Invasion

nobly to meet the ocean's billows. Your stout vessel will have its hour at the final trials but for now I need to conduct experiments of a privy nature, explosions and the like.'

Kydd considered the request. Who better to ask about a quiet retreat for activities of a stealthy nature than a Revenue officer?

Over a friendly jug of ale, he had his answer. 'The coast t' Romney Marsh is the worst in the kingdom f'r smuggling. Reckon I c'n find you a tucked-away little spot as will meet y'r needs. How about Martha's Cope, just a little ways off?'

Kydd went to view it. Sure enough, at the base of the soaring chalk cliffs close to Dover there was a tall cleft and several lofty pinnacles standing out to sea, a flat area in their lee, and a dark cave into the rock, a token of its more usual visitor.

It would do admirably. The towering cliffs would deflect the sound and would ensure their security as only boats could approach the area. A mooring buoy laid offshore would make for convenience, and marines posted at either shore approach would keep all would-be visitors at bay. Let the trials commence.

Pleased, he went below to detail his intentions to Keith and found Renzi at his books in the great cabin. As Kydd entered he looked up. 'So, you've found a portion of God's good earth on which to test your infernal machines, then,' he said acidly.

'As you will see,' Kydd said neutrally, not wishing to find himself in yet another argument.

'And your Mr. Francis is ready with his inventions?'

'He works like the devil himself, but they will need proving first, Nicholas.'

'Of course, you see the true reason for his industry.'

'To save us from Boney,' Kydd said shortly.

'Not as we'd recognise,' Renzi replied, with a measure of venom. 'He merely wants to see his diabolic devices created and cares not a damn who pays for them.'

'That is a reason why we should turn our back on 'em in our hour of need?'

'You are a gentleman. You've reached a level of politeness in discourse and delicacy of perception that are a shining credit to you. It escapes me why it should be that you do encourage the man in his mass destruction of sailors. It's an inviolable maxim of conduct in war that one's enemy is met on the field face to face, that the issue be decided nobly by courage, resolution and skill-at-arms. Failing that, the mastery of the profession of war is set at naught and we descend into a base hackery—or the promiscuous exploding of bodies unknown.'

Stung, Kydd replied, 'And it's escaped me why you will not see that it's happened. This is the future for all men now, whether you like it or no, and we must learn the new arts.'

'Not so, my friend.'

'Oh? Then there is—'

'Recollect. Before Fulton there was no one with a deadly submersible like Nautilus. He has attempted to interest the French in it without success, mainly on account of their distaste for it and what it represents. It has been turned down as well by ourselves, and I cannot readily see who else in this terraqueous globe might be moved to expend their treasure in order to exploit it.

'In fine, as we look around, in the absence of any other of such inventive persuasion, it would appear that Mr. Fulton and his ingenious contrivances are destined to appear as a curious footnote to history, he the only one of his kind, and the world will, with a grateful sigh, revert to civilised conduct once more. That is, if the gentleman is not rashly encouraged . . .'

'You would not grieve it if he disappeared from the face o' the earth tomorrow?'

'Since you ask it, no.'

The first trial was simple. Teazer lay submissively to her buoy over on the seaward side and a strange ceremony took place. Under the interested gaze of her entire crew, Fulton prepared his first experiment with a short, stubby barrel, well caulked, canvas covered and heavy. It was lowered over the side on a marked line, which Fulton paid out slowly, observing it sinking lazily from sight into the bright summer sea.

At the first mark he hauled in. It seemed unaffected, but Fulton shook it carefully, listening for water inside. Satisfied, he entered something on his notepad and repeated the action to the second mark. It wasn't until the fourth that the dripping barrel came up ugly with imploded staves.

The buzz of conversation rose when a second barrel was produced, this time larger and tar-black. It lasted to the seventh mark. 'I'll trouble you now for a length of slowmatch, Mr. Kydd,' Fulton requested.

In another cask of the same type Duckitt, the gunner, coiled slow-match close down on the ballast inside. A flint and steel had the end settling to a red smoulder and, stepping aside, he allowed the header to be thumped in.

Without delay Fulton lowered it rapidly over the side to the fourth mark before drawing it up again. The boatswain himself knocked out the header—but the match inside was dead. He looked up at Duckitt wryly. Fulton appeared unperturbed.

'This was not vitiated air,' he murmured thoughtfully. 'The candles lasted for hours in Nautilus. I rather think . . .'

The next day saw a successful submerging and a triumphant return. Fulton waved the glowing end about the air in great satisfaction. 'Lead lining and no condensation—that's the ticket,' he crowed.

It was only the start: the barrels elongated and grew, now the size of hogsheads and half the height of a man. Significant looks passed between the watching sailors as they considered the implications of such when crammed with powder and set off; more than one turned his back, faces set, and went below.

The unwieldy beasts needed tackles to sway them over-side, and, in the water, required extra ballast. The first returned as an untidy clutch of splintered timbers, the second brutishly fighting the training lines. Submergence was not all that was expected: they should as well pass silently through the sea on their deadly occasions.

Fulton worked throughout the daylight hours at his experimenting or figuring in a corner of the deck. Kydd became impatient. He waited his moment and confronted him. 'Toot, answer me this: I heard you say that you demonstrated one of these in Brest before generals and admirals. Why do we start again when you successfully destroyed a whole ship even then?'