London, 7 January 1886 

Dear Liebknecht, 

Your conjecture re ‘Blos’**'* merely provides me with further 
proof that the ‘nervousness’-you complain of is once again entirely of 
your own making. Still, as you say, NEVER MIND. 

Borkheim was born in Glogau in 1825, studied at Greifswald and 
Berlin, was a three-year artillery volunteer in Glogau in 1848, 
came under investigation as a result of democratic meetings and bolt- 
ed; subsequently spent some time in Berlin, fled, I believe, after the 
storming of the arsenal °! and went, if I’m not mistaken, to Swit- 
zerland, whence he returned with Struve. I don’t remember the 
exact details. 

I shall be writing about the biographical note. >!’ 

Tussy will be given your message on Sunday.? 

If you and Bebel, both of you, go to America together, you will cer- 
tainly be able to raise money; should either of you not go or be re- 
placed by someone else, that would make a difference of 25°%-30% 
in the money you would receive. Besides, you yourself will be par- 
ticularly needed, since at least one of you will, from time to time, 
have to make a speech in English. 

As regards the Baltic Canal I’m all for its being at least 8 metres 
deep. °'° The size and draught of merchant steamers are constantly 
increasing (5,500 tons is already quite usual), and new docks are be- 
ing increasingly taken to a depth of 9 or 10 metres, so that a shall- 
ower canal would become obsolete within a few years, just like the 
Eider Canal now, which became completely so 30 years ago (as to 
some extent it always had been). 

Your trip might be brought forward by a dissolution occasioned by 
the dissolution of old William * which may happen at any moment. 

@ Blo in the original.-> 10 January -° William I 

But that would mean we should have the pleasure of seeing you here 
all the sooner. 

Schorlemmer is still with us and sends his best wishes. 

Otherwise everything is going well, but not for the Social, Democra- 
Tic Federation 3°° which Mr Hyndman would seem to have ruined 
good and proper this time.* Though he may win a spurious victory at 
his PACKED GENERAL MEETING next Sunday, he’s done for in the provinces, 
and here all he’s left with is a steadily dwindling number of supporters. 

Kindest regards. 

Your old friend 
F.E.