FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUSINESS. 255 



great overwhelming question of the coming century, 

 and if Europe wishes to maintain its dominant position 

 in the world or at least its footing of equality with 

 America, it will have to prepare itself betimes for this 

 struggle. This can only be attained by the utmost 

 possible removal of all inter -European fiscal barriers, 

 which limit the market, enhance the expenses of pro- 

 duction, and diminish the power of competing in the 

 world -emporium. Further, the feeling of the solidarity 

 of Europe as against the rest of the world must be 

 developed, when the internal European questions of 

 political power and class interest cannot fail to be 

 turned towards higher ends. 



During the period of my political activity I earnestly 

 continued my efforts to develop the large business 

 I had called into existence. A change had meanwhile 

 occurred in the management of the Prussian government- 

 telegraphs, which had brought me and my firm again 

 into closer connection with it. In the room of Coun- 

 cillor Nottebohm who could never forgive me for 

 having in my previously mentioned pamphlet traced 

 the entire failure of the Prussian system of underground 

 communications to its real cause, the defective organi- 

 zation of the technical administration an extremely 

 intelligent officer of engineers, Colonel von Chauvin, 

 had been named director of the Prussian state tele- 

 graphs. The latter renewed the relations with my 



