There is something peculiarly exhilarating in bright sunshine and calm
weather. This is no doubt a truism; but there are some truths of which
one never tires, and in regard to which one feels ever-recurring
freshness. Who ever wearied of a balmy breeze, or a bright sunrise?
Even a glorious noon cannot pall upon us unless it be too hot.
When bright sunshine is associated with good health, pleasant company, a
successful courtship, and the prospect of light on a favourite study,
the reader will understand how it was that my mother and I, with
Nicholas and Bella, formed a peculiarly happy quartette as we
perambulated the streets of London prior to my visit to the Admiralty.
It was a Friday forenoon, and there were many holiday-keepers hastening
to trains. At the corner of one of the main thoroughfares a crowd
partly blocked the road. The cause of it became apparent to us when the
head and arched neck of a black charger appeared, and then the white
plume and polished cuirass of a Life Guardsman. We stood on a
door-step, so that Bella might see the troop.
As they passed before us, with that stately bearing of man and horse
which has always seemed to me peculiar to the Life Guards, and the sun
flashed in dazzling gleams from breasts and helmets, I glanced at my
friend Naranovitsch. His soldierlike form was drawn up to its full
height, while the flashing eye, flushed countenance, distended nostrils,
and compressed but slightly smiling lips told, I thought, of a strong
feeling of martial joy. Doubtless he was thinking at the moment of his
own regiment, to which he had been but recently appointed, and of his
comrades-in-arms.
"Fine-looking fellows!" I whispered.
"Splendid! glorious!" he said, in a deep, low voice.
Bella looked quickly up at him, displaying an anxious, sorrowing face,
and bright eyes, dimmed with ill-suppressed tears.
"You are not ill, Bella?" he whispered, bending down with a look of
tenderness, not unmixed with surprise.
"No; oh, no," she replied, in a low tone; "but the sight of the Guards
has made me very sad."
I knew full well the cause of her emotion, but the crowded street was
not a suitable place for explanation.
"Come, follow me," I said, and walked quickly along in the direction of
the Strand, where I turned abruptly into one of those quiet courts which
form, as it were, harbours of refuge from the rattle and turmoil of the
great city. Here, sauntering slowly round the quiet precincts of the
court, with the roar of the street subdued to a murmur like that of a
distant cataract, Bella told Nicholas, in tones of the deepest pathos,
how a German lady, Elsie Goeben, one of her dearest friends, had been
married to the handsomest and best of men in one of the Prussian cavalry
regiments. How, only six months after their union, the Franco-Prussian
war broke out, and Elsie's husband Wilhelm was sent with his regiment to
the frontier; how in many engagements he had distinguished himself; and
how, at last, he was mortally wounded during one of the sorties at the
siege of Metz.
"They did not find him till next day," continued my sister, "for he had
fallen in a part of the field so far in advance of the ground on which
his dead comrades lay, that he had been overlooked. He was riddled with
bullets, they say, and his noble face, which I had so often seen beaming
with affection on his young wife, was so torn and disfigured that his
friends could scarcely recognise him. He was still alive when found,
and they knew his voice. When they raised him, he merely exclaimed,
`_At last_, thank God!' with a deep sigh, as if of relief. The words
were few, but they had terrible significance, for they told of a long,
long night of agony and dreadful solitude; but he was not quite alone,"
my sister added, in a low voice, "for he was a Christian. He died
before reaching the tents of his division."
Bella's voice faltered as she said, after a moment's pause, "Dear Elsie
never recovered the shock. She joined her husband in heaven two months
afterwards."
"Truly," said I, "war is a terrible curse."
"I hate it! I detest it!" cried Bella, with a sudden tone and look of
energy, that was all the more impressive because of her natural
character being gentle and retiring.
I saw that Nicholas was surprised and pained. He would fain have
comforted Bella, but knew not what to say, for he had been trained to
talk of "martial glory," and to look on war through the medium of that
halo of false glitter with which it has been surrounded by too many
historians in all ages. The young Russian had hitherto dwelt chiefly on
one aspect of war. He had thought of noble and heroic deeds in defence
of hearth and home, and all that man holds sacred. To fight for his
country was to Nicholas an idea that called up only the thoughts of
devotion, self-sacrifice in a good cause, duty, fidelity, courage,
romance; while, in regard to the minor things of a warrior's life, a
hazy notion of dash, glitter, music, and gaiety floated through his
brain. Of course he was not _ignorant_ of some of the darker shades of
war. History, which told him of many gallant deeds, also recorded
numberless dreadful acts. But these latter he dismissed as being
disagreeable and unavoidable accompaniments of war. He simply accepted
things as he found them, and, not being addicted to very close
reasoning, did not trouble himself much as to the rectitude or wisdom of
war in the abstract. Neither did he distinguish between righteous and
unrighteous war--war of self-defence and war of aggression. Sufficient
for him that he served his country faithfully. This was a good general
principle, no doubt, for a youthful officer; but as one who expected to
rise to power and influence in his native land, something more definite
would ultimately be required of him. As yet, he had neither experienced
the excitement, beheld the miseries, nor bathed in the so-called "glory"
of war; and now that a corner of the dark cloud was unexpectedly flung
over him in Bella's sorrow, he felt deeply sympathetic but helpless. A
sad look, however, and a gentle pressure of the hand that rested on his
arm, was quite sufficient for Bella.
