| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 6 April 1866 |
ENGELS TO HERMANN ENGELS
IN BARMEN
Manchester, 6 April 1866
Dear Hermann,
Best thanks for your statement of account for 27 March, which appears to be in order by and large. The only thing is, it is hard to check the interest if it is not given in detail as in other statements, and one just has to take the 'interest-account' at its word. But then, on 31 December 1865, you credit me with the transfer of 2,112,21.8 talers from Ermen & Engels, Barmen, whilst according to E. & E., Barmen's statement, the same transfer amounts to £316.18.2 and à 6'I'20 makes 2,169.1.8 talers. I can make no sense of that.
It is rather awkward that you make up your accounts on 31 December, whereas we do so on 30 June. I shall therefore only send you a statement once, on 31 December, which will thus never coincide with yours, but in the end it will make no odds.
To keep our entries clear, I would be glad if you would enter all business items from E. & E. under E. & E., Barmen, and all private items under F. Engels & Co.
I passed the information on the agent Brown straight on to Fr. Boelling; Karth wrote to us about a different matter.
I do not advise you to obtain your SEWINGS through us as a rule, G. Ermen will always try to palm off his yarn from Pendlebury on you, and that would surely not always be in your interest. Besides, he would at once claim payment of 2% commission from you as the business expands. But if you can make use of his yarn (and why not, since we can use it?), you had best apply to us. I am today posting you a sample of No. 16, of which he has 120 BALES [at] 10 pounds, 7 LEAS in stock, and would take 2 [s.] 1/2 d. per No. 16, perhaps even less. You can also obtain the same yarn from the broker F. A. Schmits. Fine Nos. and COPS, on the other hand, in which G. Ermen has no interest we can always supply you with.
How much does the hock cost? That is what really matters. And how much of it is there? You should have sent 3 dozen bottles straightaway, instead of 3.
I shall ask around about the PONIES. Good, strong COBS, however, are at the moment much sought after here, and expensive, and bargains—a good pair in one lot—not easily come by.
You don't think there'll be war either? It would be a terrible business if it came to that, and there is no telling where it would end. Recently, when the affair first started, I dreamed that I had got mixed up with an enormously large army somewhere on the Mosel. They were volunteers of some description, all manner of fellows dashing about full of self-importance, and now and again someone would shout, 'We're surrounded!'—at which they all took to their heels. At length, I found my way into the headquarters and encountered Peter and Gottfried Ermen there as GENERALS en chef, and Anton[1] as chief-of-staff. Now I asked him a few questions, but received such bizarre replies that I finally asked him whether he did actually have maps of the area where he was? At which he looked down at me from a great height and said, 'Maps? We do everything here much better without maps.' When I tried to explain to him that he really could not manage without maps, nor even find quarters for his men, etc., he answered, 'If absolutely necessary, we do have some maps', and, with a look of triumph, he pulled a map of a quite different area, the other side of Aachen and Maastricht, out of his pocket. Don't imagine I have just made this up as a bad joke, that is literally how it happened. Kindest regards to Mother[2] —I'll write to her one of these days—and to all our brothers and sisters.
Your
Friedrich