THE HOPKINS MANUSCRIPT
By R. C. SHERRIFF Who Wrote "Journey's End"
The world, in recon- struction,
found a
new prosperity and new spirit of friend- ship grew between nations. Then vast wealth was discover- ed on the Atlantic
moon-lands.
""
tion's size. Britain itself was pre- pared to forgo its full share on con- dition that we were given this 'corri- dor' of territory, ten miles in width, which would give us direct communi- cation with Gibraltar, and thereby to the Atlantic and Mediterranean. By running railway down this corridor our communications our Dominions and Colonies would be re-established."
with
"An excellent scheme," said Dr. Cranley, "and have the other na. tions agreed?"
"The Muller-Henderson report is the trouble," returned the Major. "When the nations agreed to our 'corridor' the moon was generally be- lieved to be barren and useless rock. All that they requested were certain rights of way across our corridor to their own slices of the moon so that
"It was generally accepted that our coal would have supplies of oil and been used up in a hundred years,' said the Major. "That probably ap- plies also to our other precious miner-in
als.
"We had made reckless, improvi- dent use of them. We were, for ex- ample, burning millions of gallons to oil every hour-every day: oll that could not be replaced."
course of time they could explore and possibly develop. We naturally agreed to that."
He folded the map and put it care- fully into his pocket-book.
"The moon, instead to being worth- less, is now proved to be immensely, he said. many gen-rich in precious minerals,"
"And now... ?" began the doctor. "Now the moon has presented us with ample supplies for erations to come."
"We believed the moon to be an said. "It omen of destruction," I proves to be a gift from God!"
Once again Major Jagger gave that sharp, hard laugh.
"I envy your simple faith, Mr. Hopkins." For a moment his eyes were upon me: then he glanced around the table with a smile.
"What does Mr. Hopkins care about but his poultry? What does he care about the wealth upon the moon? .. what does he care about the British Empire?"
امه
I was so bewildered by this strange and completely irrelevant remark that I began seriously to doubt the Major's sanity.
"What on earth has the British Empire got to do with it?" I exclaim- ed.
"The scientists report that the oil is all in the northern area of the moon the area allotted to Sweden in the British Plan. Germany and France will not agree to that: they want the oll themselves. Italy demands the Every nation in Europe coal-fields. demands a bigger slice than the Bri- tish Plan suggested for them.
"But this is ridiculous!-childish!" "You surely don't suggest I cried. that the nations are going to quarrel about a gift! Surely they can agree!"
"They all agree upon one thing: they emphatically, fiercely agree that Britain must not have its corridor."
"A ten-mile corridor!" exclainied Dr. Cranley. "Surely that isn't asking
much!"
"It happens to cut off other nations from direct communication with their own slices of the moon,' returned the Major. "We have agreed to give them freedom to cross
A
Britain
Canada
France
USA
Germany
U.S.A.
Poland
Spala
Italy
Balkans
"This is the British Plan” sald the Major, "the moon to be divid ed among the nations according to the size of each."
British
Italy
no thought of election campaigns-no time for pedantic speeches and gim- crack theories. When the people were told to select Q man from among themselves to represent them ir Par- liament they turned towards men of great man. He is leading a new Op-proved character and mature judg- position party. The Prime Minister ment. wants compromise. He has a plan These were the men who set their for giving up all claim to that 'corri-countries upon the road to recovery, dor' to the Mediterranean. By es- who established the International tablishing touch with Canada across Council at The Hague and were plan- of the moon wening the United Parliament of Eur- the northern area could reach Australia-possibly_India, ope at Vienna when disaster over- That would mean peace with Europe whelmed them. but the end of half our Empire-the
and the Sudan- end of Gibraltar Africa and the West Indies ...
The news was the signal for a swarm He paused for a moment, his face
can't do of political upstarts to appear in every was hard and pale. "We that we can't desert and betray | nation of Europe. Some were fana- thousands of our people. We must have our corridor."
*
For many months afterwards I was to remember vividly that evening at the Cranleys.'
Disaster came
that, fatal through scientific report upon the riches of the moon.
TAYLOR'S LONDON OLD TOM & DRY GIN.
tics devoid of all powers of reason and common sense, but most of them were worthless adventurers, greedy With clever, for wealth and power. Impassioned speeches they declared The first Parliaments to be elected that their cowardly Governments after the cataclysm had consisted with were allowing other countries to seize
exceptions our corridor, but few
of hard-working, the lion's share of the moon's wealth.
(Continued on Page 15) -they-declare it will give us too strong level-headed, modest men. There was don't you "Good heavens, man!
strategic position: they fear we corridor and cut see!" snapped the Major. "Have you might fortify our
considered the | them off at any time we wished to. never for a moment
declare matter, or have your chickens sapped They even
we might, by all your powers of thought! The means of our 'strategic corridor,' take the whole moon for ourselves. They moon is in the Atlantic, man!-It has blocked our sea routes to America-
say that the British Empire is not to Africa-to India-to Australia! above doing that. The whole of Eur- the whole power and greatness of ope is resolutely against us." Britain depended upon our access to the seal To-day we are an impotent little island! Our ships can sail as far as Plymouth and no farther-cept to strain forward over the map we are of no more strategic impor- tance than Finland or Denmark-or Greece! Thousands of our own peo- ple are cut off from the Motherland in our Colonial possessions-in India and Africa. They depended upon the ... and now sea power of this island they are at the mercy of vast native populations who are beginning to un- derstand that the brain centre of the British Empire is suffocated!"
"Surely", said Dr. Cranley, “we must adjust our ideas. The Empire was founded-upon certain geographi- cal conditions, which since our colli- sion with the moon no longer exist. We must surely develop a new out- look upon world affairs.”
You suggest that we betray our people overseas? sentence them to death? say goodbye and good rid- dance' - to the Empire?"
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Silence fell. Pat and Robin and 籍 Peter and Joan had scarcely said word: they had scarcely moved 'ex-
when Major Jagger upon the table.
had spread it
"What is happening now?" quired the doctor.
en-
The Major shrugged his shoulders. "Deadlock. We refuse to give in. If we are robbed of dur corridor and denied a clear open road to the seas, then the British Empire is finished."
There was a knock: the butler en- tered and handed the Major a slip I watched him read, and of paper. raise his eyebrows.
A "You must excuse me, doctor. message from the Government. must drive back to Oxford to-night for an urgent "session,”
We stood at the front door to see him go. For a moment the coach- work of the big car gleamed in the light from the hall, and then it was. gone. I was never to see the man again--but how many times was... ; I doomed in days to come to hear that a plan," replied the horrid, strident voice, booming its Major, pulling a map from his pocket | "messages" over the radio! and spreading it before us... All drew
"What can be done?" said the doc tor in a quiet voice Is there no plan?".
"There
châiry around "and
Cranley made yeno think
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