gb0551ms-33-57

Transcription

[Page] 57
[continued from page 56]

Bulgaria has concluded an armistice, Turkey is
evidently on the eve of doing the same, Austria is
in a hopeless state & there is a rumour tonight
that the Kaiser has abdicated. Every one is
very hopeful that by next summer at latest
& perhaps before Christmas we shall see the
end of this period of horror. Coal is being
drastically rationed - we expect to be allowed
10 or 12 tons in place of 20, our last years
consumption. Eggs are now 6/- a dozen –
Jam is to be rationed at 4oz [ounces] per head per week.
Those who can afford it can live quite comfortably
as there is lots of food of sorts though one cannot
get always everything one would like.

3rd Nov. 1918
History is being made at a marvellous rate! Turkey having
suffered a series of overwhelming defeats in Palestine and
in Mesopotamia has applied for & been granted an ar:
:mistice which will permit the occupation of the forts on
the Dardanelles & the entry of an allied fleet to the
Black Sea where it may encounter the ships of the
Russian fleet now manned by Germans. Austria
defeated by Italy has fallen to pieces. Hungary has
declared itself an independent state, the Czecho Slavoks
& the Jugoslavs have set up independent govern:
:ments, the Emperor Karl has fled from Vienna and
to-night we hear that an armistice has been

granted to Austria – so she too is out of it. Germany alone
remains being hammered at daily. Since March she has lost
over 780,000 prisoners and in casualties since the beginning
of the year 1,200,000 men! The abdication of the Kaiser is
daily discussed & expected. the country is evidently torn with
dissensions & peace before Christmas is the prevalent belief.
If it were not that it would entail greater losses of life to
us many of us would like Germany to suffer invasion before
the end. Eggs are now 7½ ea. [each]! Apples 1/8 a piece! Food,
however, is quite plentiful, though dear. A suit of clothes
which before the war cost £8.8/- at my
London tailor’s, now costs £11.11/- Yesterday
I had a visit from Mr Arthur Churchill, a London
dealer, to see my glass. He looks, & has the reputation
of being honest, and has offered me most remarkable
prices for some of my pieces. He came down on Satur:
:day afternoon with a nice little lady-like wife, and
went all over our treasures, giving as values for them.
The six dining room chairs with the two arm chairs
he valued at £200; my old side-board £40. He
is to give me £60 for the three sweetmeat glasses, the
candlestick & heavy baluster stemmed glass, which I
sent up to London; he attaches no value to the
other pieces sent. For my fine Whig glass inscribed
“His Highness Duke William in a Bumper” which I
originally bought in 1899 with 2 others for 15/-
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