Великий военный синдикат

           Buttheinstantaneousdisappearanceofagreatfortificationwithalittlemoreappreciableaccompanimentthanthesuddentap,asofalittlehammer,uponthousandsofwindow-panes,wassomethingwhichtheirintellectscouldnotgrasp.Itwasnottobeexpectedthattheordinarymindcouldappreciatethedifferencebetweentheactionofaninstantaneousmotorwhenimbeddedinrocksandearth,anditseffect,whenopposedbynothingbutstonewalls,uponornearthesurfaceoftheearth.Earlythenextmorning,thelittlefleetoftheSyndicatepreparedtocarryoutitsfurtherorders.Thewatersofthelowerbaywerenowentirelydeserted,craftofeverydescriptionhavingtakenrefugeintheupperpartoftheharbournearandabovethecity.Therefore,assoonasitwaslightenoughtomakeobservations,RepellerNo.1didnothesitatetodischargeamotor-bombintotheharbour,amileormoreabovewherethefirstonehadfallen.Thiswasdoneinordertoexplodeanytorpedoeswhichmighthavebeenputintopositionsincethedischargeofthefirstbomb.Therewereveryfewpeopleinthecityandsuburbswhowereatthathouroutofdoorswheretheycouldseethegreatcloudofwaterarisetowardthesky,andbeholditdescendlikeamightycataractupontheharbourandadjacentshores;butthequick,sharpshockwhichranunderthetownmadepeoplespringfromtheirbeds;andalthoughnothingwasthentobeseen,nearlyeverybodyfeltsurethattheSyndicate’sforceshadbeguntheirday’sworkbyexplodinganothermine.