Великий военный синдикат

           ABritishartilleryofficerconversingwithamemberoftheAmericanSyndicateataLondonclub,saidtohim:—"Doyouknowthatyoumadeagreatmistakeinthebeginningofyouroperationswiththemotor-guns?Ifyouhadcontrivedanattachmenttothemotorwhichshouldhavemadeaninfernalthunder-clapandastormofsmokeatthemomentofdischargeitwouldhavesavedyoualotofmoneyandtimeandtrouble.TheworkofthemotorontheCanadiancoastwasterribleenough,butpeoplecouldseenoconnectionbetweenthatandthegunsonyourvessels.IfyoucouldhavesoonershownthatconnectionyoumighthavesavedyourselvesthetroubleofcrossingtheAtlantic.And,toprovethis,oneofthemostsatisfactorypointsconnectedwithyourworkontheWelshcoastwasthejetofsmokewhichcamefromtherepellereverytimeshedischargedamotor.Ifithadnotbeenforthosejets,IbelievetherewouldbepeoplenowintheoppositionwhowouldswearthatCaerdaffhadbeenmined,andthattheMinistrywereapartytoit.""Yourpointiswelltaken,"saidtheAmerican,"andshoulditeverbenecessarytodischargeanymorebombs,—whichIhopeitmaynotbe,—weshalltakecaretoshowavisibleandaudibleconnectionbetweencauseandeffect.""Thedeviltakeit,sir!"criedanoldcaptainofanEnglishship-of-the-line,whowassittingnearby."Whatyouaretalkingaboutisnotwar!WemightaswellsendoutaCodfishTrusttosettlenationaldisputes.Inthenextsea-fightwe’llsaveourselvesthetroubleofgnawingandcrunchingatthesternsoftheenemy.