Великий военный синдикат

           Therewerenolongerpromontoriesjuttingoutintothesea;therewerenohillocksandrockyterracesrisinginland.Inavastplain,shavenandshorndowntoacommonlevelofscarredandpallidrock,therelayanimmensechasmtwomilesandahalflong,halfamilewide,andsodeepthatshudderingmencouldstandandlookdownupontherentandrivenrocksuponwhichhadrestedthatportionoftheWelshcoastwhichhadnowblownouttosea.AnofficeroftheRoyalEngineersstoodontheseawardedgeofthisyawningabyss;thenhewalkedovertothealmostcircularbodyofwaterwhichoccupiedtheplacewherethefishingvillagehadbeen,andintowhichthewatersofthebayhadflowed.WhenthisofficerreturnedtoLondonhewroteareporttotheeffectthatashipcanal,lessthananeighthofamilelong,leadingfromthenewlyformedlakeattheheadofthebay,wouldmakeofthischasm,whenfilledbythesea,thefinestandmostthoroughlyprotectedinlandbasinforshipsofallsizesontheBritishcoast.Butbeforethisreportreceiveddueofficialconsiderationtheideahadbeensuggestedandelaboratedinadozennewspapers.AccountsandreportsofallkindsdescribingthedestructionofCaerdaff,andoftheplaceinwhichithadstood,filledthenewspapersoftheworld.PhotographsandpicturesofCaerdaffasithadbeenandasitthenwaswereproducedwithmarvellousrapidity,andtheearthquakebomboftheAmericanWarSyndicatewasthesubjectofexcitedconversationineverycivilizedcountry.TheBritishMinistrywasnowthecalmestbodyofmeninEurope.