The great Chinese Silk Route connected India with central Asia, West Asia, and Europe. This route stretched some 4,350 miles from Loyang on the Yellow river (also known as the Huang He) in China to Ctesiphon on the Tigris river in West Asia. From Loyang it went on to Ch'ang and Tunhuang, near the source of the Yellow river.

The real hero of the early American space programme was Ham the astrochimp, who went up before any of the first American Mercury astronauts (India plans £1.7bn manned space mission by 2015, 24 February; Letters, passim).

But he's off-base in describing the city as having record crime until he took office.

‘Once Lady Anna is here, the bridegroom will be mellow, persuadable, and you will press your advantage.’