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how those of the same way of thinking as our little friend Hyman, would have grown angry, if some years back one had ventured to assert that there would come a time when financial experts would have necessity to cross the Atlantic ocean with cap in hand to ask the magnates in the U.S.A. for accommodation in money to tide the British Empire and France over the present difficulties. I might have become somewhat enthusiastic my self in denying that such an event was possible, or any how unlikely, between the two powers indicated and the Western or any other Union. However you and I have lived to see it done, and no censor can stop us thinking as we may upon the event. By jove it may be more epoch making than we wot of.
Daily we are expecting here to have word of the fall of Riga. Should this happen Russia will be in sorry plight, because the port is the only one of importance on the Baltic sea, even it is closed during some time of the year by ice. Dr Schuber told me that all sorts of devices are used to break the ice and to keep passages for the ships through the waters. One hates to write about these matters, but they are of the moment and they obtrude themselves on to one's mental vision.
Tabbie dear: There was delivered to me three days ago a letter which you wrote on the 27th. July, it has been travelling round Egypt for three weeks. The address was perfectly clear. I asked the D.M.S. office about it this morning and afterwards at the military post office, because there is no excuse at this stage for such a happening, I shall pursue the matter further, but the end will bring to me no satisfactory explanation. A registered letter came into my hands to day, which is sixteen days late, it has been in Cairo since the 30th. of August, and came from Mr. Estell, Minister for Labour and Industry. When asking about this at the Military Post Office it was apparent that the chief of the establishment is not fully conversant with the business. He talks too much.
Yet Jerom has had worse fortune than mine. His people wrote letters put the correct address upon the envelope, posted them, the result being that they were put into the dead letter office and returned to the sender without apparent rhyme or reason. Inefficiency of the grossest order. I must send the envelope of Jerom's letter to the P.M.General.
Shall complete the answering of your letter tomorrow, which will be Sunday, now I must be off to bed, because the Sunday has already come the hour of midnight having long since passed. Good night. Good night. Good night.
Caggie. [Followed by a line of Os and Xs.]
Joseph. [Followed by a line of Os and Xs.]
Kitty. [Followed by a line of Os and Xs.]
Glad that Maria likes the noughts and crosses placed in this manner in my letter. To please her I shall insert a whole line for her, but now I find the paper will not stay in the machine for the purpose. Good night.
[This last line is handwritten.]
[John Estell (1861-1928), coal miner and Labor politician born in Minmi, NSW, served on the NSW Legislative Council from 1899 to 1901, when he resigned, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly, where he served until 1922 when he resigned and was re-appointed to the Legislative Council. He was a strong anti-conscriptionist, resigning his portfolios as minister for labour and industry and secretary for mines in the NSW Holman government in 1916.]