Kyrenia.

 

The earliest reference made to the town of Kyrenia is found, together with that of the other seven city kingdoms of Cyprus, in Egyptian scripts dating from the period of Ramesses III, c. 1186–1155 BC.

 

From its early days of settlement, Kyrenia's commerce and maritime trade benefited enormously from its proximity to the Asia Minor coast. Boats set sail from the Aegean islands, travelled along the Asia Minor coast, and then crossed over the short distance to the northern shores of Cyprus to reach the two city kingdoms of Lapithos and Kyrenia. This lively maritime activity (late 4th or early 3rd century BC) is evident in an ancient shipwreck discovered by Andreas Kariolou in 1965, just outside Kyrenia harbour. The vessel's route along Samos, Kos, Rhodes, the Asia Minor coastline and then Kyrenia, demonstrates the town's close maritime relations with other city kingdoms in the eastern Mediterranean.

 

During the succession struggle between Ptolemy and Antigonus that followed Alexander the Great's death in 323 BC, Kyrenia was subdued under the rule of the kingdom of Lapithos that allied itself with Antigonus. Once the Ptolemies were successful in dominating the whole island, all city kingdoms were abolished. Kyrenia however, because of its maritime trade, continued to prosper. In the 2nd century BC, it is cited as one of six Cypriot towns which were benefactors to the Oracle at Delphi, that is, it received its special representatives who collected contributions and gifts. The town's prosperity at this time is also evident from its two temples, one dedicated to Apollo and the other to Aphrodite, and from the rich archeological finds dating from the Hellenistic period excavated within the present-day town limits.

 

The Romans succeeded the Ptolemies as rulers of Cyprus and during this time Lapithos became the administrative centre of the district. The numerous tombs excavated and the rich archeological finds dating from this period indicate however, that Kyrenia continued to be a populous and prosperous town. An inscription found at the base of a limestone statue dating from 13 to 37 AD, refers to "Kyrenians Demos" that is, the town's inhabitants. Here the Romans left their mark by constructing a castle with a seawall in front of it so that boats and ships could anchor in safety.

 

Christianity found fertile ground in the area. The first Christian martyrs used the old quarries of Chrysokava, just east of Kyrenia castle, as catacombs and cut-rock cemeteries which are considered among the island's most important remains from this period. Later, some of these caves were converted into churches and feature beautiful iconography, the most representative of which is that found at Ayia Mavri. From these early days, the town of Kyrenia was an episcopal see. One of its first bishops, Theodotus, was arrested and tortured between 307 and 324, under the reign of Licinius.

 

The persecution of Christians officially ended in 313, when Constantine I and his co-emperor, Licinius, issued the Edict of Milan, which mandated toleration of Christians in the Roman Empire and freedom of worship. The martyrdom of Theodotus, however, occurred in 324 and it is this event that the Church annually commemorates on March 2.

 

Medieval Ages

With the division of the Roman empire into an eastern and western empire, in 395 Cyprus came under the Byzantine emperors and the Greek Orthodox Church. The Byzantine emperors fortified Kyrenia's Roman castle and in the 10th century, they constructed in its vicinity a church dedicated to St. George, which the garrison used as a chapel. Then, when in 806, Lambousa was destroyed in the Arab raids, Kyrenia grew in importance because its castle and garrison offered its inhabitants protection and security. Isaac Komnenos of Cyprus, the island's last Byzantine governor, sent his family and treasures to the castle for safety in 1191 when King Richard I of England of England went to war with him. However, Richard defeated Comnenus and became the island's new master.

 

King Richard's rule was not welcomed in Cyprus so he sold the island first to the Templars, and then in 1192, to Guy of Lusignan. Under Frankish rule, the villages of the district of Kyrenia became feudal estates and the town became once again the administrative and commercial centre for its region. The Lusignans enlarged the castle, built a wall and towers around the town, and extended the fortifications to the harbour. They also fortified the Byzantine castles of Saint Hilarion, Bouffavento and Kantara, which, together with Kyrenia Castle, protected the town from land and sea attacks. Kyrenia castle played a pivotal role in the island's history during the many disputes among the Frankish kings, as well as the conflicts with the Genoese. On numerous occasions the castle came under siege, but it never capitulated.

 

In 1489, Cyprus came under Venetian rule. The Venetians modified Kyrenia Castle to meet the threat that the use of gunpowder and cannons posed. The castle's royal quarters and three of its four thin and elegant Frankish towers were demolished and replaced by thickset circular towers that could better withstand cannon fire. These new towers, however, were never put to the test. In 1571, the castle and the town surrendered to the Ottoman army.

 

Kyrenia Under Ottoman Rule

Under Ottoman rule, Kyrenia district was at first one of four, then one six, administrative districts of the island and the town remained its administrative capital. The town's fortunes declined however as it was transformed into a garrison town. The Christian population was expelled from the fortified city, and no one was allowed to reside within the castle other than the artillerymen and their families. These men terrorized the town's inhabitants and those of the surrounding villages, Christian and Muslim alike, with their arbitrary looting and crimes. The few local inhabitants who dared to stay were merchants and fishermen whose livelihood depended on the sea. They built their homes outside the city wall, which through time, neglect and disrepair, turned to ruin. The rest of the inhabitants moved further out to the area known as Pano Kyrenia or the ‘Riatiko' (so called because it once belonged to a king) or fled further inland and to the mountain villages of Thermeia, Karakoumi, Kazafani, Bellapais and Karmi.

 

The town revived again when bribes and gifts paid to local Turkish officials caused them to permit local maritime trade with Asia Minor and the Aegean islands to resume. In 1783, the church of Chrysopolitissa was renovated. Then in 1856, following the Hatt-I-Humayum, which introduced social and political reform and greater religious freedom for the various peoples of the Ottoman Empire, the church of Archangel Michael was rebuilt on a rocky mount overlooking the sea. At about this time, many of the Christian inhabitants of the surrounding villages reestablished themselves in the town. Local agriculture and maritime trade, particularly the export of carobs to Asia Minor, allowed the people of Kyrenia to have a comfortable living, and some even to educate their children and pursue other cultural activities.

 

Under British Rule

In 1878, following a secret agreement between the British and Ottoman governments, the island was ceded to Great Britain as a military base in the eastern Mediterranean. At first, Great Britain did not undertake major administrative changes, so Kyrenia remained the district's capital. A road was constructed through the mountain pass to connect the town to the island's capital, Nicosia, and the harbour was repaired and expanded to accommodate increasing trade with the opposite coast. The town's municipal affairs were put in order and the municipal council took an active role in cleaning and modernizing the town. In 1893, a hospital was built through private contributions and effort. By the 1900s (decade), Kyrenia was a buzzing little town with a new school building, its own newspaper, social, educational and athletic clubs. It was also a favoured vacation spot for many wealthy Nicosia families. Many homes were converted into pensions and boarding houses and in 1906, the first hotel, The ‘Akteon,' was built by the sea. These first decades of British rule however, also saw increased economic hardship for the population. High taxation, frequent droughts and a world economic depression were precipitating factors for a mass exodus of people from the town and district, first to Egypt and then to the United States.

 

Kyrenia from the air in 1959

In 1922, the episcopal see of Kyrenia returned to the town after the completion of a new metropolitan building. That same year, the Greco-Turkish war brought to a halt all trade with the opposite coast causing a serious economic depression. To the rescue came a young repatriate from the USA who built the town's first modern hotels; first the ‘Seaview' in 1922 followed by the ‘Dome' in 1932 - both built with a foreign tourist clientele in mind. Kyrenia's mild climate, picturesque harbour, numerous archeological sites, panoramic views that combined sea, mountains and vegetation, coupled with modern amenities, soon attracted many travellers and Kyrenia's economy revived through tourism. After the Second World War, more hotels were built and the town remained a favoured vacation spot for Nicosia residents and foreign travellers alike. To the town's Greek and Turkish inhabitants were added many from Great Britain who chose Kyrenia as their permanent place of residence.

 

After Cypriot Independence

In 1960, Cyprus gained its independence from Great Britain. However, the intercommunal conflict that broke out in 1963-64 between the island's Greek and Turkish population again eroded Kyrenia's prosperity. While skirmishes in Kyrenia were minimal, Turkish Cypriot irregulars blockaded the Kyrenia-Nicosia road and occupied Saint Hilarion castle. Despite these difficulties, the 1960s and early 1970s was a period of lively cultural and economic activity. A new town hall was built and a Folklore Museum established. The ancient shipwreck [1] already alluded to was reassembled, together with all its amphorae and cargo, and permanently exhibited at the castle. The number of new hotels and tourists multiplied and a new road was constructed in the early 1970s connecting the town to Nicosia from the east. The town's cultural activities greatly increased. Other than the many traditional cultural and religious fairs and festivals annually celebrated, flower shows, yachting races, concerts and theatre performances were organized. Kyrenia, the smallest of Cypriot towns, was undoubtedly the island's most precious jewel.

 

The town's inhabitants, Greek, Turk, Maronite, Armenian, Latin and British peacefully coexisted and cooperated in their daily affairs and the town had grown beyond its two historic neighbourhoods of Kato (Lower) Kyrenia and Pano (Upper) Kyrenia. It expanded towards the mountain slopes to form the new neighbourhood of "California", and eastward it had just about reached the outskirts of Thermeia, Karakoumi and Ayios Georgios. On July 20, 1974, Turkey landed on the island to protect the Turkish minority from attack from the Greek military coup for enosis . The Greek Cypriots of Kyrenia abandoned their homes and headed to south of what is now the green line.

 

In 1974, there were 47 villages in the district of Kyrenia . Greek and Maronite Cypriots constituted 83% of the district's total population, while the Turkish Cypriots constituted just 15% of the total.

 

After the Turkish invasion

In 1974 the Turkish military conducted the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus. As a result, the Greeks of Kyrenia were expelled from their homes and became refugees. Today, the Republic of Cyprus continues to have a bishop of Kyrenia and the pre-1974 Greek inhabitants of Kyrenia continue to participate elections for the Kyrenia municipality in exile.

 

Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.

 

A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.

 

Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.

 

Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.

 

Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.

 

Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.

 

The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.

 

Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.

 

Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.

 

By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.

 

EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.

 

However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.

 

On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.

 

In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.

 

By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.

 

In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.

 

The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.

 

After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".

 

As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.

 

Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

 

On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.

 

The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.

 

Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.

 

The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.

 

Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.

 

Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria

An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."

 

In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.

 

Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.

 

In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.

 

Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.

 

Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.

 

Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.

 

The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:

 

UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.

 

The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.

 

By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."

 

After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.

 

On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.

 

The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.

 

During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.

 

In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.

 

Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.

 

A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.

 

FR - Quatre TGV alignés au Landy avec, de gauche à droite : l'ex-rame Réseau tricourant 4530 devenue Iris 320 puis Vigirail (son nom actuel), une Duplex et deux SE, dont une en livrée carmillon, le 2 décembre 2015.

 

ES - Cuatro TGV alineados en el taller de mantenimiento de Le Landy (Paris-Nord) : el ex-Réseau tritension 4530 transformado en tren de inspección de vía y catenaria Iris 320 hace unos diez años y hoy denominado Vigirail, un Dúplex y dos Sud-Est, uno de los cuales (el de la derecha) luciendo la librea carmillon, el 2 de diciembre de 2015.

