Великий военный синдикат

           Thecrabs,aquarterofamileaheadoftherepeller,movedslowly;forbetweenthemtheyboreanimmensenet,threeorfourhundredfeetlong,andthirtyfeetdeep,composedofjointedsteelrods.Alongtheupperedgeofthisnetwasaseriesofair-floats,whichweresograduatedthattheyweresunkbytheweightofthenetafewfeetbelowthesurfaceofthewater,fromwhichpositiontheyheldthenetsuspendedvertically.Thisnet,whichwasintendedtoprotecttherepelleragainsttheapproachofsubmarinetorpedoes,whichmightbedirectedfromtheshore,wasanchoredateachend,twoverysmallbuoysindicatingitsposition.Thecrabsthenfallingastern,RepellerNo.1layto,withthesunkennetbetweenherandtheshore,andpreparedtoprojectthefirstinstantaneousmotor-bombeverusedinwarfare.Thegreatguninthebowofthevesselwasloadedwithoneofthelargestandmostpowerfulmotor-bombs,andthespottobeaimedatwasselected.Thiswasapointinthewaterjustinsideofthemouthoftheharbour,andnearlyamilefromthelandoneitherside.Thedistanceofthispointfromthevesselbeingcalculated,thecannonwasadjustedattheanglecalledforbythescaleofdistancesandlevels,andtheinstrumentindicatingrise,fall,anddirectionwasthenputinconnectionwithit.NowtheDirector-in-chiefsteppedforwardtothebutton,bypressingwhichthepowerofthemotorwasdeveloped.