{London,] 23 February 1870 

Dear Imandt, 

As far as I am aware, debts contracted abroad are not 
recoverable by legal action in Scotland. I expect any old soxicrror 
there would confirm this for you. 

On superannuation the Code Civil states,” Article 2262, that all 
plaints are superannuated after 30 years; Article 2265: who 
acquires something in good fatth—superannuation in 10, respec- 
tively 20 years; Article 2271: the plaint of masters and teachers 
of sciences and arts regarding instruction given monthly, superan- 
nuates in 6 months. 

The whole officiousness of the Prussians is obviously stmply an 
attempt to browbeat you, and you can just laugh in the fellows’ faces. 
It would only be inconvenient if the counter-bills are made out on 
word of honour. This would not alter things legally, but would be 
compromising. But this is surely not the case? 

As you perhaps know, Dronke went bankrupt in a big way, then 
disappeared. According to some he is again haunting Liverpool; 
according to others, however, he is knocking about in Paris or 
Spain. In any case, you can get the most certain and reliable news 
about him from Schily. 

« See this volume, p. 441. 

\7* 

That scamp Biscamp continues to send his inspirations to the 
Augsburg Allgemeine Zeitung and the Weser-Zeitung, ditto, also, the 
Post published here by Juch since the New Year (Hermann has 
passed into Bismarckian hands”). I read nothing of all this, and 
still less do any personal relations exist. As far as I know, the 
Hesse Cassel man‘ is hanging out somewhere in the London area, 
and is once again ‘husband’. Since you...‘