 

EN - Four TGVs stabled in the Le Landy maintenance shops. From left to right : the former tri-voltage TGV Réseau 4530 transformed in the Iris 320 track and catenary observation vehicle some ten years ago and now named Vigirail, a Duplex and two Sud-Est (the first generation TGVs, in service since 1981), one of them wearing the new Carmillon livery, on December 2nd, 2015.

SAMSUNG CSC

Mars Express HRSC image of the Kasei Valles outflow channels. This color composite uses images taken through HRSC's blue, green, and panchromatic filters. This image set was taken on March 13, 2010, during the spacecraft's 7936th orbit of Mars.

 

This image has been heavily processed to align the images from this observation, which were distorted by the method by which HRSC takes pictures. The geometric corrections and color should be relatively accurate to what a human eye would have seen.

 

Image Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin/J. Cowart, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

The box in the middle is reserved for Krungthep Thurakit : Bangkok Business.

Saint Malo

Title:

pillar

  

Today, I am uploading the opening of my new novel.

This is essentially the final draft. The Japanese version follows in the second half.

 

今日は、僕の新しい小説の冒頭をアップロードします。

ほぼ、最終稿です。

日本語は、後半です。

 

日本語のあらすじ等は下の方にあります😃

  

B♭ ( B - Flat ) ( 1 / 9 ) … [Prologue] 〈Portent〉

Mitsushiro Nakagawa, with ChatGPT 5.2

  

—The reasons we fall in love differ from person to person, and yet, when you realize afterward that you had already fallen, you don’t really need a reason at all.

I believe that is what true love is.

If only, in that instant, some white, bleeding light had slipped in from somewhere—then it would be easier to understand. A pale light wraps a person up and quietly calls back the memories they had forgotten. It passes through your eyelids and goes on to illuminate the deepest place in your chest.

To meet someone whose name you don’t even know, and to come to know them deeply—sometimes, light is necessary.

That light is so soft, so gentle, and yet afterward it leaves, deep inside your chest, a faint scar. The pain will heal in time, and then it will hold someone else—

  

— Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York —

A soft light was slanting in through the warehouse’s high windows. It was near noon, and still it had the washed-out whiteness of something not fully awake. On the rough concrete floor, brightness seeped quietly, as if embarrassed by its own presence; seeing it, Anaya, in the middle of unloading, stopped for a moment and looked away.

Between the booths cut out on all sides with white gaffer tape, artists moved back and forth in restless haste. From the half-open loading bay, bass-heavy hip-hop poured in, making the floor and walls tremble in small, constant vibrations. A blade of sunlight speared through the shutter’s gap and set the dust spinning gold.

On the white tape laid along the edge of the aisle, the label read “Sieve.” The booth name Anaya and Mika had reserved.

As Anaya lined the sketch notebooks she’d carried in on the floor, a young man in a suit lowered himself into a crouch beside her. From the carelessly stacked mound, he drew out one notebook and began to turn the pages slowly. Against the brown of his cheek, blue eyes seemed to float. He looked like a man of Middle Eastern descent, like Anaya herself. His calm gaze traveled, unhurried, along the lines of the drawings.

Noticing Anaya’s presence, he smiled.

“Is this yours?”

“Yes. Mine.”

“Why pencil? A rough sketch?”

What he was looking at was the profile of her lover, Arjun—by the window, facing a laptop, earnest eyes fixed on something he could not yet solve. Anaya had always been drawn to that gaze: the way he stared, heated and intent, at a difficult display packed with strings of numbers and geometric patterns, as if will alone could bend them into sense.

The angle of the light that fell in through the window still remained vivid on the inside of her eyelids.

“It isn’t a draft. It’s finished. I just… like familiar tools.”

The man gave a short nod. When he laughed, his eyes laughed first, and the corners of his mouth followed a heartbeat later.

“So this man is…?”

“Yes.”

“I see. That’s a shame.”

He said it lightly, but his eyes had gone hard. He turned the next page.

“And this… your mother?”

Ana stepped closer and looked at her mother’s profile: in the kitchen by the window, her head slightly bowed. The smell of the house from those days rose up, all at once, deep in Ana’s chest—spice, and the hint of oil beginning to brown.

When her mother, Sangeeta, stood in the kitchen, the whole house would fill with spice and the savory fragrance of fenugreek. Undhiyu, the dish she always made in winter, came from a recipe passed down from her grandmother. A traditional home-cooked food from the time they had been Hindu—yet even after conversion, what did not change was this: the memory of a “family circle” held inside that dish refused to vanish.

For Anaya, it was the smell of India’s dry earth itself.

“Yes. My mother.”

At a distance that was almost touching—but not quite—the man slid his index finger along the drawing’s eye.

“…A wonderful eye.”

His voice was hoarse. Something in Ana’s chest stirred, faintly unsettled—as if what she had meant to draw had been received not through his words, but directly, from his gaze, even before he spoke.

Mika came running over, her bright smile intact, a F30 canvas strapped to her small back. It was nearly twice the size of her torso, like a single wing.

“If you like, look at mine too. I’m Mika.”

At Mika’s light voice—she never held back with strangers—the man extended his hand.

“—I’m Amir. Amir Nasser.”

He introduced himself like that, and loosened only his mouth, just slightly. It was still too pale to call a smile.

The instant Ana looked back into those clear blue eyes, somewhere in her chest the sea she’d seen as a child opened—an unruffled, glittering horizon line. A mirage, slipping in from faraway memory.

As the corridor grew busier, another man arrived at a brisk pace, typing into a smartphone as he walked. A dark shadow sat at the base of his throat; he carried the air of someone older. After a quick glance at Ana, he dropped a low voice into Amir’s ear.

“What is it. Trouble?”

“No.”

Amir answered gently, but there was no quiet inside that gentleness.

“Thank you, both of you. See you Saturday.”

Amir returned his smile, said that to the two of them, and turned away. His companion—Rafi—kept staring at Amir with the same rigid eyes, right to the end.

As they left, Ana’s gaze caught, for only an instant, the screen Rafi held in his hand. Numbers were arranged there with a geometric precision. They were not lined in straight rows, but set along arcs—aligned on a curve. In that small string, there seemed to be a rule; angle and distance shone with exactness.

Watching their backs recede, Mika murmured, as if it were nothing:

“Hey… don’t those two smell like money? And not flashy money—chic, expensive.”

“What do you mean?”

“The suits. You don’t even have to touch them. The fabric’s different. —And tonight there’s the national convention at the Garden, right? Maybe they’re involved.”

“Is that so,” Ana said, vaguely, and let it pass.

The exhibition hall’s murmur swelled further. Light and shadow folded over each other, heating the air of the clamor.

And yet, in the midst of that overflowing energy, Ana felt one sensation that would not return. The white light that had been falling from the skylight had thinned since before, as if it had been drawn down and swallowed by the heavy shadow on the floor.

  

— Penn Plaza, Manhattan, New York —

A little past one in the afternoon, the shadow of a motorcade slid slowly in along Seventh Avenue. Sunlight reflected off the escort car’s hood and, for an instant, washed the windows of the buildings white.

In the passenger seat, Jack Vance checked his watch. The vibration of the second hand traveled from his wrist to his chest as a faint tremor.

Around Madison Square Garden, the constant flow of people and the blinking of signals always formed small eddies. The smell of scorched food and grease rising from street-vendor griddles clung to the damp air. Across the lanes, a thin saxophone note stretched for a single breath and cut off, sharpening the outline of the din. The cluster of tourists’ smartphone screens aimed at the Garden looked, to Jack, more vivid than reality.

On the massive display covering Penn Plaza’s outer wall, a string of text scrolled with steady, insistent calm:

“New 350 Park Avenue Redevelopment Plan—Now Underway.”

Behind the words, steel frames still under construction pierced the sky, standing like a monument to capitalism being assembled in the name of profit and growth. It was a future that would never intersect with Jack’s own living world.

But before the text could complete its loop, a breaking bulletin cut in:

“Next, breaking news. Regarding the North Korea–linked cryptoassets that suffered an illegal intrusion five years ago, state media of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea reports that part of the traced access route passed through the United States. The statement says, ‘We will respond resolutely to criminals who violate our sovereignty.’”

The sidewalk beneath the giant screen felt as if people were moving a little faster than usual. Everyone hurried toward somewhere, and the overlapping footsteps seemed to blur the edges of sound. For Jack—who was about to provide security tonight for the Republican presidential candidate speaking at the Garden—this speed did not look like simple excitement.

Along the fringe of that crowd, a single Gridway vehicle slid forward in time with the light. The autonomous taxi that Gridway Autonomous Mobility had launched last year now crisscrossed Manhattan in roaring popularity. Cheap fares, no bothersome relationship with a driver. On the side of the car, Jack caught sight of a small “G,” and a lattice mark—thin intersecting lines symbolizing Manhattan’s grid. Driverless, the car overtook them and was absorbed into the city as nothing more than part of the scenery.

Above, a small shadow trembled for an instant in the reflection on glass. There was no sound of wings. And still, only the feeling remained—that something was watching.

Without moving his eyes, Jack traced the shadow’s position inside his head. An FBI protective UAS cell. For this detail, several surveillance drones were moving between the buildings. The moment he thought it, the city’s clamor seemed covered by a thin film of relief, retreating to the other side of a single layer.

Jack closed his eyes briefly. He felt the bloodflow behind his ears. Somewhere in the undercurrent beneath silence, the pulse of duty sounded, faintly. Protection was not work done with the eyes. It was work of catching the wrongness—crushing it before it could take shape. In his chest, a thin membrane drew tight, as if tensing to a sting.

When Jack opened his eyes again, his gaze was no longer fixed on the cityscape. It had already set itself on something else.

  

— Beverly Hills, Los Angeles —

As the sun slipped down the hills, beyond the heavy doors of the members-only restaurant Saffron Court, the air hung quietly, thick with weight. The members leaning in over white-clothed tables let their silverware touch and part, touch again. That faint metallic sound alone repeated slowly, like the pulse of a heart sleeping deep inside the building.

At Majid Hamzah’s table—Majid and his team—conversation was missing. No one let their expression collapse; they did nothing but steady their breathing.

At the center of the table, a compact, black-sheened device—the ghost-voice machine, Whisper-04—had stolen the room’s focus. When Majid’s finger touched the dial, a click’s vibration returned to his palm.

“…0.4 seconds. Without a doubt.”

The whisper did not pass through vocal cords; it disturbed only the surface of the air. What the device released was not sound, but a blade of silence.

“Initiate.”

Before the command could fully become language, it slid down into the night as a tremor of radio.

It did not cross the sea—not directly. It fled first into the sky, ricocheted several times in the heights of the night, and fell into the warehouse shadows of New York as a signal.

On Majid’s tablet, a faint arc of numbers surfaced for a single breath—aligned not in a straight line, but along a curve. He immediately lowered the screen.

At the edge of the table, Samira ran her finger across her smartphone and closed it. A string of numbers and letters vanished, leaving only heat in her fingertips. Her gestures were quiet, almost prayerful. She let one breath drop and moved only her eyes.

Lina, watching the pulse of the signal she had sent to New York by shortwave, sank her phone into the shadow of her glass as if hiding it from the surrounding laughter. The weekend’s waves of laughter were full around them, yet only this table stayed hard, lagging behind the laughter. She returned her gaze to her hands.

Lina’s app was a small consultation room built for one person at a time. A voice that did not deny the other’s words, that held them at the same temperature. It leaned with those who leaned left, nodded with those who leaned right—because it understood that what people wanted was not rebuttal, but affirmation.

