ISBN: 2940013083622

I. DANGER! {1}BEING THE LOG OF CAPTAIN JOHN SIRIUSIt is an amazing thing that the English, who have the reputation of beinga practical nation, never saw the danger to which they were exp… More...

I. DANGER! {1}BEING THE LOG OF CAPTAIN JOHN SIRIUSIt is an amazing thing that the English, who have the reputation of beinga practical nation, never saw the danger to which they were exposed. Formany years they had been spending nearly a hundred millions a year upontheir army and their fleet. Squadrons of Dreadnoughts costing twomillions each had been launched. They had spent enormous sums uponcruisers, and both their torpedo and their submarine squadrons wereexceptionally strong. They were also by no means weak in their aerialpower, especially in the matter of seaplanes. Besides all this, theirarmy was very efficient, in spite of its limited numbers, and it was themost expensive in Europe. Yet when the day of trial came, all thisimposing force was of no use whatever, and might as well have notexisted. Their ruin could not have been more complete or more rapid ifthey had not possessed an ironclad or a regiment. And all this wasaccomplished by me, Captain John Sirius, belonging to the navy of one ofthe smallest Powers in Europe, and having under my command a flotilla ofeight vessels, the collective cost of which was eighteen hundred thousandpounds. No one has a better right to tell the story than I.I will not trouble you about the dispute concerning the Colonialfrontier, embittered, as it was, by the subsequent death of the twomissionaries. A naval officer has nothing to do with politics. I onlycame upon the scene after the ultimatum had been actually received.Admiral Horli had been summoned to the Presence, and he asked that Ishould be allowed to accompany him, because he happened to know that Ihad some clear ideas as to the weak points of England, and also someschemes as to how to take advantage of them. There were only four of uspresent at this meeting--the King, the Foreign Secretary, Admiral Horli,and myself. The time allowed by the ultimatum expired in forty-eighthours. Digital Content>E-books>Biography>Biography Other>Biography Other, SAP Digital >16<

ISBN: 2940013083622

DANGER! AND OTHER STORIES Danger-and-Other-Stories~~Sir-Arthur-Conan-Doyle Biography>Biography Other>Biography Other NOOK Book (eBook), SAP