Frederick Fox, item 82

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Thorne Mead Nov 27/15

Nabwood Shipley

Dear Arthur

Yours to hand of the 9^th which reached me on the 20^th. I also received your photos by

the same post which I think does you credit. I also revd during the same week 6 papers which

seemed rather to much to digest and which I assume had been held back some time. If you can let

me have one or two it is quite sufficient but of course this depends on the post office delivering

them. I believe they are very much understaffed if in fact they are knocking off a great many

deliveries in Shipley they are stopping off delivery of the evening mail. In regard to papers from here

it is impossible for me to send you any direct. All papers for Neutral Countries have to be subscribed

for and must be posted by the newspaper office. I have taken out a subscription for the Bfd Weekly

Telegraph and instructed them to forward to you and you should have received three already.

I notice you have had another advance and are also making money in other ways if this goes on and

you know when you have had enough you will not be long before you are able to wrap up and come

over here, if only for a trip. I see you have been considering (?) the question of starting in business

on your account this is all right and nothing ventured nothing have but study very carefully what you

are doing before committing yourself and in any case go in by yourself. Do not have a partner. It will

very probably be a stiffer fight but the result if you are successful much more satisfactory and if you

find it impossible to start on your own capital. It is much better to wait than start handicapped and

with a partner who's past is at all suspicious.

I feel somewhat amused to find you breaking out into politics and assume this is due to the fact that

you are becoming Americanised but it is a long way from being all over with Old England things are

not bright. They never where in the early stages of an English War. You will remember The Egyptians

War the Fall of Khartoum the sacrifices of General Gordon. The South African War with its Tugela

disaster Magersfontein etc. but the end has always being the same. The resources of England are

such that whatever the result (?) of the land Campaign and the ultimate result of this will be in the

Allies favour. The economic pressure of the Silent British Navy, its effect on the enemy's Trade and

Commerce, and in a substantial degree its effect on the Trade of the world in general will be such

that a more favourable result is assured than one might feel disposed to assume from the present

position of the armies on the various frontiers. I cannot give you any details of the preparation on

this side though these are enormous. And much of what you are doing on yours is brought to notice

through one source or another. I note that the Baldwins Locomotive Works have in hand or completed

an order for 350 Locomotives and further order for 80 went to Canada. These will be very useful to

Russia once the reach here. Last week I saw the wing of an aeroplane (a new one) going down Darley

Street. A small matter but an indication of how the wind blows.

England's weakness (and her Allies) has been the lack of preparations Germanys strength her

complete preparedness for a war which she thought inevitable and which she undertook at a time

she considered most favourable to herself and for which she had organised all her resources in a

most systematic and business-like manner. Still I believe that she received a check which will

eventually prove fatal when she had to turn back from Paris to her present position.