Interior of a coal-mine. Groups of colliers with lanterns and picks (? tongs). Enter Chorus of female consumers."
Then follows this note:—
"Mem. Can one dance in coal-mine? Look up coal in 'Ency. Brit.' Also cellar flap;"
and later on, at the end of a passage which evidently described the dresses of the principal female characters introduced, we have the words:—
"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.