The Decline and Fall of the British Empire; or, the Witches Cavern

1890 W[atson], H[enry] C[rocker] M[arriott] (1835-1901). The Decline and Fall of the British Empire; or, the Witches Cavern. London: Trischler & Co. Rpt. in Late Victorian Utopias: A Prospectus. Ed. Gregory Claeys. 6 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2009), 3: 59-217. Editor’s notes, 57-58, 392-95. U.S. eds. as The Decline and Fall of the British Empire. By An English Premier [pseud.]. Minerva Series. No. 36. November, 1890. New York: Minerva, 1890; and The Witch’s Cavern, A Realistic and Thrilling Picture of London Society. By One Who Knows [pseud.]. New York: Minerva, 1890. ATL, L, O, PSt

Socialism and a lack of both religion and authority cause the collapse of Britain. Britain failed to educate its people so that democracy could function correctly. Climatic changes brought about by the movement of the Gulf Stream away from Britain and the resulting colder weather led to mass immigration and the collapse of commerce. The class structure in Britain divides people. The protagonist visits Britain in 2990 and the Britain of the nineteenth century in a dream. Australia in 2989 is prosperous and healthy with religion and authority as seen in a tour of Australia taken in what is called an electric car but runs on a schedule and has a guard. The poor in Australia are given assistance as a right. The author was born in Australia and moved to Aotearoa/New Zealand in the early 1870s and later returned to Australia where he died.