“…As practical people, the population of Bilbao have understood and above all are happy to turn their shoulders on England which, although it dominates, does not know how to make itself loved. …”

“…England has lost in the Basque "footstool" its principal instrument of spiritual and political domination over Madrid. 292/946/12b/28(iv)…”

“…London repeatedly brought its political and financial weight to bear on the Court and the weak Governments of Madrid to protect the intangibility of its great fief of Bilbao, through which it dominated Spanish industry and subordinated the industrial development of Spain to the interests of British imports and exports. …”