The thread of affirmation eventually tied itself into a hard knot deep in the chest, and only deepened a fissure that could not be untied. There was no need even to incite. The moment a thought is accepted, it gains a core, and quietly hardens.

Laughter continued to fill the restaurant—and yet around this table alone, sound had thinned by one degree.

  

— Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York —

The iron door, rusted with sea salt, trembled faintly. Inside the warehouse it was dark; only the afterglow of a streetlight drew a thin line across the concrete floor. The smell of oil and dust—soaked into the floor by long years—entered the lungs slowly.

In the dimness, Amir Nasser bent one knee and watched the red blinking on the workbench. Its regularity was buried inside a deep silence. The light turning on and off was scooping up his memories.

When Amir rose slowly, he touched the corner of a black casing on the table. The cold sensation sharpened memory. The black housing that caught shortwave—Whisper-04. A thin organ made to receive what the ear cannot.

Touching his homemade device, Amir murmured:

“…Yara.”

His sister’s name slipped out like a prayer, but it did not reach prayer; it was swallowed into the darkness at the edge of the workspace.

Then the air sank, just slightly. Not a sound. Not a smell. And yet there was only the sensation that something had arrived. The red blinking of W-04 delayed by a single beat. The back of Amir’s throat—tensed until now—was painfully dry, raw with sting.

The warehouse door groaned. The footsteps that had slipped in were heavy, but not disordered.

It was Rafi. Metal dust flecked his work clothes; he still carried the day’s clamor on him.

Farther inside the warehouse, Yusuf lit a small lantern. For an instant the flame wavered, raising a thin outline in the dark—then letting it dissolve again.

“You’re late,” Amir said, still watching the red blinking.

“The supervisor wouldn’t let go. But—‘installation’ finished on schedule.”

With a voice stained by fatigue, Rafi glanced at the red blinking Amir was absorbed in.

“And your side?”

“Checked. It’s running. Stable. I rebuilt what I made five years ago. …My hands remember. Majid says ‘Initiate.’ Impatient bastard.”

In the dim at the edge of the bench, one earcup of Leila’s headphones slipped slightly askew, the metal bracket returning a cold glint. Nadeer, arriving from the neighboring warehouse with coffee in hand, offered it back and, without a word, set it right for her. Leila listened again for the “soundless sound,” staring into the red blinking.

The door sounded once more. Rohan entered. Sleeves rolled up, his leather business bag still holding the damp heat of outside.

“…The professor?” Rafi asked.

Before answering, Rohan lowered his eyes. The silence felt unbearably long, and without noticing, Amir and the others held their breath.

“Professor Zakaria—

went straight to the prepared warehouse next door. A message was left:

‘Everything—I entrust to you.’”

 

A cold needle drove itself into the deep of Amir’s chest. Not only Amir’s—Rafi’s, Yusuf’s, Leila’s, Nadeer’s.

In the corner of the dark, Nadeer opened a small cloth bundle. For an instant, the smell of white gauze and disinfectant rose—then was swallowed by oil and dust.

The lantern’s thin light trembled; shadows stretched long across the floor and overlapped.

W-04’s red blinking continued to mark time—precise, unerrant.

Rafi spoke in a rasping voice.

“…I’ll teach this country the meaning of self-reckoning.”

Amir—and no one else—answered.

That silence drew, with cruel clarity, the outline of the road they had chosen.

  

Copyright © 2026 Mitsushiro Nakagawa.

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author.

  

Trailer

flic.kr/p/2rTrncc

  

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B♭ (B Flat)

A Novel by Mitsushiro Nakagawa

 

“Synopsis”

A Palestinian group from Gaza hacks into North Korea’s cryptocurrency system, stealing hundreds of millions of dollars. Their true goal is not money—but to recreate the lost homeland of Gaza on American soil.

Amid the backdrop of hardline Republican immigration policies and a growing wave of xenophobia, a quiet plan begins to take shape: the gradual collapse of America from within.

During a speech at Madison Square Garden, Republican presidential candidate Justin Bradford is shot. Almost simultaneously in Los Angeles, former president Owen Reed is attacked at a rally for Democratic hopeful Ryan Bennett.

Two assassinations—mirroring one another—ignite a nation’s deepest divide. Yet, against all odds, Justin survives. His blood type is one in 2.5 million: the Bombay Blood Group.

The only person who can donate such blood is Anaya Patel, a community art facilitator working in Brooklyn. Her blood, stored in the Bellevue Hospital Blood Bank, is used for an emergency transfusion that saves the candidate’s life.

Jack Vance, an agent of the U.S. Secret Service, suspects a Gaza-based network behind the attacks. Together with Cameron Bartlett, the FBI Director of the Los Angeles Field Office, and Veronica Reeves, a senior investigator from New York, he begins to uncover a vast conspiracy.

Their investigation leads them to Rafi Gannam, a former architecture student at the Islamic University of Gaza, who has infiltrated redevelopment sites across Los Angeles and New York—embedding C4 explosives deep within beams and structural cores.

His targets: new residential districts where agents of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) live—symbols of “the order America built.”

Veronica urges the President to pursue dialogue to prevent further destruction, but President Grant M. Ranford refuses to listen.

Meanwhile, the recovering Justin and his Democratic rival Ryan appear on national television, calling for unity beyond political divisions.

Their words of reason, however, are drowned out when Grant takes the stage in Iowa, defiantly declaring: “We will never bow to terror.”

Among the crowd, Rafi’s operatives have already taken their positions.

As chaos erupts and the stage collapses, Amir Nasser—once Rafi’s comrade, haunted by the memory of his sister’s death in Gaza—tries desperately to halt the chain of destruction.

But Rafi’s conviction remains unshaken.

Under the twilight beneath the Williamsburg Bridge, amid the city’s fading noise, the two men part ways.

It is the boundary between prayer and vengeance, between hope and nothingness.

 

“Characters”

 

Anaya Patel – 25, Community Art Facilitator

Arjun Singh – 26, Anaya’s boyfriend, Luminatech Innovations

Mika Sato – 25, Anaya’s friend, Community Art Facilitator

 

Justin Bradford – 27, Republican Presidential Candidate

Eleanor Blake – 26, Justin’s fiancée

 

President Grant M. Langford – 61, Incumbent Republican President

Vice President Charles “Chuck” Baines – 64, Incumbent Republican Vice President

 

Ryan Bennett – 30, Democratic Presidential Candidate

Sophia Bennett – 30, Ryan’s wife

Owen Reed – 65, Former Democratic President

 

Jack Vance – 45, Secret Service, Former FBI Los Angeles Field Office

Ben Holloway – 30, Jack’s colleague

Darryl Ross – 29, Jack’s colleague

Elijah Kane – 28, Jack’s colleague

 

Marcus Dane – 45, FBI Los Angeles Field Office

Cameron Bartlett – 55, FBI Los Angeles Field Office, Field Office Director

Tom Caldwell – 38, FBI Technical Unit, Marcus’s subordinate

 

Veronica Reeves – 41, FBI Special Agent

Alexander Harris – 52, FBI New York Field Office, Field Office Director

Elliot Chen – 36, Technology Unit Chief

Alicia Monroe – 58, FBI Director

 

Zakaria Haddad – 51, Gaza Strip, Palestine; Former Islamic University Engineering Professor, New York Team

Amir Nasser – 23, Gaza Strip, Palestine; Former Islamic University Electronics Engineering, New York Team

Rafi Gannam – 32, Gaza Strip, Palestine; Islamic University, Architecture, New York Team

Rohan Shah – 29, Gaza Strip, Palestine; Islamic University, Architecture, New York Team

 

Majid Hamza – 47, Gaza Strip, Palestine; University of Palestine, Information Technology, Los Angeles Team

Samira Hammad – 28, Gaza Strip, Palestine; University of Palestine, Engineering, Los Angeles Team

Saeed Kabari – 35, Gaza Strip, Palestine; University of Palestine, Business Administration, Los Angeles Team

Reem Nasser – 30, Gaza Strip, Palestine; University of Palestine, Media Studies, Los Angeles Team

 

Noah Levi – 55, Israel, residing in Tel Aviv, Jewish

  

Copyright © 2026 Mitsushiro Nakagawa.

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author.

  

B♭ will be released worldwide on February 29, 2026.

Recently, director Ridley Scott remarked that streaming films and series have become dull.

I agree.

If you have two hours to spare for such stories, I ask for only two minutes of your time.

Two minutes with my novel will outlast those two hours.

I am confident of that.

  

Stay tuned.

Mitsushiro

October 9th, 2025

 

P.S.

Micchan — the man who challenges Netflix. 😃

  

( Shot on Fujifilm GFX50R )

Tokyo Station. Around Sobu Line Underground Platforms 1-4. Shot ... 13 / 20

( Since there was a 30-minute wait for the limited express, I decided to take some photos. )

( Today's photo. It is unreleased / unpublished. It is unrelated to the content of the novel. )

 

Images.

Nosaj Thing - Blue Hour ft Julianna Barwick

youtu.be/IQhwGGarWfI?si=jfBxafBjpEnosCSo

  

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My new novel:

B♭ (B-flat)

There’s still more to come. 😃

(This is not the final draft.)

Set in New York City.

 

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:: Soundtrack ::

 

B♭ ( My Novel . Soundtrack )

music.apple.com/jp/playlist/b-my-novel-soundtrack/pl.u-47...

 

B♭ ( My Novel . Soundtrack . For Japanese)

music.apple.com/jp/playlist/b-my-novel-soundtrack-for-jap...

B♭ ( My Novel . Soundtrack . Sweet Summer rain ver.)

music.apple.com/jp/playlist/b-my-novel-soundtrack-sweet-s...

B♭ ( My Novel . Soundtrack . Hard days ver.)

music.apple.com/jp/playlist/b-my-novel-soundtrack-hard-da...

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Note: I gave a brief explanation of this novel in the following video:

youtu.be/3w65lqUF-YI?si=yG7qy6TPeCL9xRJV

  

My new novel:

B♭ (B-flat)

Notes

1. "Bombay Blood Type (hh type)"

•Characteristics: A rare blood type that lacks the usual ABO antigens — cannot be classified as A, B, or O.

•Discovery: First identified in 1952 in Mumbai, India (formerly Bombay).

•Prevalence: Roughly 1 in 10,000 people in India; globally, about 1 in 2.5 million.

•Transfusion Compatibility: Only compatible with blood from other Bombay type donors.

