Великий военный синдикат

           Buthoweverterrifyingandappallinghadbeentheresultsoftheexplosionofthesemines,itwasnotthoughtprobablethattherewereanymoreofthem.Theexplosionshadtakenplaceatexposedpointsdistantfromthecity,andthemostcarefulinvestigationfailedtodiscoveranypresentsignsofminingoperations.Thistheoryofminesworkedbyconfederateswasreceivedthroughoutthecivilizedworld,andwasuniversallycondemned.EvenintheUnitedStatesthefeelingwassostrongagainstthisapparentalliancebetweentheSyndicateandBritishtraitors,thattherewasreasontobelievethatapopularpressurewouldbebroughttobearupontheGovernmentsufficienttoforceittobreakitscontractwiththeSyndicate,andtocarryonthewarwiththeNationalarmyandnavy.Thecrabwasconsideredanadmirableadditiontothestrengthofthenavy,butamineunderafort,laidandfiredbyperfidiousconfederates,wasconsideredunworthyanenlightenedpeople.ThemembersoftheSyndicatenowfoundthemselvesinanembarrassinganddangerousposition—apositioninwhichtheywereplacedbytheuniversalincredulityregardingtheinstantaneousmotor;andunlesstheycouldmaketheworldbelievethattheyreallyusedsuchamotor-bomb,thewarcouldnotbeprosecutedontheplanprojected.ItwaseasyenoughtoconvincetheenemyoftheterribledestructiontheSyndicatewasabletoeffect;buttomakethatenemyandtheworldunderstandthatthiswasdonebybombs,whichcouldbeusedinoneplaceaswellasanother,wasdifficultindeed.