To relieve my friend from his embarrassment, I pulled out my watch and
urged that we should walk in the direction of the Admiralty, as the hour
for my interview had nearly arrived.
At Charing-Cross we parted, and I proceeded on my mission with the plan
of my torpedo, which Nicholas styled the "infernal machine," in my
pocket, and a rather anxious heart in my breast, for although I was
quite certain that my invention was superior to all others, inasmuch as
it fulfilled several conditions which were not fulfilled by other
torpedoes, I did not feel sure that the Lords of the Admiralty would
take the same view of it that I did. Besides, the machine had only been
tried as a model, and might not act perfectly when tested in actual
warfare. But, of course, I knew that my inventive powers would readily
overcome each weak point as it cropped into view in practice.
I met with a very gracious reception from the first Lord. Beside him
were seated two elderly gentlemen, whom I judged to be brother Lords.
It were needless to recount all that passed during that memorable
interview. Suffice it to say, that after I had given a most careful and
clear explanation of my invention, to which the three Lords listened
with marked attention, the first Lord said, with a bland smile--
"But what, Mr Childers, is the peculiar point of superiority over other
torpedoes which you claim for yours?"
I confess that the question damped me a little, for I had been
remarkably explicit in my explanations, which lasted nearly an hour.
However, with the utmost alacrity, I went again over the chief points.
"You observe, my Lord," said I, pointing to my drawing, which lay spread
out on the table, "that this watch-work arrangement in the heart of the
machine is so intimately connected with that lever and screw on its
exterior, that in passing out of the case from which it is launched into
the sea, the machinery is set in motion, and the first act of the
torpedo is to set or regulate itself for the special purpose for which
it is designed. Thus it may be styled an automatic torpedo. The
celebrated Whitehead fish-torpedo, beautiful and cleverly contrived
though it be, can only advance straight to its object at a certain depth
below the surface; but mine, as you see, by this arrangement of the main
pneumatic engine, which connects the watch-work regulator with an
eccentric wheel or fin outside, causes the torpedo to describe a curve
of any size, and in any direction, during its progress. Thus, if you
wish to hit an enemy's vessel, but cannot venture to fire because of a
friendly ship happening to lie between, you have only to set the
eccentric indicator to the required curve, and send the torpedo on its
mission of destruction right under the bottom of the friendly ship; or
by laying the torpedo on its side, it will easily go round it, and
afterwards hit the enemy."
"Ah! I see," said the first Lord, with a grave nod; "you have at last
succeeded in making that which has so long been held impossible; an
instrument which will shoot round the corner."
"Well, a--; yes, my Lord, although I confess it had not struck me in
that light before. But," I continued, feeling my enthusiasm rise as the
first Lord became more appreciative, "the weapon may be used even in
attacking fortresses from the sea, for by making what I may call the
inverted trajectory of the curve very high, the torpedo may be made to
rush under the surface of the water, gradually curve upwards, then shoot
right out of its native element, and go straight into a fort or town on
a hill, at least a hundred feet above the level of the sea."
"Indeed!" exclaimed the first Lord.
I observed that the other two Lords were gazing at me, with looks from
which were banished every expression except that of intense surprise.
Regarding this as a sign that the merits of my invention were beginning
to tell on them, I went on--
"Yes, my Lord, the action of the thing is absolutely certain, if the
distance of the object aimed at be ascertained to a nicety, and the
arrangements of the watch-work indicator adjusted to those of the
eccentric wheel and the pneumatic engine with mathematical precision.
This, of course, in these days of thorough education, can be easily done
by even the youngest officer in a ship. I should have mentioned,
however, that if it were required to send the torpedo into a citadel or
fortress on a hill, it would be necessary to use a stronger explosive
than any yet known,--gun-cotton and dynamite being too weak, and
nitro-glycerine too dangerous, therefore inadmissible."
"Ha!" exclaimed the first Lord, "and where is such an explosive to be
found?"
"In my laboratory down in Devonshire, my Lord," I answered, with a look
of diffidence, feeling uncertain how he would take the announcement.
For a few moments he contemplated me in perfect silence, and I observed
that the other two Lords smiled. I felt perplexed, but the awkwardness
of the moment was quickly removed by the first Lord asking what my new
compound was made of.