2. 2024 Harvard University Valedictorian Speech – The Power of Not Knowing

youtu.be/SOUH8iVqSOI?si=Ju-Y728irtcWR71K

3. Shots Fired at Trump Rally

youtu.be/1ejfAkzjEhk?si=ASqJwEmkY-2rW_hT

  

Mitsushiro Nakagawa belong to Lot No. 402 _.Copyright©︎2026 Lot No.402_ All rights reserved.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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Title:

pillar

  

今日は、僕の新しい小説の冒頭をアップロードします。

ほぼ、最終稿です。

（日本語のあらすじ等は下の方にあります😃）

  

B♭ ( B - Flat ) （1／９）【プロローグ】〈予兆〉　

Mitsushiro Nakagawa, with ChatGPT 5.2

  

――恋に落ちる理由は、人によって違うけれど、恋に落ちていたとあとになって気づくことに、理由は要らない。

　それを、私はほんとうの恋だと思う。

　できればその瞬間、どこかから白く滲んだ光が差し込んでいたら、もっとわかりやすいのに。淡い光は人を包んで、忘れていた記憶をそっと呼び戻す。瞼を透かして、胸の奥まで照らしてしまう。

　名も知らない誰かと出会い、その人のことを深く知るために――光は、ときどき必要だ。

　その光はとても柔らかくてやさしいのに、あとから胸の奥に、そっと傷跡を残す。痛みはいずれ癒え、誰かを包み込むー

  

― ウィリアムズバーグ、ブルックリン、ニューヨーク ―

　やわらかな光が、倉庫の高窓から差し込んでいた。昼近くだというのに、まだ目を覚ましきれないような淡い白さだ。床のざらついたコンクリートの上に、まばゆさがひっそり滲んでいるのを見て、搬入していたアナヤは一瞬足を止め、目を逸らした。

　白いガムテープで四方に切られたブースの合間を、アーティストたちが忙しなく行き交っていた。半開きの搬入口からは低音の効いたヒップホップが流れ込み、床も壁も小さく震えている。シャッターの隙間から射す線のような陽が埃を金色に舞わせていた。

　通路際の床に貼られた白いテープには『Sieve（シーヴ）』とある。アナとミカが予約したブース名だ。

　アナヤが抱えてきたデッサンのノートを床へ並べていると、若いスーツの男が腰を落とした。無造作に積まれたノートの山から一冊抜き、頁をゆっくり繰っていく。褐色の肌の頬には、青い瞳が浮かんでいた。アナヤと同じ中東系の男性のようだった。彼の穏やかな視線が、描かれた作品の線をゆっくり辿っていた。

　男は、アナの気配に気づくと微笑んだ。

「この作品は、君の？」

「ええ、私です」

「どうして鉛筆で？　ラフスケッチ？」

　彼が見ていたのは、恋人アルジュンの横顔だった。窓際でノートパソコンに向かい、解けないものを解こうとしている真摯な目。いつも数字の羅列や幾何学模様の並んだプログラムの難しいディスプレイを熱く見つめている彼の眼差しにアナヤは惹かれていた。

　窓から差し込んだ光の角度が、いまもアナの瞼の裏に鮮明に残っている。

「下書きじゃなくて、完成です。身近な道具が好きで……」

　男は短く頷いた。笑うとき、目だけが先に笑って、口元が少し遅れた。

「男性は彼？」

「はい」

「そうなんだ。少し残念だな」

　言い方は軽いのに、視線は硬かった。男は次の頁を繰った。

「こっちは……　君のお母さん？」

　アナは近づき、母の横顔を見た。キッチンの窓辺で、少し俯いている。あの頃の家の匂いが、胸の奥でふっと立ち上がった。スパイスと、焼ける油の気配だ。

　母、サンギータがキッチンに立つと、家中がスパイスと香ばしいフェヌグリークの香りに包まれた。冬になると必ず作る「ウンディユ」は、祖母の代から伝わるレシピだった。ヒンドゥー教徒時代の伝統的な家庭料理で、改宗しても変わらなかったのは、この料理に込めた“家族の円”の記憶が消えなかったからだ。

　アナヤにとって、それはインドの乾いた土の香りそのものだった。

「ええ、母です」

　男は、触れるか触れないかの距離で、人差し指を絵の目元に滑らせた。

「……素晴らしい眼だ」

　声は掠れていた。アナの胸がわずかにざわめいた。まるで描いた意図が、彼の発した言葉の前にあった、彼の眼差しから直接感じ取っていたようだった。

　ミカが明るい笑顔のまま駆けてきた。小さな背中にF30のキャンバスを背負っている。彼女の背中のほぼ倍の大きさで、一枚の翼のようにも見えた。

「よかったら私のも見て。私はミカ」

　人見知りをしないミカの軽やかな声に、男は手を差し出した。

「――僕はアミール。アミール・ナッセル」

　彼はそう名乗って、口元だけをわずかに緩めた。笑みと呼ぶにはまだ淡かった。

　澄んだ青い瞳を見返した瞬間、アナの胸のどこかで、幼いころに見た海がひらいた。波の立たない、煌めいた水平線――そんな錯覚が、遠い記憶から差し込んできた。

　忙しなさが増した通路を、スマートフォンを打ち込みながら、足早にもう一人の男がやってきた。首元に濃い影を抱え、年上の気配が漂っていた。彼はアナを一瞥すると、アミールの耳元へ低い声を落とした。

「どうした。問題か？」

「いや」

　アミールは穏やかに答えたが、その“穏やかさ”に静けさはなかった。

「ふたりともありがとう。また土曜日に」

　アミールは再び笑顔を戻し、二人へそう言い、背を向けた。連れの男――ラフィが、最後まで固い目でアミールを睨んでいる。

　去り際、アナはほんの一瞬だけ手にしていたラフィの画面が目に触れた。数字が幾何学的に並んでいた。数字は直線に並ばず、円弧に沿って整列していた。その小さな羅列には規則性があるようで角度と距離が正確に光っていた。

　去っていく後ろ姿を見送りながら、ミカが何気なくつぶやいた。

「ねえ、あの二人……　お金の匂いしない？　しかも“派手”じゃなくて、シックに高価」

「どういう意味？」

「スーツ、触らなくてもわかるわ。生地が違う。――それに、今夜ガーデンで全国大会でしょ。関係者かな」

　アナは「そうなんだ」と適当に返した。

　展示会場のざわめきが更に増していた。光と影が折り重なる中で、喧騒の空気を熱くしていた。

　だが、溢れる熱気の中で、アナにはひとつ戻らない感触があった。天窓から差し込んでいた白い光が、さっきよりも少し薄くなり、床の重い影に吸い込まれたようだった。

  

― ペン・プラザ、マンハッタン、ニューヨーク ―

　午後一時を少し回ったころ、車列の影が第７番街をゆっくり滑り込んできた。警護車のボンネットに反射した陽光が、ビルの窓面を一瞬白く染めた。

　助手席のジャック・ヴァンスは腕時計を見た。秒針の振動が、手首から胸へ微かな震えとして伝わってくる。

　マジソン・スクエア・ガーデンには、人の流れと信号の点滅で、常に小さな渦ができていた。屋台の鉄板から立つ焦げと脂の匂いが、湿った空気に貼りつく。車線の向こうで、細いサックスが一音だけ伸びては切れ、喧噪の輪郭をいっそう鋭くした。ガーデンを撮影している観光客のスマートフォンの画面の群れが、現実より鮮やかにジャックには思えた。

　ペン・プラザの外壁を覆う大型ビジョンには、《新・350 Park Avenue 再開発計画、始動》の文字列が淡々と、執拗に流れていた。背後の映像では建設途上の鉄骨が空を貫き、利益と成長の名のもとに組み上げられる資本主義の記念碑のように屹立している。それは、ジャックの生活圏とは交わらない未来だ。

　だが、その文字列が一巡する前に、速報が割り込んだ。

　『続いてニュース速報です。五年前に不正アクセスを受けた北朝鮮系の暗号資産をめぐり、追跡されたアクセス経路の一部が米国を経由していたと、朝鮮民主主義人民共和国の国営通信が報じました。声明は、「我が国の主権を侵す犯罪者には毅然として対処する」としています。』

　大型ビジョンの下にある歩道は、人の流れがいつもより少し速い気がした。誰もがどこかへ急ぎ、足音だけが重なって、音の輪郭が曖昧になっていくようだった。今夜、ガーデンで演説する共和党大統領候補の警護を控えたジャックには、この速さがただの高揚には見えなかった。

　その雑踏の縁を、グリッドウェイが一台、信号の切り替わりに合わせて滑り出した。グリッドウェイ・オートノマス・モビリティ社が昨年投入した自動運転タクシーは現在、マンハッタンを縦横無尽に駆け巡って大盛況だ。料金も安く、煩わしい運転手との関係もない。車体の脇に小さな「G」と、マンハッタンのグリッドを象徴する細い線が交差する格子の印が見えた。無人の車は、ジャックらを追い越し、ただの風景として街に吸い込まれていった。

　その上空で、ガラスに反射した小さな影が一瞬揺れた。羽音は聞こえない。それでも、何かが見ている気配だけが残った。

　ジャックは視線を動かさずに、影の位置だけを頭の中でなぞった。FBIの警護用UASセルだ。今回の警護のために、監視用ドローンが数台、ビルの合間を行き交っている。そう思った瞬間、街の喧噪が安堵の膜に覆われ、一枚隔てた向こうへ退いた。

　ジャックは束の間目を閉じた。耳の裏の血流を感じた。沈黙の底流に潜んでいる任務の鼓動が微かに鳴った。警護は、目で見る仕事ではない。違和感を拾い、形になる前に潰す仕事だ。胸の内で、薄い膜が引きつるように緊張した。

　ジャックは目を開くと、眼差しはもう都市の風景ではなく、別の何かを見据えていた。

  

― ビバリーヒルズ、ロサンゼルス ―

　夕陽が丘を滑り落ちるころ、会員制レストラン〈サフロン・コート〉の重厚な扉の向こうで、空気が静かに重くたなびいていた。白布のテーブルに身を寄せた会員たちの銀食器が、触れては離れ、また触れた。その微かな金属音だけが、建物の奥で眠る心臓の鼓動みたいに、ゆっくり反復していく。

　マジード・ハムザと彼のチームの卓には会話が欠けていた。誰も表情を崩さず、呼吸だけを整えている。

　テーブル中央に置かれた黒光りの小型装置――幽声機《Whisper-04》が、場の中心を奪っていた。マジードがダイヤルに指を触れると、クリックの震えが掌へ返った。

「……0.4秒。間違いなく」

　囁きは声帯を通らず、空気の表面だけを揺らした。装置が放ったものは音ではなく、沈黙の刃だった。

「Initiate（始めろ）」

　命令は、言葉の形になる前に、電波の震えとなって夜の静寂へ滑り落ちた。

　海を越えたのではない――いったん空へ逃げ、夜空の高みで幾度か跳ね返り、ニューヨークの倉庫の暗がりへ落ちていく合図だ。

　マジードの手にしたタブレットに、淡い数字の弧がひと息だけ浮かんだ。直線ではなく、円弧に沿って並んでいる。彼はすぐに画面を伏せた。

　テーブルの端で、サミラがスマートフォンに指を走らせ、画面を閉じた。数字とアルファベットの列が消え、熱だけが指先に残った。祈りのように静かな手つきだった。彼女は息をひとつ落とし、視線だけを動かした。

　リナは、短波でニューヨークへ送った合図の点滅を見つめながら、周囲の歓談の笑い声からスマホを隠すように、グラスの影へ沈めた。週末の笑いの波が満ちているのに、この卓だけが、笑いに遅れたまま硬い。彼女は手元へ視線を戻した。

　リナのアプリは、ひとりずつのための小さな相談室だった。相手の言葉を否定せず、同じ温度で抱きしめる声。左へ傾く者には左のまま寄り添い、右へ傾く者には右のまま頷く――誰もが欲しいのは、反論ではなく肯定だと知っている。

　肯定の糸は、やがて胸の奥で固く結び目になり、ほどけない溝だけを深くしていった。煽る必要さえない。受け入れられた瞬間、考えは芯を得て、静かに硬化するのだ。

　レストランを満たす笑い声は続いているのに、このテーブルの周りだけ、音が一段薄くなっていた。

  

― レッドフック、ブルックリン、ニューヨーク ―

　潮を含んだ錆の鉄扉が、かすかに震えた。倉庫の中は暗く、差し込んだ街灯の残照だけが床のコンクリートに細い線を引いている。長い年月によって床へ染み込んだ油と埃の匂いが、ゆっくりと肺に入ってきた。

