deficits as these are in themselves sufficient to show how critical would be our position if England were invaded, and in order to give an adequate idea of what we may expect during that reign of terror, I have penned the narrative which follows. Some, no doubt, believe that our enemies will treat us with more mercy than I have shown, but I firmly anticipate that in the desperate struggle for the supremacy of the world, towns will be bombarded and international law set at naught where our invaders see a chance of success. Consequently, the ruin must be widespread, and the loss of life enormous. In the various strategical and tactical problems involved, I have received assistance from a number of well-known naval and military officers on the active list, whose names I am, however, not at liberty to divulge. Suffice it to say that, in addition to personally going over the whole of the ground where battles are fought, I have also obtained information from certain official documents not made public, and have endeavoured to bring this forecast up to date by introducing the latest inventions in guns, and showing the relative strength of Navies as they will appear in 1897. In this latter I have been compelled to bestow names upon many ships now building. To Lieut. J. G. Stevens, 17th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers, who supplied me with many details regarding the Volunteers; to Mr. Alfred C. Harmsworth, F.R.G.S., whose suggestion prompted me to write this narrative; and to Mr. Harold Harmsworth, who on several occasions assisted me, I hereby acknowledge my thanks. While many readers will no doubt regard this book chiefly as an exciting piece of fiction, I trust that no small proportion will perceive the important lesson underlying it, for the French are laughing at us, the Russians presume to imitate us, and the Day of Reckoning is hourly advancing. WILLIAM LE QUEUX. PRINCE OF WALES'S CLUB, COVENTRY STREET, W. CONTENTS _BOOK I_ THE INVASION CHAP. PAGE I. THE SHADOW OF MOLOCH 13 II. A TOTTERING EMPIRE 19 III. ARMING FOR THE STRUGGLE 23 IV. THE SPY 28 V. BOMBARDMENT OF NEWHAVEN 35 VI. LANDING OF THE FRENCH IN SUSSEX 40 VII. BOMB OUTRAGES IN LONDON 44 VIII. FATEFUL DAYS FOR THE OLD FLAG 49 IX. COUNT VON BEILSTEIN AT HOME 56 X. A DEATH DRAUGHT 61 XI. THE MASSACRE AT EASTBOURNE 65 XII. IN THE EAGLE'S TALONS 70 XIII. FIERCE FIGHTING IN THE CHANNEL 75 XIV. BATTLE OFF BEACHY HEAD 85 _BOOK II_ THE STRUGGLE