Великий военный синдикат

           Afewbomb-proofcanopiesandacurvedsteeldeckcompletedthedefencesofthevessel.Besidesequippingthislittlenavy,theSyndicatesetabouttheconstructionofcertainsea-goingvesselsofanextraordinarykind.Sogreatwerethefacilitiesatitscommand,andsothoroughandcompleteitsmethods,thattenoradozenship-yardsandfoundriesweresettoworksimultaneouslytobuildoneoftheseships.InamarvellouslyshorttimetheSyndicatepossessedseveralofthemreadyforaction.Thesevesselsbecametechnicallyknownas"crabs."Theywerenotlarge,andtheonlypartofthemwhichprojectedabovethewaterwasthemiddleofanellipticaldeck,slightlyconvex,andheavilymailedwithribsofsteel.Thesevesselswerefittedwithelectricenginesofextraordinarypower,andwerecapableofgreatspeed.Attheirbows,fullyprotectedbytheoverhangingdeck,wasthemachinerybywhichtheirpeculiarworkwastobeaccomplished.TheSyndicateintendedtoconfineitselftomarineoperations,andforthepresentitwascontentedwiththesetwoclassesofvessels.Thearmamentforeachofthelargevessels,ashasbeensaidbefore,consistedofasinglegunoflongrange,andtheammunitionwasconfinedentirelytoanewstyleofprojectile,whichhadneveryetbeenusedinwarfare.ThematerialandconstructionofthisprojectilewereknownonlytothreemembersoftheSyndicate,whohadinventedandperfectedit,anditwasonaccountoftheirpossessionofthissecretthattheyhadbeeninvitedtojointhatbody.