Letter to Wilhelm Liebknecht, January 7, 1886

Author(s) Friedrich Engels
Written 7 January 1886


First published, in Russian, in Marx-Engels Archives, Vol. I (VI), Moscow, 1932
Printed according to the original
Published in English for the first time in Marx-Engels Collected Works, Volume 47


ENGELS TO WILHELM LIEBKNECHT

IN BERLIN

London, 7 January 1886

Dear Liebknecht,

Your conjecture re 'Bios'[1] 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 bolted; subsequently spent some time in Berlin, fled, I believe, after the storming of the arsenal and went, if I'm not mistaken, to Switzerland, 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.b

If you and Bebel, both of you, go to America together, you will certainly be able to raise money; should either of you not go or be replaced by someone else, that would make a difference of 25%-30% in the money you would receive. Besides, you yourself will be particularly 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 being increasingly taken to a depth of 9 or 10 metres, so that a shallower 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 Williamc which may happen at any moment.

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 DEMOCRATIC FEDERATION which Mr Hyndman would seem to have ruined good and proper this time.a 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.

  1. ↑ Bloß in the original