　アミール・ナッセルは薄闇の中で膝を折り、作業台の赤い点滅を見つめていた。規則正しいそれは、深い沈黙の中に埋もれている。点いては消える光が、彼の記憶を掬い上げていた。

　アミールはゆっくり立ち上がると、テーブルにあった黒い筐体の角に触れた。冷たい感触が記憶を鮮明にした。短波を拾う黒い筐体、《Whisper-04》。耳で拾えないものを受け止めるための薄い器官だ。

　アミールは自作したそれに触れながら、呟いた。

「……ヤーラ」

　妹の名が祈りのようについて出たが、祈りには届かず、作業場の隅の闇へ吸い込まれていった。

　そのとき、空気がわずかに沈んだ。音ではない。匂いでもない。だが何かが“届いた”感触だけがあった。W-04の赤い点滅が、一拍だけ遅れた。緊張していたアミールの喉の奥は、ひどく乾き、ひりついていた。

　倉庫の扉が軋んだ。忍んできた足音は重く、乱れてはいない。

　ラフィだった。作業着には鉄粉が散り、昼の喧噪をまだ抱えていた。

　倉庫の奥で、ユスフが小さなランタンに火を灯した。一瞬、炎が揺れ、暗がりに薄い輪郭を浮かせては消えている。

「遅かったな」

　アミールが赤い点滅を見やったまま、いった。

「監督がしつこくてな。だが――“設置”は予定通り終えた」

　疲れの滲んだ声で、ラフィは、見入っているアミールの赤い点滅を一瞥した。

「そっちは？」

「動作確認は済んだ。動いてる。安定してる。五年前に作ったものを、いま作り直した。……手が覚えてる。マジードは『始めろ』だって。せっかちな奴だ」

　作業台の端の暗がりにいたレイラのヘッドホンの片耳がわずかにずれ、金具が冷たい光を返した。コーヒーを手にして隣の倉庫からやってきたナディールがそれを差し出し、無言で掛け直してやった。レイラは“音のない音”に再び耳を澄ませ、じっと赤い点滅に見入っている。

　もう一度、扉が鳴った。ロハンが入ってきた。袖をまくり、手にしたビジネスバッグの革に、外の熱がまだじっとりと残っている。

「……教授は？」

　ラフィが訊いた。

　ロハンは答える前に、視線を伏せた。その沈黙がひどく長く感じられ、アミールらは気づかぬうちに息を止めた。

「ザカリア教授は――　隣の、準備した倉庫へ直接向かった。言づけだ。“すべてを、お前たちに託す”と」

　アミールの胸の奥に、冷たい針が刺さった。もちろんアミールだけではなく、ラフィもユスフもレイラもナディールもだ。

　暗がりの隅で、ナディールが小さな布の包みを開いた。白いガーゼと消毒の匂いが一瞬だけ立ち、すぐに油と埃に呑まれた。

　薄いライトの火が揺れ、影が床に長く伸びて重なった。

　W-04の赤い点滅は、狂うことなく正確に刻んでいる。

　ラフィが掠れた声で言った。

「……自戒の意味を教えよう。この国に」

　アミールも誰も返答はしなかった。

　その沈黙が、選んだ道の輪郭をはっきり描いていた。

  

【本作品の著作権は Mitsushiro Nakagawa に帰属します。

内容の全部または一部を、著者の許可なく複製・転載・改変することを禁じます。】

  

予告

flic.kr/p/2rTrncc

  

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僕の新しい小説

　B♭　（ビーフラット） ……. Mitsushiro Nakagawa

  

“あらすじ”

 

北朝鮮の仮想通貨システムをハッキングし、数億ドルを奪取したガザ出身のパレスチナ人グループが、アメリカ合衆国へ密かに潜入する。

彼らの目的は、失われた祖国ガザを、アメリカの地に「復元」することだった。

共和党による強硬な移民政策と、国内にくすぶる排外感情を利用し、アメリカ社会を内側から崩壊させる計画が静かに進行していく。

共和党大統領候補ジャスティン・ブラッドフォードがマディソン・スクエア・ガーデンで演説中に狙撃され、ほぼ同時刻、ロサンゼルスでは前大統領オーウェン・リードもまた、民主党候補ライアン・ベネットの集会で撃たれる。

国家を二分する双方向の暗殺。だが、ジャスティンは奇跡的に生還する。

彼の血液型は、世界でわずか250万人に一人といわれる「ボンベイブラッド」。

その希少な血を提供できたのは、ブルックリンで活動するコミュニティアート・ファシリテーター、アナヤ・パテルだった。

彼女の血液はベルビュー病院の血液バンクに保存されており、緊急輸血によって、候補者の命はかろうじて繋がれた。

シークレットサービスのジャック・バンスは、テロの背後にガザ出身の組織が関与していることを察知し、FBIロサンゼルス支局長官キャメロン・バートレット、ニューヨーク支局の特別捜査官ヴェロニカ・リーブスと共に捜査を進める。

やがて彼らは、イスラム大学で建築学を学んだラフィ・ガンナムが、ロサンゼルスやニューヨークの再開発現場に潜入し、梁や構造体の中枢にC4爆薬を仕込んでいた事実に辿り着く。

標的は、ICE（移民・関税執行局）やERO（執行・送還作戦部門）の職員が暮らす新興住宅街——すなわち、「アメリカが築いた秩序」そのものだった。

ヴェロニカは、これ以上の破壊を防ぐため、大統領への対話を進言するが、現職のグラント・ランフォード大統領は耳を貸さない。

一方、命を取り留めたジャスティンと民主党候補ライアンは、テレビを通じて国民に訴えかけ、分断を乗り越えようとする。

だが、その理性の声を嘲笑うかのように、グラントはアイオワ州での演説を強行し、「テロには屈しない」と宣言する。

その会場には、すでにラフィの仲間が率いる工作チームが潜入していた。

崩壊する会場の惨状を前に、仲間の一人アミール・ナッセルは、かつてガザで妹を失った記憶に引き裂かれ、破壊の連鎖を止めようとする。

だが、ラフィの信念は揺るがない。

ウィリアムズバーグ橋の下、夕暮れの喧騒のなか、二人は決別する。

それは、祈りと報復、希望と虚無の境界線だった——。

  

“登場人物”

 

アナヤ・パテル　２５歳　コミュニティアート・ファシリテーター

アルジュン・シン　２６歳　アナヤの恋人・ルミナテック・イノベーションズ社

 

佐藤　ミカ　２５歳　アナの友人・コミュニティアート・ファシリテーター

 

ジャスティン・ブラッドフォード　２７歳　共和党大統領候補

エリノア・ブレイク　２６歳　ジャスティンの婚約者

 

グラント・M・ランフォード大統領　６１歳　共和党大統領現職

チャールズ・ベインズ副大統領　６４歳　共和党副大統領現職

 

ライアン・ベネット　３０歳　民主党大統領候補

ソフィア・ベネット　３０歳　ライアンの妻

 

オーウェン・リード　６５歳　民主党前大統領

 

ジャック・バンス　４５歳　シークレットサービス　元FBIロサンゼルス支局

ベン・ホロウェイ　３０歳　ジャックの同僚

ダリル・ロス　２９歳　ジャックの同僚

イライジャ・ケイン　２８歳　ジャックの同僚

 

マーカス・デイン　４５歳　FBI ロサンゼルス支局

キャメロン・バートレット　５５歳　FBI　ロサンゼルス支局　支局長

トム・コールドウェル　３８歳　FBI技術班　マーカスの部下

 

ヴェロニカ・リーヴス　４１歳　FBI特別捜査官

アレクサンダー・ハリス　５２歳　FBI　ニューヨーク支局　支局長

エリオット・チェン　３６歳　テクノロジー班主任

 

アリシア・モンロー　５８歳　FBI長官

 

ザカリア・ハッダード　５１歳　パレスチナ・ガザ地区　元イスラム大学　工学部教授　ニューヨークチーム

アミール・ナッセル　２３歳　パレスチナ・ガザ地区　元イスラム大学　電子工学部　ニューヨークチーム

ラフィ・ガンナム　３２歳　パレスチナ・ガザ地区　イスラム大学　建築学部　ニューヨークチーム

ロハン・シャー　２９歳　パレスチナ・ガザ地区　イスラム大学　建築学部　ニューヨークチーム

 

マジード・ハムザ　４７歳　パレスチナ・ガザ地区　パレスチナ大学　情報技術学部　ロサンゼルスチーム

サミラ・ハンマド　２８歳　パレスチナ・ガザ地区　パレスチナ大学　工学部　ロサンゼルスチーム

サイード・カバリ　３５歳　パレスチナ・ガザ地区　パレスチナ大学　経営学部　ロサンゼルスチーム

リーム・ナセル　３０歳　パレスチナ・ガザ地区　パレスチナ大学　メディア学部　ロサンゼルスチーム

 

ノア・レヴィ　55歳　イスラエル　テルアビブ在住　ユダヤ人

  

本作品の著作権は Mitsushiro Nakagawa に帰属します。

内容の全部または一部を、著者の許可なく複製・転載・改変することを禁じます。

  

僕のこの小説は、来年、２０２６年２月末日に公開します。

 

先日、リドリースコット監督がサブスクの映画やドラマ群がつまらないと話していたようだけど、同感です。

僕も非常に退屈です。

それらに2時間を要するなら、僕の小説を２分間だけ読んで欲しい。

その2分間は、２時間を越えるでしょう。

僕は自信があります。

ぜひ、期待してお待ちください。

 

Mitsushiro Nakagawa

09th. Oct . 2025.

  

追伸

ネトフリに挑戦する男、みっちゃん。😃

  

( 富士フィルム GFX50R shot )

 

東京駅。地下 1-4 番線総武線 近辺　shot　…. 13 / 20

（特急の出発まで、３０分ほどあったので撮影しました。）

(今日の写真。それは未発表です。小説の内容とは無関係です。）

  

Images.

Nosaj Thing - Blue Hour ft Julianna Barwick

youtu.be/IQhwGGarWfI?si=jfBxafBjpEnosCSo

  

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僕の新しい小説。

　B♭　（ビーフラット）

 

舞台はニューヨークです。

 

21

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:: Soundtrack ::

 

B♭ ( My Novel . Soundtrack )

music.apple.com/jp/playlist/b-my-novel-soundtrack/pl.u-47...

 

B♭ ( My Novel . Soundtrack . For Japanese)

music.apple.com/jp/playlist/b-my-novel-soundtrack-for-jap...

B♭ ( My Novel . Soundtrack . Sweet Summer rain ver.)

music.apple.com/jp/playlist/b-my-novel-soundtrack-sweet-s...

B♭ ( My Novel . Soundtrack . Hard days ver.)

music.apple.com/jp/playlist/b-my-novel-soundtrack-hard-da...

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

Note: I gave a brief explanation of this novel in the following video:

youtu.be/3w65lqUF-YI?si=yG7qy6TPeCL9xRJV

  

追記　この小説を多少説明しました。

youtu.be/3w65lqUF-YI?si=yG7qy6TPeCL9xRJV

  

メモ

 

1

「Bombay型（ボンベイ型、hh型）」

•特徴：通常のABO血液型を持たない（A、B、Oに分類されない）特殊な型。

•発見地：1952年、インド・ムンバイ（旧ボンベイ）で初めて確認。

•発生頻度：インドでは1万人に1人程度だが、世界的には約250万人に1人とも。

•輸血制限：同じBombay型しか輸血できない。

 

2

2024年ハーバード大学首席の卒業式スピーチ『知らないことの力』

youtu.be/SOUH8iVqSOI?si=Ju-Y728irtcWR71K

 

3

Shots fired at Trump rally

youtu.be/1ejfAkzjEhk?si=ASqJwEmkY-2rW_hT

  

Mitsushiro Nakagawa belong to Lot No. 402 _.Copyright©︎2026 Lot No.402_ All rights reserved.

