Rear Admiral Phineas Fogg-Bottom

Dear Friend,

It is with a crisp salute and a jaunty click of the heels that I report that I have placed the HMS FogWatch and its crew at the disposal of Mayor Gavin Newsom in his bold initiative to defend the City and County of San Francisco from the predations of a second Bush Administration.

As can be found in our story by Junior Cabin Boy Gian Carlo Luigi della Stromboli, Newsom has ordered the City to prepare to defened itself in the event that President Bush is re-elected. The plans call for blowing the Bay and Golden Gate bridges, creating a citizen's militia, and building a line of fortifications south of the City to ward off any invasion by U.S. military forces (kindly click here to view said story).

I must say that I find this to be an unfortunate turn of events. As an admiral, you can be rest assured that I understand full well the ramifications of mutiny against one's commanding officer.

But at the same time, it is the duty of any seaman worth his salt to make his voice heard if his captain sets a course that is clearly unsound and that would bring ruin upon both ship and crew. And if that captain fails to heed the voice of reason, then stronger measures become necessary.

Your admiral has notified Mayor Newsom that the HMS FogWatch stands ready to guard the western approaches to the City should the need be required. My crew has been busily refitting the ship with formidable 18-pound cannon that will be sure to stop any encroaching U.S. warship in its tracks, while our sophisticated fog-detection gear has been adapted to detecting incoming warplanes rather than fog banks.

A storm unlike any we have ever seen is now approaching our fair city. Together, we shall do our best to ride it out.

Oro en Paz, Fierro en Guerra.

Your Admiral,

Rear Admiral Phineas Fogg-Bottom