As to this Coal Crisis, I am still most anxious. Do
you remember how|I wrote to you two months ago
that it was going to be a long and critical struggle ?
We shall be lucky if we do not meet worse things than



PROPHECIES 247

lowing articles which will go on until Easter. My wife
does not feel able to face London this winter, except
for occasional visits, and we remain at Hawkhurst at
any rate till March.
Yours devotedly,

Frederic Harrison.
P.S. — I reserve for Postscript my political forecast.
It is enough to frighten you. By Easter, a general
Strike will take place. Railways stopped — coal in-
accessible — battleships stranded in port for want of
fuel. Desperate efforts to work mines, railways, and
factories — resisted by workmen. Troops called out —
Civil War — Riots — houses sacked — ^Territorials join
Strikers. Troops overpowered — chaos in England —
Wales declares a Republic — Lloyd George, President.
Ireland ditto — Redmond, President. Germany Army
marches straight for Paris. Belgium and Holland
made subject. French Civil War — Troops fight each
other — hasty peace, Germany to annex Belgium (with
option of Burgundy, Holland), Picardy, Normandy to
the Seine and Algeria. German^ new gun at Calais
to bombard Dover. F. H. commits suicide in horror.
In another letter which followed about a month
later Mr. Harrison made a very notable prophecy
which has been only too amply fulfilled.
Elm Hill,
Hawkhurst.
April 7, 1912.