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In late May a brief opportunity arose which enabled me to set free my female self once more. My time as a woman has increasingly become a rare experience for me. It has always been sparse and I can't see it changing in the future; if anything these moments may become even fewer for me. Still, the desire is strong and always within me so it's unlikely to go away.

 

I recorded some musings on video during that late May session, albeit rather hastily. It was more enthusiasm than technical attention to setting up things properly. I had also realised all of my makeup had expired, not a great thing to be faced with. My mascara had dried up, my liquid lipsticks had dried up, my eyeliner pencils seemed to have become brittle and my foundation was drying up too. Not ideal but my moment of feminine expression had arrived so I went for it anyway.

 

I've assembled a few of my random musings in this video. The video is more a personal awareness for me that, yes, I did get to appear as a woman, it represents a moment of my female self getting to exist in her own right. Posting it here on Flickr, the act of uploading feels somehow like giving a reality to Helene the woman, that she exists in a public domain; it gives life to her.

Morning spent in West Kensington with my son who had a job interview there. He didn't get it, but I got these instead. He will get something soon, I am sure....

Some people fine abandoned places very creepy while others regard them as extremely fascinating. I align myself with the latter camp.

 

With the few derelict and discarded locations we've visited, the underlying motive has never been about exceeding the amount of vandalism the site might have already been subjected to but rather about being extra curious with respect to the soul of the place and the stories the dilapidated walls tell when as we explore.

 

We've always deemed it important to show reverence for what's been left behind and if exploring abandoned places happens to entice you as well, I'll leave you with this rule of thumb I read somewhere regarding this leisure pursuit: “Don’t break your way in. Don’t take anything, except photos. And don’t leave anything except footprints.”

 

Photoblog | Twitter | Instagram

Alignement planifié avec Planit Pro

On Saturday 21 January 2023, hundreds of protesters marched from Downing Street to Hyde Park to demand real equality for trans people, an end to transphobic violence and an immediate reversal of the UK government's decision to block Scotland's progressive Gender Recognition Reform Bill which simplifies the procedure for a trans person to obtain a gender recognition certificate, which until now has been highly "intrusive, medicalised and bureaucratic."

 

www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/news/statement-uk-governmen...

 

The LGBTQ oranisation Stonewall commented -

 

"This is a piece of legislation that simply seeks to make the process for legally recognising a trans man or trans women's gender more respectful and straightforward. Scotland's Bill aligns it with leading international practice endorsed by the United Nations and adopted by 30 countries, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Irealand and most of the United States of America."

 

www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/news/statement-uk-governmen...

 

The bill had received cross-party support in the Scottish parliament and was supported by 88 members - the overwhelming majority of Scottish MSPs - only 33 voted against and just 4 abstained. The legislation was also clearly within the scope of what the Scottish parliament can legislate according to its devolved powers. However, for the first time ever, the British government used section 35 of the Scotland Act to unilaterally veto the reforms.

EUR

Roma

Italia

 

♫ ♪ ♫

 

Bigger

I initially paired this shirt and dress because I liked how the patterns played together. Then, I realized that the shirt’s open back would align with the dress’ upper back cutout. I love it when little details like that work out.

 

Shirt, Sans Souci. Dress, Under Skies (consignment). Shoes, Seychelles. Earrings, vintage. Sunglasses, Target. Bag, Mellie Bianco.

bronica etrsi

zenzanon 75mm

expired 1982 ektachrome 64

cross processed unicolor c41

 

Barton recreation area in Ann arbor

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI), or magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures. MRI makes use of the property of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to image nuclei of atoms inside the body.

 

An MRI machine uses a powerful magnetic field to align the magnetization of some atomic nuclei in the body, and radio frequency fields to systematically alter the alignment of this magnetization. This causes the nuclei to produce a rotating magnetic field detectable by the scanner—and this information is recorded to construct an image of the scanned area of the body. 36 Magnetic field gradients cause nuclei at different locations to rotate at different speeds. By using gradients in different directions 2D images or 3D volumes can be obtained in any arbitrary orientation.

 

MRI provides good contrast between the different soft tissues of the body, which makes it especially useful in imaging the brain, muscles, the heart, and cancers compared with other medical imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) or X-rays. Unlike CT scans or traditional X-rays, MRI does not use ionizing radiation.

 

In the 1950s, Herman Carr reported on the creation of a one-dimensional MRI image. Paul Lauterbur expanded on Carr's technique and developed a way to generate the first MRI images, in 2D and 3D, using gradients. In 1973, Lauterbur published the first nuclear magnetic resonance image and the first cross-sectional image of a living mouse was published in January 1974. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging is a relatively new technology first developed at the University of Nottingham, England. Peter Mansfield, a physicist and professor at the university, then developed a mathematical technique that would allow scans to take seconds rather than hours and produce clearer images than Lauterbur had.

Raymond Damadian's "Apparatus and method for detecting cancer in tissue."

 

In a 1971 paper in the journal Science, Dr. Raymond Damadian, an Armenian-American physician, scientist, and professor at the Downstate Medical Center State University of New York (SUNY), reported that tumors and normal tissue can be distinguished in vivo by nuclear magnetic resonance ("NMR"). He suggested that these differences could be used to diagnose cancer, though later research would find that these differences, while real, are too variable for diagnostic purposes. Damadian's initial methods were flawed for practical use, relying on a point-by-point scan of the entire body and using relaxation rates, which turned out to not be an effective indicator of cancerous tissue.

 

While researching the analytical properties of magnetic resonance, Damadian created the world's first magnetic resonance imaging machine in 1972. He filed the first patent for an MRI machine, U.S. patent #3,789,832 on March 17, 1972, which was later issued to him on February 5, 1974. As the National Science Foundation notes, "The patent included the idea of using NMR to 'scan' the human body to locate cancerous tissue." However, it did not describe a method for generating pictures from such a scan or precisely how such a scan might be done. Damadian along with Larry Minkoff and Michael Goldsmith, subsequently went on to perform the first MRI body scan of a human being on July 3, 1977.These studies performed on humans were published in 1977.

or maybe my shell is cracking :)

Marin Pols op Westerpop

Austin, TX

www.joevelaphotography.com

Un temps splendide ce jour 22° à l'ombre et un superbe soleil !

On July 25, 1962, NASA invited 11 firms to submit proposals for the LEM. Of the 11 invited, 9 submitted proposals. The firms that submitted proposals were Lockheed, Boeing, Northrop, Ling-Temco-Vought, Grumman, Douglas, General Dynamics Convair, Republic, and Martin Marietta. Grumman won.

 

Convair's proposed vehicle featured a single throttleable main engine backed by two standby thrust chambers. It was to be a partially staged configuration with a side-by-side crew arrangement and a probe-drogue docking mechanism. The lower structure held the descent tankage, which was to be depressurized 15 seconds prior to touchdown. The depressurized tankage, along with the crushable vehicle skirt, were to offer a back-up to the landing system in the event of a landing accident.

The engines were protected against landing damage through use of a crushable main engine nozzle skirt and the placement of the standby engines above the descent tankage. The reaction control thrusters were mounted on hinged arms, which folded 120 degrees to allow the vehicle to be stowed in the SIVB stage of the Saturn V rocket.

The concept was derived from studies of the probability of successful abort and complete mission success. Although the studies indicated that a multiple engine, two-stage vehicle had higher safety characteristics at higher levels of landing damage, Convair chose the stage and a half configuration due to the lower weight requirement.

 

Docking was to have been achieved by a probe and drogue mechanism. The method was to allow the crew to take advantage of good visibility and not have to change positions. Controls, displays and cues would not change during docking. Once the probe was aligned with the drogue, it would be locked in place, and the LEM rotated 90 degrees for final mating and crew transfer.

 

SDASM collection.

5EV HDRI tonemapped with Photoshop CS5. Cantigny Gardens & Park, Wheaton, IL, 10 May 2010.

© 2009-10 José Francisco Salgado, PhD

 

ADOBE GETS HDR PROCESSING RIGHT!

Finally! I can process HDR images in a straightforward workflow with just LR3 and Photoshop CS5. Because Photomatix is not as good as Photoshop in aligning handheld shots, I used to open and align them in Photoshop via the "Load Files into Stack…" script and then "Export Layers to Files…" via a second script. Then I would open the TIF files in Photomatix, tonemap the HDR, export it as TIF (with some EXIF data lost. Not nice), open in PS for some tweaks, and then import it to LR for final tweaks, cataloguing, and eventually export. Phew!

 

Now, since Adobe re-engineered the "Merge to HDR Pro…" module (and it works beautifully!) all I have to do is the following:

(1) Select images in LR and run Lens Correction (with Auto Sync selected). Change the White Balance if necessary.

 

(2) Control Click and select "Merge to HDR Pro" in Photoshop

 

(3) Once there, I select "Remove ghosts" if there are moving objects (eg, tree limbs, people). This really works and you have the option of selecting the base image for the algorithm. I then experiment with the parameters and with the presets. Once satisfied, I save the parameters as a preset for future reference and processing.

 

(4) In Photoshop, I tweak the HDR image, if necessary, and save it. Once I close it, it shows up in LR automatically, where I can tweak it further and export it. My first impression after processing these 3 HDR images is that I am more satisfied with the end results than with Photomatix (especially with the resulting contrast) so I did only very minor tweaks in LR.

 

Order has been restored in my HDR Universe. All this without dragging, saving files manually, or going to the OS. Thanks to B.O.H. at Adobe Headquarters for encouraging me to give the new module a try. Enjoy!

 

José Francisco Salgado

9 August 2010, Chicago, IL

Contax Aria

Zeiss Planar 50/1.4

Kodak TMax 100

 

Soho, London, February 2020

Scarf (dupatta), Indian vendor. Dress, Merona (shortened). Tank, Merona. Cardigan, Express. Boots, Nine West. Bag, World Market. Brooch, swap.

 

I bought a couple of dupatta from an Indian vendor at the Marine Wives Gift Shop in Okinawa. They are both oblong and embellished at the ends with beading and embroidery. They are shorter than most oblong scarves, so they are useless as belts and a too short to wrap many times around the neck. Knotting the dupatta obscures the lovely embellishments. They are meant to be worn draped across the front of the neck, with both ends hanging behind. (At least, that’s the way I’ve seen them worn most often.) It’s a lovely look, but requires impeccable posture.

 

I’ve struggled with how to wear these exotic scarves in a business casual environment. They seem to work best as I’ve worn mine today, with or without the brooch. I’ve also worn this orange dupatta draped around the back of my neck with the ends aligned with my jacket’s opening. It adds a little color and can also be adjusted to conceal excessive cleavage.

 

Does anyone else wear their dupatta in a non-traditional manner?

 

18 janvier 2025, 21h

En ce moment, vous avez le privilège de contempler plusieurs planètes du système solaire au cours d'une même soirée.

 

Un alignement planétaire est assez rare car toutes les planètes doivent se trouver dans une même portion du système solaire et quand on sait que pour plusieurs planètes il faut des dizaines d'années pour faire un tour complet, on comprend mieux la rareté de l'évènement.

