Book IX - Page 2

inland point of the Blue
Mouth, and ran it due east at an angle of 45 degrees, so that, when
complete, it would go right through the first line of hills, coming
out on the plateau Plazac. The plateau is not very wide--half a mile
at most--and the second tunnel begins on the eastern side of it.
This new tunnel is at a smaller angle, as it has to pierce the second
hill--a mountain this time. When it comes out on the east side of
that, it will tap the real productive belt. Here it is that our
hardwood-trees are finest, and where the greatest mineral deposits
are found. This plateau is of enormous length, and runs north arid
south round the great bulk of the central mountain, so that in time,
when we put up a circular railway, we can bring, at a merely nominal
cost, all sorts of material up or down. It is on this level that we
have built the great factories for war material. We are tunnelling
into the mountains, where are the great deposits of coal. We run the
trucks in and out on the level, and can get perfect ventilation with
little cost or labour. Already we are mining all the coal which we
consume within our own confines, and we can, if we wish, within a
year export largely. The great slopes of these tunnels give us the
necessary aid of specific gravity, and as we carry an endless water-
supply in great tubes that way also, we can do whatever we wish by
hydraulic power. As one by one the European and Asiatic nations
began to reduce their war preparations, we took over their disbanded
workmen though our agents, so that already we have a productive staff
of skilled workmen larger than anywhere else in the world. I think
myself that we were fortunate in being able to get ahead so fast with
our preparations for war manufacture, for if some of the "Great
Powers," as they call themselves, knew the measure of our present
production, they would immediately try to take active measures
against us. In such case we should have to fight them, which would
delay us. But if we can have another year untroubled, we shall, so
far as war material is concerned, be able to defy any nation in the
world. And if the time may only come peacefully till we have our
buildings and machinery complete, we can prepare war-stores and
implements for the whole Balkan nations. And then--But that is a
dream. We shall know in good time.

In the meantime all goes well. The cannon foundries are built and
active. We are already beginning to turn out finished work. Of
course, our first guns are not very large, but they are good. The
big guns, and especially siege-guns, will come later. And when the
great extensions are complete, and the boring and wire-winding
machines are in working order, we can go merrily on. I suppose that