“Danger?  There is always a danger, when one has enemies,” replied the General.  “I maintain that at the beginning of the nineteenth century, it was a toss up whether Napoleon crossed or not; and I don’t believe that we should have been a match for our great opponent, if he had once got a firm footing on our coast.”

“His plan was a visionary one and therefore impracticable.”

“His plan only failed because it was too complicated.  If he had had modern telegraphic communication at his disposal, this would not have been the case.  He could have directed the operations of his fleet by cable.  If Admiral Villeneuve had sailed to Brest (instead of Cadiz) as he was ordered and joined Admiral Gantaume, he would have had fifty-six ships of the line to cover Napoleon’s passage from Boulogne to the English coast.  No, gentlemen, you must not think England’s strategical position unassailable.  I am as confident of the superiority of our naval forces as you are, but in these days of steam and electricity England is no longer as safe as she was when the movement of ships depended on the wind and orders had to be given by mounted messengers and signals.”

“So you really think, General, that Napoleon’s plan would have been practicable?”

“Most certainly.  Napoleon had no luck in this enterprise.  In the first place, his greatest misfortune was the death of Admiral Latouche-Treville.  If he had been in Villeneuve’s place, he would most likely have proved a competent commander.  He was the only French naval officer who could have opposed Nelson.  But he died too soon for France, and his successor, Villeneuve, was his inferior in ability.  But there are other special circumstances, more favourable to a landing in England than in Napoleon’s day.  For instance—­to say nothing of cable and steam—­the fact that modern transports can carry an enormously larger number of troops.  Napoleon had to fit out 2,293 vessels to transport his army of 150,000 men and to protect the transports, had 1,204 gunboats and 135 other armed vessels at his disposal, in addition to the transports proper.  As nearly all his ships were constructed to land men, horses, and guns on the level beach without the aid of boats, they wanted calm weather for crossing the Channel.  They would have taken about ten hours, with a calm sea, to reach a point between Dover and Hastings.  It is different now.  The large French and German companies’ steamers are at the disposal of their Admiralties.”

“And yet things are just the same as before,” said Mr. Kennedy.  “Victory on the open sea turns the scale.  No hostile fleet will be able to show itself in the Channel without being destroyed by ours.”

“Let us hope so!” said the General.