Manchester, 14 April 1856 
Dear Marx, 

I eagerly look forward to the Brug Boox.* But since I shall not 
have time for the process of chronological comparison to which 
you subjected it, you might give me a few hints some time as to 
the main snags; I shall have to confine myself solely to the mitrrary 
side, which [ shall go through carefully, comparing it with 
Sandwith’s book” when possible. Up here we’ve heard absolutely 
nothing about Jones’ coup d’état and the consequent pother; I 
must certainly start getting The People’s Paper again. 

Never before has the speculation shown such sparkling form in 
Germany. Mevissen is king of the Rhine Province, has bought the 
Indépendance jointly with Morny, and is setting up an international 
(aurran!) bank in Luxembourg (!). I have seen the jeremiad in the 
Preussische Correspondenz. However, steps have been taken to 
ensure that neither Manteuffel nor von der Heydt suppresses the 
swindle; Crédits mobiliers*’ are being set up in Hanover, Leipzig 
et al. and what these fail to accomplish is sure to be made good by 
unofficial crookery. The final phase of the gamble is now 
beginning: Russia is importing capital and speculation and, given 
these distances, these hundreds of miles of railways, the gamble 
may well develop in such a way as to come to an early and sticky 
end. Once we hear of tHe Granp Irkutsk Tronk LINE WITH BRANCHES TO 
Pein, etc., etc., that will be the moment for us to pack up. This 
time the crasu will be quite unprecedented; all the ingredients are 
there: intensity, universal scope, and the involvement of all 
propertied and ruling social elements. What I find funniest is vour 
worthy Englishman’s unshakable conviction, that, in view of the 
‘sound’ state of trape, nothing like that could possibly happen 
here. It is clear enough that no one is speculating heavily in 
industrial production, it being common knowledge that a modest 
amount of investment in direct production could bring about 
saturation in all markets within a year, and this particularly so 
long as the colossal calls on capital for communications persist. But 

4 Papers Relative to Military Affairs in Asiatic Turkey, and the Defence and Capitulation 
of Kars - > H. Sandwith, A Narrative of the Siege of Kars... 

as a result of speculation in communications, even industrial 
production is increasing out of all proportion, though more slowly 
than e.g. in 1833-36 or 1842-45. This year cotton prices are rising 
rapidly despite a hitherto unprecedented crop of 3,500,000 bales, 
which looks no larger this year than e.g. 2'/2 million bales would 
have looked 1n 1850. Moreover, relative to England, the Continent 
is taking almost 3 times as much as 5 years ago, as is proved by the 
following table of exports from America between 1 September and 
1 April each year (in thousands of bales): 

1856 1855 1854 1853 
Export to England 

over 7 months 1,131 963 840 1,100 
to France 

over 7 months 354 249 229 255 
to other European ports 

over 7 months 346 167 179 2048 

45 1 
So the Continent which, in 1853, took iitaer of the English 

70 
figure, took a= in 1856. And to this must be added what was 

obtained by the Continent from England. As you can see, the 
growth of the industry on the Continent is out of all proportion to 
that in England, and the worthy British, BEING RATHER ON THE DECLINE, 
have every reason not to overtrade in their cotton industry; 1853 
and 1856, however, provide the best comparison, since in both 
years the crop was a very large one—3,300,000 and 3,500,000 
bales. The substantial exports to France are purely fictitious, for a 
portion goes from Le Havre to Switzerland, Baden, Frankfurt and 
Antwerp. But it is in this enormous leap forward of industry on 
the Continent that the most viable embryo of English revolution 
lies. 

While I see the rag Protection for Trade from time to time, I 
didn’t, alas, have a chance to admire amicum” Sebastian‘ therein. 

The Pieperiad is becoming distinctly distasteful. This little tale 
has some very amusing aspects, but also some nasty twists, and the 
thread of vanity running through it creates a disagreeable 
impression. Only let the fellow out of your sight for the space of 2 
minutes and he’ll go and do something idiotic on the assumption, 
shared by no one else, that he’s a genius. I hope that he’ll have to 

a In the manuscript Marx added three noughts to all the figures in this table. 
- > friend - ¢ Seiler 

marry his tallow candle and that he doesn’t get that little sum; it 
would serve him right. 

Should the case arise, we must demonstrate our gratitude for 
the gallantry shown to your wife by supreme and special 
command.* Whatever happens he” must be given his allowance of 
champagne in his cachot." | 

I found the Lassalliads* most entertaining; the ringleted Jewish 
noddle must look charming indeed above the red nightshirt and 
the ‘marquisian’ drapery, while his every movement betrays the 
Polish Izzy. All things considered, the fellow must produce a most 
sordid and repulsive impression. 

I am keeping Levy’s letter here’ and shall write to you, 
tomorrow if possible, about sundry matters concerning the 
workers’ business. It would, by the way, be advisable to secure 
letters containing this sort of stuff with sealing wax. At the same 
time I shall return you Levy’s letter. 

I have already told you that I can hear again; three abscesses 
burst in my ear one after the other, and that did the trick. 

Warm regards to your wife and children. 

Your 
F. E.