Of course, Voivode, you
understand when I say 'our' I mean the Land of the Blue Mountains, for
whose safety and well-being I am alone concerned. Any ship anchoring in
the roads of the Blue Mouth would have only one need--sufficient length
of cable for its magnificent depth. "When proper guns are properly placed on the steep cliffs to north and
south of the entrance, and when the rock islet between has been armoured
and armed as will be necessary, the Mouth will be impregnable. But we
should not depend on the aiming of the entrance alone. At certain
salient points--which I have marked upon this map--armour-plated sunken
forts within earthworks should be established. There should be covering
forts on the hillsides, and, of course, the final summits protected. Thus we could resist attack on any side or all sides--from sea or land. That port will yet mean the wealth as well as the strength of this
nation, so it will be well to have it properly protected. This should be
done soon, and the utmost secrecy observed in the doing of it, lest the
so doing should become a matter of international concern." Here Rooke smote the table hard. "By God, that is true! It has been the dream of my own life for this
many a year." In the silence which followed the sweet, gentle voice of Teuta came clear
as a bell:

"May I say a word? I am emboldened to, as Sir Colin has spoken so
splendidly, and as the Lord High Admiral has not hesitated to mention his
dreaming. I, too, have had a dream--a day-dream--which came in a flash,
but no less a dream, for all that. It was when we hung on the aeroplane
over the Blue Mouth. It seemed to me in an instant that I saw that
beautiful spot as it will some time be--typical, as Sir Colin said, of
the wealth as well as the strength of this nation; a mart for the world
whence will come for barter some of the great wealth of the Blue
Mountains. That wealth is as yet undeveloped. But the day is at hand
when we may begin to use it, and through that very port. Our mountains
and their valleys are clad with trees of splendid growth, virgin forests
of priceless worth; hard woods of all kinds, which have no superior
throughout the world. In the rocks, though hidden as yet, is vast
mineral wealth of many kinds. I have been looking through the reports of
the geological exports of the Commission of Investigation which my
husband organized soon after he came to live here, and, according to
them, our whole mountain ranges simply teem with vast quantities of
minerals, almost more precious for industry than gold and silver are for
commerce--though, indeed, gold is not altogether lacking as a mineral. When once our work on the harbour is done, and the place has been made
secure against any attempt at foreign aggression, we must try to find a
way to bring this wealth of woods and ores down to the sea. "And then, perhaps, may begin the great prosperity of our Land, of which
we have all dreamt." She stopped, all vibrating, almost choked with emotion. We were all
moved. For myself, I was thrilled to the core. Her enthusiasm was
all-sweeping, and under its influence I found my own imagination
expanding. Out of its experiences I spoke:

"And there is a way. I can see it. Whilst our dear Voivodin was
speaking, the way seemed to clear. I saw at the back of the Blue Mouth,
where it goes deepest into the heart of the cliffs, the opening of a
great tunnel, which ran upward over a steep slope till it debouched on
the first plateau beyond the range of the encompassing cliffs. Thither
came by various rails of steep gradient, by timber-shoots and
cable-rails, by aerial cables and precipitating tubes, wealth from over
ground and under it; for as our Land is all mountains, and as these tower
up to the clouds, transport to the sea shall be easy and of little cost
when once the machinery is established. As everything of much weight
goes downward, the cars of the main tunnel of the port shall return
upward without cost. We can have from the mountains a head of water
under good control, which will allow of endless hydraulic power, so that
the whole port and the mechanism of the town to which it will grow can be
worked by it. "This work can be put in hand at once. So soon as the place shall be
perfectly surveyed and the engineering plans got ready, we can start on
the main tunnel, working from the sea-level up, so that the cost of the
transport of material will be almost nil. This work can go on whilst the
forts are building; no time need be lost. "Moreover, may I add a word on National Defence? We are, though old in
honour, a young nation as to our place amongst Great Powers. And so we
must show the courage and energy of a young nation. The Empire of the
Air is not yet won. Why should not we make a bid for it? As our
mountains are lofty, so shall we have initial power of attack or defence. We can have, in chosen spots amongst the clouds, depots of war
aeroplanes, with which we can descend and smite our enemies quickly on
land or sea. We shall hope to live for Peace; but woe to those who drive
us to War!" There is no doubt that the Vissarions are a warlike race. As I spoke,
Teuta took one of my hands and held it hard. The old Voivode, his eyes
blazing, rose and stood beside me and took the other. The two old
fighting-men of the land and the sea stood up and saluted. This was the beginning of what ultimately became "The National Committee
of Defence and Development." I had other, and perhaps greater, plans for the future in my mind; but
the time had not come for their utterance. To me it seems not only advisable, but necessary, that the utmost
discretion be observed by all our little group, at all events for the
present. There seems to be some new uneasiness in the Blue Mountains. There are constant meetings of members of the Council, but no formal
meeting of the Council, as such, since the last one at which I was
present. There is constant coming and going amongst the mountaineers,
always in groups, small or large. Teuta and I, who have been about very
much on the aeroplane, have both noticed it. But somehow we--that is,
the Voivode and myself--are left out of everything; but we have not said
as yet a word on the subject to any of the others. The Voivode notices,
but he says nothing; so I am silent, and Teuta does whatever I ask. Sir
Colin does not notice anything except the work he is engaged on--the
planning the defences of the Blue Mouth. His old scientific training as
an engineer, and his enormous experience of wars and sieges--for he was
for nearly fifty years sent as military representative to all the great
wars--seem to have become directed on that point. He is certainly
planning it all out in a wonderful way. He consults Rooke almost hourly
on the maritime side of the question. The Lord High Admiral has been a
watcher all his life, and very few important points have ever escaped
him, so that he can add greatly to the wisdom of the defensive
construction.