pon.

Every one in every branch of the British Government, and, in fact,
nearly every thinking person in the British islands, had been racking
his brains, or her brains, that night, over the astounding situation;
and the note of the Syndicate only added to the perturbation of the
Government. There was a strong feeling in official circles that the
insolent little enemy must be crushed, if the whole British navy should
have to rush upon it, and all sink together in a common grave.

But there were cooler and more prudent brains at the head of affairs;
and these had already decided that the contest between the old engines
of war and the new ones was entirely one-sided. The instincts of good
government dictated to them that they should be extremely wary and
circumspect during the further continuance of this unexampled war.
Therefore, when the note of the Syndicate was considered, it was agreed
that the time had come when good statesmanship and wise diplomacy would
be more valuable to the nation than torpedoes, armoured ships, or heavy
guns.

There was not the slightest doubt that the country would disagree with
the Government, but on the latter lay the responsibility of the
country's safety. There was nothing, in the opinion of the ablest
naval officers, to prevent the Syndicate's fleet from coming up the
Thames. Instantaneous motor-bombs could sweep away all forts and
citadels, and explode and destroy all torpedo defences, and London
might lie under the guns of the repeller.

In consequence of this view of the state of affairs, an answer was sent
to the Syndicate's note, asking that further time be given for the
consideration of the situation, and suggesting that an exhibition of
the power of the motor-bomb was not necessary, as sufficient proof of
this had been given in the destruction of the Canadian forts, the
annihilation of the Craglevin, and the extraordinary results of the
discharge of said bombs on the preceding day.

To this a reply was sent from the office of the Syndicate in New York,
by means of a cable boat from the French coast, that on no account
could their purpose be altered or their propositions modified.
Although the British Government might be convinced of the power of the
Syndicate's motor-bombs, it was not the case with the British people,
for it was yet popularly disbelieved that motor-bombs existed. This
disbelief the Syndicate was determined to overcome, not only for the
furtherance of it