THE INVASION OF 1910

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8618, 9 May 1906, Page 1

THE INVASION OF 1910

IN TOUR YEARS TIME! IS ENGLAND UNPREPARED? THE CLOUD MNO BIGGER THAN A MAN'S HAND I" '•THE STORY OF THE CENTURY! Ac Proprietor* of the " Canterbury Times " have pleasure in announcing that upon WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, next, tlie popular family journal will commence the publication of the meet thrilling story of modern times, Mr William Le Queux's " THE INVASION OF 1910." This graphic, picturesque and sensational story, founded upon a bass of inevitable and convincing truth, purposes to show in narrative form, the unpreparedness of Great Britain for a deeceaN upon her shores by a powerful Foreign Power. The story is written with all the emphatic impress of conviction. It is absolute in its technique, startling in. the fidelity of its detail, convincing in its manner, prophetic in its unfailing hostility to the methods of the War Department, sure # in its touch, and uncompromisingly hostile to the attitude of "laieeez faire", which has characterised the administration of the Arm/ and Navy for years past. Speaking of this remarkabkj novel in the House of Lords, Lord Roberts said ; - It is to tfce people of the country 1 appc»i to iaks up the question o! the Army in a sensible, practical manner. For the sake of all they hold dear, let them bring horn* to .themselves what would be the condition of Great Britain if it were to lose its wealth, / its power, it 3 position. The catastrophic that •may happen if we still remair. in pur present state of unpreparedness is vividly and forcibly illustrated in .Mr Le Queux's new book, which I recommend to the perusal of everyoc* who has the welfs.ro of the British Empire at heart. The copyright of the novel has been purchased by the proprietors of the "Canterbury Times " at great cos*, and the story will be given to its readers in substantial weekly instalments. The opening chapters relate in detail the story of the landing of the Germans in Great Britain upon the coasts of Norfolk and Suifolk. The landing is supposed to have been effected at Lowestoft, on the morning of Sunday, September 2, 1910; The "first intimation of the descent of the . Germans was gathered through the "Weekly Despatch" being cut off whilst, in the receipt of some important news telegrams from . Yarmouth. Inquiry disclosed that the Norfolk and Sufolk coasts were both completely cut off from telephone and telejgraph communication. The authorities were mystified and alarmed, for there had been no climatic disturbances of such a nature as to, break down five separate routes qf communication. At the height of the confusion which ensued . there came a call from the Ipswich officej where a breathless motorist had a story to tell. The motorist stated that he started in his motor-car alone from Loweetoft to London at halfpast past three in the morning, and just as it was getting light he was pass-: ing along the edge of Menham Park, between Wangford village and Blythburgh, when he saw three men apparently repairing the 'telegraph wires. One was up the pole and the other two were standing below. As he paesed he saw a flash, for, to his surprise, one of the men fired point-blank at him with a revolver. Fortunately, the shot went wide, and he at once put on a move and got down into Blythburgh village, even though one of the tyres went down.^it had probably been pierced by the bullet fired at him, as the puncture was unlike any he had ever had before. At Blythburgh he informed the police of the outrage, and the constable in turn woke up the postmaster, who tried to telegraph ' back to the police at Wrentham, but found that the line was interrupted. Was it possible that the men were cutting the wires, instead of repairing them? He Bays that after repairing this* puncture he took the village constable and three other men on his car and went back to the spot, where, although the trio had escaped, they saw that wholesale havoc had been wrought with the telegraphs. The lines had been severed in four or five places, And whole lengths tangled up into (peat masses. A number of poles had been eawn down, and were lying about the roadside. Seeing that nothing could be done, the gentleman' remounted his car, came on to Ipewich, and reported the damage at the call office. The verification of the story quickly followed, ' and a tardy attempt to interview the War Office authorities was frustrated by the fact that it f was Sunday morning, »nd that nobody save a few understrappers, who were disposed to treat the story with contempt, wore in charge. At last those to whom the position had been made known managed to find the Under-Secretary of State for War, who, hastening to London, arrived to find the city in an uproar and a ferment of horror and fear. The steps that were taken to combat the invasion, the ultimate result of the campaign, and the dreadful disasters and phenomenal triumphs which accompanied it, are worked out in a masterly and graphic manner. The story develops with startling rapidity, and the accuracy of its detail is only surpassed by the vivid interest which has been cast into its construction. Nothing of Euch phenomenal fictional excitement, or of such lively importance, has been published for years. The Story is : A FRANK AND FORCEFUL CRITICISM OF DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION. A GRAPHIC PROPHECY OF FEARLESS PROMINENCE. AN INVINCIBLE INDICTMENT OF INEPTITUDE. A POWERFUL PROTEST AGAINST POLITICAL PROSTITUTION. A BREATHLESS AND SOUL-STIR-RING STORY. Its publication will begin in the * Canterbury Times of WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, and will continue from week to week. As the issue will be a limited one, it will be necessary for agents and individuals to place their orders at once. Remember, WEDNESDAY, MAY 16. Do not miss the First Number.