396 MY LIFE [Chap. 



"For permanent depots of powder like Upnor the idea 

 seems worthy of attention, and Mr. Wallace might address 

 the War Office on the subject after informing himself as to 

 the present service powder-cases. 



" F. A. Herbert. 



"20. 6. 82." 



As the Treatise sent merely showed that copper drums 

 were in use something similar to those I suggested, but the 

 interminable pages of instructions and precautions made no 

 reference whatever to water-storage, I did not trouble myself 

 to send my plan to the War Office. I, however, sent it to a 

 few newspapers, where it appeared, and I received in conse- 

 quence a letter from the editor of the Ironmonger approv- 

 ing of the plan for large stores of powder, but fearing it 

 could not be applied to retail dealers, where explosions, often 

 fatal, were continually occurring, almost always through 

 " gross negligence." 



It thus appears that good authorities could see no prac- 

 tical objections to the plan in most cases, neither did they 

 deny the absolute security that would be obtained by it ; yet 

 the crop of explosions, with loss of life, goes on every few 

 years, and till some one in authority takes it up, will, I pre- 

 sume, continue. 



Predictions Fulfilled. 



Having devoted three chapters to an account of my 

 various experiences in connection with modern spiritualism, 

 which have, however, been far less extraordinary than those 

 of many of my friends, I may not improperly conclude this 

 record of my life and experience with a statement of a few of 

 the predictions which I have received at different times, and 

 which have been to some extent fulfilled. 



In 1870 and the following years several communications 

 in automatic writing were received through a member of my 

 family purporting to be from my brother William, with whom 

 I had lived so many years. In some of these he referred to 



