Великий военный синдикат

           Thechiefofthescientificcorpsthenshowedhimtheexactpointuponthescalewhichwouldbeindicatedwhenthegunwasinitsproperposition,andthepiecewasthenmoveduponitsbearingssoastoapproximateasnearlyaspossiblethisdirection.Thebowofthevesselnowroseupontheswellofthesea,andtheinstantthattheindexuponthescalereachedthedesiredpoint,theDirector-in-chieftouchedthebutton.Therewasnoreport,nosmoke,novisiblesignthatthemotorhadleftthecannon;butatthatinstantthereappeared,tothosewhowereonthelookout,fromafortaboutamileaway,avastapertureinthewatersofthebay,whichwasvariouslydescribedasfromonehundredyardstofivehundredyardsindiameter.Atthatsameinstant,intheneighbouringheadlandsandislandsfaruptheshoresofthebay,andineverystreetandbuildingofthecity,therewasfeltasharpshock,asiftheunderlyingrockshadbeenstruckbyagigantictrip-hammer.Atthesameinstanttheskyabovethespotwherethemotorhaddescendedwasdarkenedbyawide-spreadingcloud.Thiswasformedofthatportionofthewaterofthebaywhichhadbeeninstantaneouslyraisedtotheheightofaboutathousandfeet.Thesuddenappearanceofthiscloudwasevenmoreterriblethantheyawningchasminthewatersofthebayorthestartlingshock;butitdidnotremainlonginview.Ithadnosoonerreacheditshighestelevationthanitbegantodescend.Therewasastrongsea-breezeblowing,andinitsdescentthisvastmassofwaterwasimpelledtowardtheland.