“BRITANNIA. ? jumper, bobbed hair. 
      ANARCHY. ? red tights.”

Nothing in this Act survives in a legible form, but in Act II. we are slightly more fortunate:—­

“SCENE.—­Downing Street (it begins). Enter mixed Chorus of private secretaries, female shorthand writers and representatives of the Press, followed by Sir ROBERT HORNE, Mr. ROBERT WILLIAMS and Mr. SMILLIE.”

What happens after this I can only roughly surmise, but most probably Mr. SMILLIE proves false to Britannia and flirts for some time with Anarchy, egged on by Mr. WILLIAMS and urged by Sir ROBERT HORNE to return to his earlier flame.  At any rate, after a little, the handwriting grows clearer, and I read:—­

“Mr. SMILLIE (striking the pavement with his pick). 
We mean to strike.

Chorus. He means to strike, he means to strike,
Rash man!  Did ever you hear the like
Of what he has just asserted? 
Living is dear enough now, on my soul,
What will it be when we can’t get coal?

PRIME MINISTER (entering suddenly).
This strike must be averted.”

There seems to have been some doubt as to how the PRIME MINISTER’S entrance should be effected, for at this point we get the marginal note:  “_?  From door of No. 10. ?  On wings. ?  Trap door. ?  Riding St. Bernard Dog._”

But the difficulty was evidently settled, and the Chorus begins again:—­

“Oh, here is the wizard from Wales,
The wonderful wizard from Wales,
The British Prime Minister,

MR. WILLIAMS. Subtle and sinister.

Chorus. Oh, no!  That is only your fancy. 
Disputes he can manage and check;
All parties respond to his beck.

MR. WILLIAMS. He talks through the back of his neck!

Chorus. When he talks through the back of his neck
We call it his neck-romancy.”

Of the arguments used by Mr. LLOYD GEORGE after this spirited encouragement no record remains but the following passage:—­

“My dear Mr. SMILLIE,
We value you highly
Howe’er so ferociously raven you. 
We must find a way out,
And we shall do, no doubt,
If we only explore every avenue.

Chorus. Yes, please, do explore every avenue.

[Exeunt Mr. LLOYD GEORGE and Mr. SMILLIE arm-in-arm, R. (?
followed by St. Bernard) and return C. Exeunt L. and return C.
again, and so on.

Chorus. Oh, have you explored every avenue?”

Apparently they have, for later on we get—­

“PRIME MINISTER. Then why should you want to strike
When the Government saves your faces? 
You can get more pay when you like
On the larger output basis.”

And the Chorus of course chimes in:—­

“They can get more pay when they like
On the larger output basis.”

And there is a note at the side:  “Chorus to wave arms upwards and outwards, indicating increased production of coal.”