Odnośniki
- Indeks
- Anita Philmar [Black Dragon 03] Black Dragon's Heart (pdf)
- Daley Brian Gwiezdne Wojny Przygody Hana Solo 03 Han Solo i utracona fortuna
- Jacqueline Carey Kushiel's Legacy 03 Kushiel's Mercy
- Bailey Bradford [Southwestern Shifters 03] Reckless [TEB MM] (pdf)
- Janrae Frank Lycan Blood 03 If Truth Dies [pdf]
- Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey Halfblood Chronicles 03 Elvenborn
- LE Modesitt Eschbach 03 Ghost of the White Nights (v1.0)
- Malpas Jodi Ellen Ten mężczyzna 03 Jego namięt ność
- Gordon Lucy Bracia Rinucci 03 Wloskie zareczyny
- Laurens Stephanie Regencja 03 Perypetie lady Hartley
- zanotowane.pl
- doc.pisz.pl
- pdf.pisz.pl
- effulla.pev.pl
Ericsson.
"These are different elevations and details of a fort defending a river
bend."
Ericsson took them and nodded agreement."Obviously.A typical construction
that you will see right across all ofEurope . It is roughly a triangularredan
. These spurs flank the approaches to the fort, and see, opposite thesalients
here, the walls take the form of a star, a development of atenaille trace.
Thisravelin has an important defense role in defending the main entrance. A
well-worn design but also well past its time. It cannot stand up to modern
artillery. I assume you want to reduce this fortress?"
"I do."
"Easily enough done.Get a siege train within range, and in three or four days
you will have reduced the walls to rubble."
"That will be impossible. It is surrounded by water and swamps. Also that
would take too long."
"Too long!You want a miracle, then."
"I don't want a miracle but I do want the guns destroyed in hours, not days.
I am not interested in the fabric of the fort itself; it will be bypassed in
any case."
"Interesting," the engineer said, picking up the aerial view of the fort."The
river here, of course. With the guns silenced, the ships of war may pass. You
come to me because I am a nautical engineer and this will require a nautical
solution. May I take these drawings with me?"
"You may not. Study them as long as you like but they must not leave this
room."
Ericsson scowled at this prohibition and rubbed his jaw in thought. "All
right, I can do that. But one more question: The fleet that sails up this
Page 76
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
river, will they beriverine ships?"
"No, they won't be. They will have crossed an ocean before they reach the
river mouth."
"Very good, then."Ericsson climbed to his feet. "I will show you how it can
be done when I see you in a week's time to demonstrate my new hay bale."
"Tank."
"Bale, tank it is all nonsense." He started for the door,then turned back.
"At that time I will be able to show you how to reduce those guns. An idea I
already have been working on." He went out, slamming the door behind him.
"Do you think he can do it?" Grant asked.
"If he can't, why, there is no one else in the worldwho can. He is an
original thinker. Never forget that it was hisMonitor that changed naval
warfare forever."
On the other side of theAtlantic a far more commonplace event was taking
place. In theport ofDover , the morning steam packet fromCalais had just
arrived after an uneventful crossing of the English Channel fromFrance .
AlbertNoireau was just one of the many passengers who came down the gangway
and stepped onto the English soil.
Most of the other passengers hurried on to board theLondon train. But a few,
like MonsieurNoireau , had business here in the seaport. His visit could not
have been intended to be an extensive one, for he carried no baggage. He also
appeared to be in no hurry as he strolled along the seafront. Sometimes
stopping to gaze at the ships gathered there, at other times he looked at the
shops and buildings that faced the docks. One in particular attracted his
attention. He peered at the chiseled nameplate outside the door,then went on.
At the next turning he paused and looked about. As far as he could tell, he
was unobserved. He took a moment to glance at the slip of paper in his pocket
and nodded slightly. It was indeed the same name he had been told to look
for.Trinity House. He walked back toward it,then entered the public house in
the adjoining building.The Cask and Telescope.Trèsnaval.
The newcomer ordered a pint of beer in good English although he had a thick
French accent. His French wasperfect, he had lived inFrance for many years,
and had long since submerged MikhailShevchuk under his new persona. But he
never forgot who his masters were.
It was easy to strike up conversations at the bar.Particularly when he was
most generous when his time came for buying rounds. By late afternoon he had
talked to a number of pilots from Trinity House and had discovered what he
needed to know. To them he was an affable agent for French ship's chandlers,
with well-filled pockets.
They called after him cheerfully when he hurried to get the afternoon packet
back toFrance .
BOOK TWO
THE WINDS OF WAR
Page 77
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
SEAGOING THUNDER
The year 1865 ended with a winter of discontent. It proved to be the coldest
December in many years, with endless snowstorms and hard ice. Even thePotomac
froze over. The British government's continuing legal and diplomatic assaults
on the Americans had eased somewhat when LordPalmerston , who had never
recovered his strength after his stroke and was now in his eighty-first year,
caught a chill and, after a short illness, died in October. Lord John Russell
relinquished his office of Foreign Minister and became Prime Minister in his
place. Government policies continued unchanged, and although there was a brief
hiatus when his new government was formed, the pressure on theUnited States
continued into the spring of 1866.
A second delay had occurred in December when King Leopold ofBelgium died. His
intercession had aided the difficult negotiations between the two countries.
His son ascended to the throne as Leopold II, but he was never the diplomat
that his father was. Difficulties and confrontations continued unabated, but
outright war was still avoided.
Lincolnhad kept his promise and bought the time that General Sherman had said
that he needed.Sherman was a perfectionist and a very hard man to please, but
by March 1866 he felt that he had done everything possible to prepare the
country for war. Not just to fight a war but to win it. It was a raw and
blustery day when he met General Grant and Admiral David GlasgowFarragut at
Ericsson's foundry and ship works inNewport News .
"Have you seen the new sea batteries yet?" AdmiralFarragut asked,then took a
sip from his sherry glass. They were waiting for Ericsson in his office, but
as usual, he was busy somewhere else in the giant factory.
"I haven't,"Sherman said. "And I look forward to them with great
anticipation. Our victory or defeat depends on these batteries. But I did
inspect the new transports in the harbor here and am more than pleased with
them."
Farragutfrowned deeply. "I am concerned with those ramps inside the ship that
exit at various levels. They violate the integrity of the hull."
"They are vital to our success, Admiral. Accurate measurements were made at
high and low tide at our intended port, enabling the ramp doors to be [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]