re, I presume, that modern projectiles are
either made of or tipped with steel. It may possibly have come to your
ears that magnets attract steel. Permit me now to show you a small
experiment." He bent over his apparatus, and I suddenly heard the
snapping of electricity. "This," he continued going across to the
packing case, "is a saloon pistol, and will be exhibited in the museums
of the next century as being the weapon with which the new era was
inaugurated. Into the breech I place a Boxer cartridge, specialty
provided for experimental purposes with a steel bullet. I aim point
blank at the dab of red sealing wax upon the wall, which is four inches
above the magnet. I am an absolutely dead shot. I fire. You will now
advance, and satisfy yourself that the bullet is flattened upon the end
of the magnet, after which you will apologise to me for that grin."

I looked, and it certainly was as he had said.

"I'll tell you what I would do," he cried. "I am prepared to put that
magnet in Hetty's bonnet, and to let you fire six shots straight at her
face. How's that for a test? You wouldn't mind, Hetty? Eh, what!"

"I don't think she would have objected, but I hastened to disclaim any
share in such an experiment.

"Of course, you see that the whole thing is to scale. My warship of the
future carries at her prow and stern a magnet which shall be as much
larger than that as the big shell will be larger than this tiny bullet.
Or I might have a separate raft, possibly, to carry my apparatus. My
ship goes into action. What happens then, Munro? Eh, what! Every shot
fired at her goes smack on to the magnet. There's a reservoir below into
which they drop when the electric circuit is broken. After every action
they are sold by auction for old metal, and the result divided as prize
money among the crew. But think of it, man! I tell you it is an absolute
impossibility for a shot to strike any ship which is provided with my
apparatus. And then look at the cheapness. You don't want armour. You
want nothing. Any ship that floats becomes invulnerable with one of
these. The war ship of the future will cost anything from seven pound
ten. You're grinning again; but if you give me a magnet and a Brixton
trawler with a seven-pounder gun I'll show sport to the finest
battle-ship afloat."

"Well, there must be some flaw about this," I suggested. "If your magnet
is so strong as all that, you would have your own broadside boomeranging
back upon y