ngth
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