"That, my Lord," said I, "is a secret."
"Just so, and you wish to sell your secret to Government?"
"No, my Lord," I replied, with dignity; "I wish to let my Government
possess any slight gift which it lies in my power to present to it, in
addition to that of a loyal heart; but I cannot afford to let my secret
be known, unless I have some assurance that it shall be held
inviolable."
"That assurance you have," said the first Lord, "but I should have
supposed that to so loyal a subject the character of the British
Admiralty would have been sufficient guarantee, and that nothing further
would have been required from me."
"I do _not_ require further assurance, my Lord," said I, hastily; "I
merely wish you to understand how important it is that secrecy should be
observed. I will reveal it to you."
Here I rose and whispered in the first Lord's ear. He turned pale, as I
sat down, and whispered to the other two Lords, who looked very grave,
from which I augured good fortune to my invention. At the same time I
was surprised, for my communication to him was in no way alarming,
though connected with explosives.
Presently the first Lord touched a bell. A servant in uniform appeared,
and after a few words, disappeared. I was puzzled, but silent.
"Mr Childers," said the first Lord, "I shall give your invention my
best attention; but I must tell you that there are many others in this
country, as well as yourself, who are exerting their minds to discover
the most effectual method of spreading wholesale devastation among their
fellow-creatures, and--"
"Forgive my interrupting you, my Lord," I exclaimed, with a look of
horror, "but I repudiate entirely any intention to destroy my
fellow-creatures. My motives in this matter have been purely
scientific."
"I have no doubt of it," returned the first Lord, with a smile,
"nevertheless the tendency of your labours is towards destruction; and
my reference to the fact is merely for the purpose of informing you that
there are many other inventors who have claimed my attention to their
designs, and that you must not expect an immediate decision in regard to
yours."
With this I was politely bowed out, and as I passed down the corridor, I
could not help feeling disappointed at the rather faint success of my
visit. The idea, too, that I was a would-be destroyer of my species had
never before occurred to me, my whole soul and faculties having hitherto
been engrossed in the simple idea of perfecting a chemical explosive and
a mechanical contrivance. Thus, unintentionally, do we sometimes lend
ourselves to that from which our hearts revolt.
I noticed, too, that the servant who had been summoned by the first Lord
while we were discussing the torpedo, was particularly attentive to me,
and very careful in seeing me off the premises; and then, for the first
time, it flashed across my mind that I had been taken for a madman.
I was so tickled with the idea, that I burst into a sudden fit of hearty
laughter, an act which induced a little boy, a policeman, and an old
woman, who chanced to be passing, to imbibe the erroneous view of the
first Lord.
However, although grievously disheartened, I was not subdued. Hope,
which tells so many flattering tales, told me that after proper
consideration the Admiralty would infallibly perceive the value of my
invention; and in regard to the destruction of my fellow-creatures, I
consoled myself with the reflection that torpedoes were much more
calculated for defensive than offensive warfare.
Before quitting this subject, I may state that from that day to this, I
have never heard from the Admiralty in reference to my invention. This
fact gives me no pain now, although it did at first. I will explain
why.
There is a friend of mine--a grave, kindly, young man, yet withal
sarcastic and eccentric--who met me immediately after my visit to the
Admiralty. He is a strange being this friend, who crops up at all sorts
of unexpected times, and in divers places, when one least expects him.
His name is U. Biquitous.
"My dear Childers," said he, when I had explained matters, "you are a
victim;--you are the victim of self-delusion. You were victimised by
self-delusion when I first met you, at the time you thought you had
discovered perpetual motion. Your torpedo, as you have just described
it to me, is an impossibility, and you yourself are--"
"An ass?" said I, looking up in his face.
"No, by no means," returned Biquitous, earnestly; "but you are an
enthusiast without ballast. Enthusiasm is a fine, noble quality. The
want of ballast is a grievous misfortune. Study mechanics, my boy, a
little more than you have yet done, before venturing on further
inventions, and don't theorise too much. You have been revelling of
late in the regions of fancy. Take my advice, and don't do it."
"I wont," said I, fervently, "but I cannot give up my cherished
pursuits."
"There is no reason that you should," returned my friend, grasping my
hand, "and my earnest advice to you is to continue them; but lay in some
ballast if possible."
With these cheery words ringing in my ears, I rejoined my mother and
sister, and went off to Portsmouth.
It is well, however, to state here that my personal investigations in
the matter of explosives had at this time received a death-blow. I
went, indeed, with intense interest to see the display of our national
destructive powers at Portsmouth, but I never again ventured to add my
own little quota to the sum of human knowledge on such subjects; and the
reader may henceforth depend upon it, that in all I shall hereafter
write, there shall be drawn a distinct and unmistakable line between the
region of fact and fancy.