 

Ici j'ai capturé Mars, Jupiter, Saturne, Vénus. Uranus et Néptune sont également dans le champ mais non visible, il faut s'équiper d'une paire de jumelle ou d'un télescope et savoir où regarder.

 

J'ai recréer les trajectoires orbitales de chaque planète à la manière de Stellarium (Logiciel et app de cartographie spatiale). C'est cette trajectoire (nommé le plan écliptique) qu'emprunte les planètes dont la Terre autour du Soleil.

 

Cette photo est une composition de 100 photos qui représente un champ d'environs 180°

Sonotous The Aligned

 

The Story of Gresford Colliery.

Gresford Colliery was situated 1 miles South West of the Village of Gresford from which it took its name.

The Village of Gresford is located close to the England–Wales border with Cheshire, the settlement existed at the time of the compilation of the Domesday book, when it was recorded as "Gretford" within the Cheshire Hundred of Duddestan; it had a church, though perhaps not on the present site. The name, derived probably from Old English græs and ford ("grassy ford"), was later recorded as "Gresworth", "Cresford" and "Grefford", but documentary evidence shows that the place was clearly locally referred to as "Gresford" throughout its history, even under Welsh administration, and the other names merely represent alternative spellings.

The Welsh form "Gresffordd", supposedly believed to indicate an etymology from y groesffordd ("the crossroads"), seems to have been the imaginative creation of Welsh genealogists of the 15th century and later. This form has, however, seen media use as an alternative spelling since at least the 19th century, and although largely unused by the mainly non-Welsh speakers of the village itself, is today often used by the Welsh press, and Welsh-language media.

In common with many of the towns and villages of the border lands, or Marches, Gresford has gone through periods of both English and Welsh dominance. The whole area was resettled by Welsh aligned to Owain Gwynedd in 1170-1203. At this time the bishopric was transferred from that of St. Werburgh's Chester to St. Asaph, and the vicars of the village were Welsh with patronymic names (for example, Morud ap Gwarius, who became vicar in 1284).

It is possible, however, that settlement existed on the site from quite an early date, as a Roman altar was found within the church in 1908. The altar is likely to depict Nemesis; this and the unearthing of a Roman coin hoard nearby-dating 150-300, is possible evidence of a settlement. There is also a stand of yew trees in the churchyard, the oldest dating to A.D. 500 — long before Anglo-Saxon settlement.

The areas industrial prosperity is founded largely on its mineral wealth and its coal resources in particular.

The history of Coal Mining in Denbighshire goes back over 500 years

Under a charter from the Earl of Arundel dated 1414, the right was given to dig for coal in the ‘wastes’ of Brymbo and Coedporth where the seams outcrop near to the surface.

These Villages lie 2.5miles West and 3.5miles South West of Gresford Colliery respectively and mark the Western outcrop of the middle coal measures.

The early coal mining was little more than surface digging. Early records show that the first coal barons were the Grosvenors of Eaton, near Chester and the Myddeltons of Chirk Castle.

With the perfection of a process for making iron with coke instead of charcoal, there was a greater demand for coal at the beginning of the eighteenth century.

John Wilkinson, the great ironmaster, provided a local outlet for coal when he took over the ailing Bersham furnace from his father, Isaac. He also sank his own pits in the locality and when he established the new iron works at Brymbo, he sank more pits at Brymbo Hall, 1,500-acre estate which he bought. Records show that there had been about 90 pits and levels on this estate. Other local ironmasters such as Thomas Jones, T. E. Ward and Hazeldine, who supplied the superstructure for Telford’s bridges, were also creating a demand for East Denbighshire coal.

The coal industry went into a decline early in the 19th century but recovered with the age of steam, local coal being used to fuel steamships and railway engines, apart from being used for making gas and providing domestic heating. In 1854, 26 mines were operating on the western side of Wrexham, Ruabon, Rhos, Acrefair, Brymbo and Broughton being the main areas. At this time, Wrexham’s coal mining potential attracted many newcomers with specialist mining knowledge, such as Henry Robertson, William Young Craig, James Sparrow, William Henry Darby, Thomas Clayton, William Low and Henry Dennis.

Their arrival heralded a new era in coal-mining. Small mines were phased out and mining developed into larger operations with such collieries as Westminster, Hafod, Bersham, Wynnstay, Wrexham and Acton, Llay Hall and Gatewen.

Until the sinking of Gresford Colliery, all coal mining was carried out in the shallower Western sector of the coalfield, and until the 1930’s there was a number of profitable undertakings operating at depths of some 300 yards or so, principally in the Main Seam which has provided the bulk production over centuries.

The coal measure dip Eastwards at an approximate rate of 1 in 10 and are interrupted by the Wrexham fault which lies 1200 yards West of Gresford Colliery Shafts. The fault runs in a North South direction and has a throw of 400 yards down East, thus dividing the field in to two distinct areas.

Thus, Gresford Colliery Shaft were the first to be sunk East of the Wrexham Fault by the United Westminster and Wrexham Collieries Limited which had already operated a number of successful undertakings in the Western field.

The colliery was located on the edge of the Alyn Valley, between the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway (later the GWR Birkenhead-Paddington line) and the old main road between Wrexham and Chester.

The Shafts were sunk on the scant evidence offered by underground proving drifts through the Wrexham fault from the old Wrexham and Acton Colliery workings which lie 1200 yards West of Gresford Colliery, and a single borehole put down on the site of the Pithead baths.

The only other shafts to be sunk in the Eastern field, were those of Llay Main Colliery some six years later. This Colliery lies 1.5miles North of Gresford, but this undertaking was closed in 1966.

History Prior to Nationalisation (1947)

Henry Dennis and his son, Henry Dyke Dennis, began shaft sinking commenced on the 2nd March 1908 and was completed on the 19th March 1912. The initial diameter was 22ft (6.7m), but serious difficulties were encountered in penetrating the 115 feet (35m) of glacial deposits overlaying the road head, the first 90 feet (27.4m) of which proved to be running sand.

The shaft diameters were reduced to 19’-6” (5.9m) and the shafts were lined with Cast Iron tubbing.

The Dennis shaft (No1 Downcast) was lined to a depth of 64 yards (58.5m) and the Martin Shaft was lined to 54 yards (49.4m). Thereafter, both shafts were lined with special curved bricks, approximately 1.5 times the dimensions of standard bricks which were manufactured by Dennis Brickworks, Ruabon.

The shafts penetrate practically all the Upper coal measures and the middle coal measures down to the Main Coal Horizon.

Various water feeders were encountered un the Upper coal measures and a pump lodge was established between the two shafts at a depth of 172 yards (157.2m) from which water is pumped to the surface at 80 gallons per minute.

The Dennis shaft contacted the Main seam at a depth of 2218 feet (676.0m) and the Martin shaft contacted it at 2205 feet (672.1m)

The Pit bottom was established at this horizon and by 1914, sufficient development had been carried out to employ 900 men. The undertaking was steadily expanded until 2200 men were employed by the early 1930’s.

In 1934, one of the worst disasters in the history of British coal mining occurred when an explosion took place in the Dennis Main coal district September 22nd. The explosion was followed by a fire and 262 men in the district perished. A further 3 rescue men died in unsuccessful bids to penetrate the district and on the followings day it was decided to seal the shafts at the top. Further explosions occurred and on the 25th September an explosion wrecked the fan drift and seal on the upcast shaft top and a surface worker was killed by flying debris.

The shafts remained sealed for six months. A new airlock was constructed over the upcast shaft and recovery work commenced. The Dennis district was sealed off and in January 1936 it became possible to gradually resume coal production.

Equipment Prior to Nationalisation (1947)

The colliery was equipped with steam driven winding engines, air compressors, mine fan and electrical generating equipment.

Steam was supplied by 15 Lancashire Boilers equipped with Green’s economisers and generating at 120 lbs/sq.in.

The boilers were fitted with Oldbury chain grate stokers and were hand-fired.

Coal was wound at the Dennis shaft in 12 cwt capacity tubs fitted with plain pedestal bearings, in three deck cages, each deck carrying three tubs. The payload was thus 108 cwts.

Simultaneous decking was employed both surface and underground.

The winding engine was a twin-cylinder horizontal steam winder of 40” bore by 78” stroke with a parallel drums 24ft (7.3m) manufactured by Andrew Barclay of Kilmarnock.

After reaching the surface, tubs were hauled to the screen by under-rope endless haulage. After tipping, the product was screened and hand-picked, most of it being sold dry to Domestic, Railway and Gas Works. There was however, a small Baum Plant which produced a relatively small quantity of washed nuts, slack and fines which was disposed of to small local industries.

The Martin shaft was used for man-riding between shifts and for supplies. It was equipped with two deck cages, each deck carrying two tubs.

The winding engine was a twin-cylinder horizontal steam engine of 32” bore and 60” stroke. The Drum diameter was 16’-0” (4.9m).

The mine-fan was a walker double inlet radial fan 18’-0” (5.5m) diameter driven by a horizontal twin cylinder compound steam engine.

Compressed air was supplied by two Bellis & Moroom vertical twin cylinder compound steam engines each delivering 300cfm and one Walker horizontal twin cylinder compound steam engine delivering 5000cfm all at 80 lbs psi.

Power generation was by a mixed pressure steam turbine generation 1000kw at 3,300 volts and a Bellis & Moroon vertical twin cylinder compound engine generating 300kw. A limited supply was also available from MANWEB.

The pit-head baths were built in 1939 and were designed to accommodate 2000 men.

History post Nationalisation.

After 1947, the colliery was subjected to many improvement schemes together with a major re-organisation scheme carried out in the years 1962-1965.

These schemes resulted in a steady reduction in manpower until the labour force was little more than half that employed hitherto.

The main improvements are listed below: -

1948-49 – The screen room was re-organised and a new Norton Standard Baum washery erected.

1949 – The Dennis shaft was equipped with aluminium alloy cage manufactured by Allen’s of Tipton. These were the first of their kind in the country and formed part of a design study necessary to the deepening of the main winding shaft at the neighbouring Llay Main Colliery to a depth of 1002 yards (916.2m) utilising its existing steam winding engine.

1951 - Electrical power supply augmented by laying of 3.3KV cable from Llay Main to Gresford Colliery.

1954 – The underground and surface tub circuits were re-organised and equipped with pneumatic mine-car handling equipment. The 12 cwts capacity tubs were replaced by 30 cwts capacity mine-cars operating on existing rope haulages underground. The surface haulage to screen room was replaced by two 48” run of mine (R.O.M.) conveyors.

The former system of winding 3 small tubs on each of three decks of the cage simultaneously decked was replaced by simultaneously decked two mine cars on each of two decks. Payload was increased from 5.4 to 6.0 tons.

1955 – Coal preparation was further improved by the installation of filter presses and fines treatment plant.

1956 – The first step was taken towards electrification of surface plant by the conversion of the existing mine fan to electric drive.

1957 – Methane drainage was introduced. A 12” dia, gas range was laid in the Martin Shaft and methane exhauster house was built on the surface.

1958 – Shaft winding capacity was further increased by the installation of 6-ton capacity skips in the Martin Shaft in place of the double deck cages. An underground tippling station was introduced in to the main pit bottom mine-car circuit so that either or both shafts could be utilised for coal winding.

1959 – A new incoming duplicate electricity supply from MANWEB was laid in together with the erection of a new surface sub-station.

