It is late in the day to draw attention to Mr. Punch as a prophet.
Everyone knows that his eyes have always discerned the farthest
horizon. None the less it is pleasant now and again to succumb to the
temptation of saying "I told you so," and especially when it is the
finger of a friendly reader that points the way to the Sage's triumph.
Were we in the habit of quoting from past numbers, as many of our
contemporaries do, we should print the following paragraph from the
issue of September 2nd, 1871:--
"A REAL DANGER.
"'According to _Le Havre_, about forty Prussian officers in
mufti leave Dieppe every morning for England, their object
being to visit the military establishments of Great Britain.'
"Here at last is an actual invasion! Prussian officers landing on
our defenceless shores, on the transparently flimsy pretext of making
themselves acquainted with our military establishments, at the rate
(excluding Sundays) of 240 a week, or in this present September, of
1,080 a month, or, amazing and terrifying total, of 12,520 a year! We
commend this startling announcement to the attention of the Cabinet
(Parliament, unfortunately, is not sitting), the Commander-in-Chief,
the War Office, the Commanders of all Volunteer Corps, the Author of
'The Battle of Dorking,' _Sergeant Blower_, and _Cheeks the Marine_."
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[Illustration: _Tommy_ (_homeward bound, and determined not to
disappoint_). "WHY, MISSY, THREE DAYS BEFORE THE ARMISTICE THE AIR WAS
THAT THICK WITH AEROPLANES THE BIRDS HAD TO GET DOWN AND WALK."]
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