It was clever to say that in this battle the Lords were the fuzzy-wuzzies and the government had the Maxim gun.

ECONOMIST: Robert Cranborne??s Maxim gun

In the wry words of Lord Cranborne, who leads the Conservatives in the Lords, these peers are the fuzzy-wuzzies and Mr Blair has the maxim gun.

ECONOMIST: Labour??s Lords reform does not go far enough

IR You are right that Africans and Europeans were trading on equal terms before George Goldie, Major Frederick Lugard, Major Edward Hewett and other similar Europeans used the maxim gun and false treaties to deprive black African states of their independence.

ECONOMIST: Poor Africa