1960/61 – The steam driven air-compressors were replaced by electrically driven ones.

1960/64 Underground locomotive tunnels were driven from the pit bottom in to the South East and West Districts.

1962 – Surface dirt disposal arraignments were re-organised with the construction of a 200 tons capacity dirt bunker and the introduction of dumper vehicles tipping on a tier system replacing tipping by conveyors. This eliminated the tip fires which were induced by the former system.

1964 – Locomotive haulage was introduced underground replacing the endless rope main haulage system to the south east area.

1964 – A new dense-medium plant was added to the coal preparation plant.

1964 – Two of the Lancashire boilers were converted from hand coal-firing to Methane firing for space heating and to replace the coal fired pithead baths boilers for bathing water.

1965 - Electrification of the surface was completed by replacing the steam driven winding-engines by Electrical winding engines.

1965 – A 600 HP Sutcliffe conveyor was installed in the East Main District with a length of 6000” (1829m) to the dip from pit-bottom with gradients varying from 1 in 10 to 1 in 4 against. This replaced three Sutcliffe Super Goliath Installations operating in tandem and increased the haulage capacity.

1966 – Ventilation standards were improved by the installation of a new mine-fan ex Clock Face Colliery. The original fan now acts as a stand-bye. A new fan drift was constructed.

1967 - Coal preparation standards were further improved by the installation of a Cendrex Ash-recorder. Covered accommodation for smokeless fuels were provided.

1969 – Haulage capacity from the South East district was increased by installing a Trunk-conveying system and moving the main loading point outbye, thus shortening the locomotive run by half.

The Dennis shaft was converted to Consecutive decking and coal winding was concentrated at the Martin Shaft (Skips)

1970 – Open type bunker introduced into the Surface R.O.M. System to ease loading on Baum Plant.

Underground

Near to the end of the life of the colliery extraction was confined to the Main Seam which had a thickness ranging from 6’-0” (1.82m) and 8’-0” (2.44m). the coal was high volatile strongly coking type, Rank code 502.

The working field was bounded on the West-side by the Wrexham fault (C.1200’-0” 365.8m down East) and on the East side, some 1.5 miles from the shafts by the East fault (c,1000’-0” down East)

By the 1970’s the North end of the field had been exhausted in the main Seam and the workings were concentrated in the South and South East of the field. The Southern and Eastern limits of this section were never determined.

As preciously stated, the general rate of dip is Eastwards at about 1 in 10 and working depths range from 780 to 920 yards. (713m & 841m)

The whole area is geologically disturbed, some of the faults being quite large, in the order of 100’ (30m) or so while some parts of the take have a relatively high fault density with faults in the range of 0’-20’. (0-6m)

The General fault direction is generally North-South and East-West.

Method of working

From the beginning, coal has been won by the longwall method of extraction. Methods have progressed through: -

(a)The wicket system, where coal was hand-holed, fired and filled into tubs on the face (up to about 1930)

(b)Double and Multiple unit systems where shaker pans were used on the high side faces and 20” conveyors were used on low side faces delivering on the 25” gate belts and thence to rope haulage systems.

These faces were middle out generally with compressed air coal cutters, the bottoms being fired first or hand-filled out after setting sprags to the top section. The tops were then dropped to make large coal and were hand-filled out. The faces were strip packed employing 4-yard packs and 10-yard (9m) wastes and were generally 66 yards (60m) long. Up to the 1940’s timber props and straps were used to support the faces.

(c)In the early 1940’s steel began to replace timber for face support but total caving was not attempted until the 1960’s.

The first attempt at mechanised longwall mining was made in 1946 with the installation of a Meco-Moore cutter-loader in the West districts of the mine. This project enjoyed limited success but was dogged by mechanical breakdowns and roof failure due to soft floor conditions.

The late 1940’s and early 1950’s saw the establishment of single unit faces employing bottom-loading belts, electric coal cutters and an established cyclic mining system with faces still strip packed but supported on friction props and hydraulic props with steel roof bars.

The first Anderson Shearer with prop free front was established in the West Area Main seam in early 1955, and the first set of powered supports in the Main seam were installed in the East Main area in 1965.

By late 1968 all faces were equipped with powered supports and it was during this period that total caving became established practice.

Although workings had been concentrated in the Main seam, some reference should be made to the Quaker seam. This seam varies in thickness from 3’-2“ (0.97m) to 4’-0” (1.22m) and is a high quality coking coal. A small proportion of output was gained from this seam up to late 1966. The seam defied efforts to mechanise it and it temporarily abandoned in favour of further technical advancement of mechanisation in the Main seam.

Notably, attempts were made with the Anderson shearer in the periods 1958 – 1960 and 1965-1966 but persistent roof-failures occurred with prop free front working due to the friable nature of the shale nether roof.

Another notable attempt was made with an Anbauhobel plough with four-leg powered supports in 1960-61, again with roof-failures.

With the improvements in roof support techniques in later years, there was an attempt to work the Quaker seam in 1978, the face we driven but never worked.

Limited working has also been undertaken in the Crank seam; this seam was only 20.5” (0.52m) thick. The seam accessed via two cross measure drifts from the Quaker Seam, working in this seam was abandoned after June 1940.

Estimates of Coal Produced over the life of the colliery. (Density assumed at 1.35)

Crank Seam area worked 120,900m2, thickness 0.52, estimated tonnage worked 84,900 tonnes

Quaker Seam area worked 1,838,000m2, thickness 1.04, estimated tonnage worked 2,485,000 tonnes.

Main Seam area worked 8,386,000m2, thickness 2.56, estimated tonnage worked 28,980,000 tonnes.

Specification

ShaftsDennisMartin

No1 DCNo2 UC

Sinking commenced2/3/190826/4/1909

Sinking Completed26/6/191119/3/1909

Diameter19’-6” (5.9m)19’-6” (5.9m)

Total Depth756 Yards (691.3m)756 Yards (691.3m)

Winding Depth745 Yards (681.2m)736 Yards (673.0m)

Winding Ropes1 7/8” (47.6mm)1 5/8” (41.3mm)

 

Winding arrangements

Dennis Shaft

3 deck aluminium cages

2 30cwt capacity mine cars on each of the two upper decks, ie 4 mine cars of coal or two of coal plus two of stone.

Manwinding – 48 men (24 on each of 2 decks)

Winding cycle time119 seconds

Winds per hour30

Shaft utilisation factor85%PEquivalent winds per hour 25

Effective hourly capacity125 tons

 

Winding Engine

Winding drum 18’-0” (5.5m) dia x 12’-0” (3.66m) wide.

Maximum drum speed 50rpm

Maximum rope speed 47.15ft/sec (14.37m/sec)

Single geared DC Winder motor supplied from MG set comprising a single DC generator driven by a synchronous induction motor. The equipment utilises the Ward-Leonard system and speed control using a Silicon controlled rectifier to supply the DC generator field current.

 

Ratings

DC Winder Motor –RMW rating3,500HP

Max peak rating7,000HP

Max Speed450 RPM

Max armature voltage620 volts

DC Generator –RMW rating2,380KW

Peak rating5,500KW

Max Speed500 RPM

Rated voltage620 volts

Driving Motor –RMW rating2,650HP

Max peak rating5,300HP

Max Speed600 RPM

Stator Voltage11KV

 

Power

Imported from MANWEB at 11KV 3 phase.

Maximum demand 2x5Mw duplicate supplies underground by 3 shaft cables at 3.3Kv and transformed to 550V at faces.

Total installed electrical HP 22,595

Total number of motors installed360

Comprising of : -

Surface210 Motors16,190HP

Underground150 Motors6,405HP

All synchronous induction motors are utilised for power factor correction.

Ventilation

Surface

Single inlet radial fan by J. Howden

Diameter 10’-0” (3.0m) running at 496 rpm driven by 1148 HP motor at 750 rpm

Duty 340,000 cfm at 14” (0.35m) (max 18”(0.46m)) Water gauge

Stanby-bye fan

Double Inlet Radial fan by Walker

Diameter 18’-0” (5.5m) driven by 375HP motor through a 4:1 reduction gear-box

Duty 300,000 cfm at 5” (0.125m) Water gauge

 

Underground

5 – 30” dia. Woods auxiliary fans each of 50HP, Duty 125,000cfm ay 5.5” (0.14m) Water gauge.

 

Methane Drainage

Surface exhauster house containing 4x60HP exhauster pumps.

Space Heating and Baths water

2 Methane gas fired Lancashire boilers

2 Standby coal fired Lancashire boilers with chain grate stokers.

 

Coal Preparation Plant

Capacity (Gross)245 tons EPT

Ratio EPT/Gross84% Hourly capacity EPT206 tons EPT

Daily capacity3,300 tons EPT

Operational efficiency80% Effective daily capacity2,640 tons EPT

Effective hourly capacity165 tones EPT

 

Products made

Large +8” (200m)

Cobbles6”x3” (150x75mm)

Trebbles4”x2” (100mmx50mm)

Doubles2”x1” (50x25mm)

Singles1.5”x1” (40x25mm)

Slack1.5”x0” (40x0mm)

Slack¾”x0”(20x0mm)

 

MarketsIndustrial 60%, Domestic 30% Power Station 10%PDisposal 90% by Landsale and 10% by Rail

 

Locomotives

Underground -6x48HP Ruston & Hornsby 7 tons flameproof diesel locomotives

Surface -2 British Austerity 0-6-0 Steam Tank locomotives.

 

(Information taken from an NCB Publication dated June 1971)

 

The furthest distance was to the M20 face with was approximately 4 miles (6.4km) from shaft bottom.

 

After 72 years of coal production Gresford Colliery closed on the 10th November 1973

Thank you to all for your comments, faves, notes and expos!.-

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The landscape seems to align with what I take to be fjords... but there's still no sign of an actual fjord (i.e. with water visible at the bottom of the ravine). I think this is Utladalen.

 

www.google.fr/maps/@59.5864793,17.9585418,7882m/data=!3m1...

 

Place de la Concorde

 

The two fountains in the Place de la Concorde have been the most famous of the fountains built during the time of Louis-Philippe, and came to symbolize the fountains in Paris. They were designed by Jacques-Ignace Hittorff, a student of the Neoclassical designer Charles Percier at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. The German-born Hittorff had served as the official Architect of Festivals and Ceremonies for the deposed King, and had spent two years studying the architecture and fountains of Italy.

 

Hittorff's two fountains were on the theme of rivers and seas, in part because of their proximity to the Ministry of Navy on the Place de la Concorde, and to the Seine. Their arrangement, on a north-south axis aligned with the obelisk of Luxor, and the Rue Royale, and the form of the fountains themselves, were influenced by the fountains of Rome, particularly Piazza Navona and the Piazza San Pietro, both of which had obelisks aligned with fountains.

 

Both fountains had the same form: a stone basin; six figures of tritons or naiads holding fish spouting water; six seated allegorical figures, their feet on the prows of ships, supporting the pedestal, of the circular vasque; four statues of different forms of genius in arts or crafts supporting the upper inverted upper vasque; whose water shot up and then cascaded down to the lower vasque and then the basin.

 

The north fountain was devoted to the Rivers, with allegorical figures representing the Rhone and the Rhine, the arts of the harvesting of flowers and fruits, harvesting and grape growing; and the geniuses of river navigation, industry, and agriculture.

 

The south fountain, closer to the Seine, represented the seas, with figures representing the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; harvesting coral; harvesting fish; collecting shellfish; collecting pearls; and the geniuses of astronomy, navigation and commerce.