But, pardon
me, I beg you will not further interrupt me. So, now that we have the
two Fleets face to face, or, I should say, bow to starn, we proceed
exactly as if there were a real quarrel between them. We spend money
on coal, we spend money on pay, we spend money on ammunition. Nay,
by my life, we spend money on everything--just as we should do if war
were really declared! That's simple enough.
_Sir John._ I confess your plan _does_ seem simple.
_Lord George._ And there is more behind. We are not satisfied with
merely spending money--we learn a lesson as well. Come, you must
confess _that_ surprises you?
_Sir John._ Well, I admit that generally, where there is any spending
of money, it is _I_ who learn the lesson.
_Lord George._ Good--distinctly good! But let us be serious. Well,
when we are carrying on a war by every means in our power, we fancy
that one Fleet is chasing the other. They both have equal speed, and
we give one Fleet twenty-four hours' start of the other, and will you
believe me that, although the first follows the second as fast as may
be from the beginning to the end of the manoeuvring, they never see
one another! On my life--never! They never see the British Fleet,
because it's not in sight!
_Sir John_. But could you not have learned all this without so great
an expenditure of money?
_Lord George._ Well, no, Sir JOHN--not at the Admiralty!
_Sir John._ And how do you end the farce?
_Lord George.
Pages:
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38