n one occasion. "Do you remember that
at that execution the Emperor said that the perfect soldier has no
conscience or reason?" Sam winced. "And then you called my attention to
the fact that the men performed their part like machines. That set me
thinking. I am always on the lookout for suggestions, and there was one
ready-made. Do you see? Why shouldn't a machine be made to take the
place of a soldier? A great idea, isn't it? Now you see we've already
done something in that line. A torpedo is simply an iron soldier that
swims under water and needs no breath, and does as he is told. Think
how absurd it is in battle to have a field-battery come up under fire
at a gallop! They swing round, unlimber, load, and fire, then harness
again, swing round again, and off they are. Meanwhile perhaps half the
men and horses have been killed. Wouldn't it be better to have the
whole battery a machine, instead of only the guns? The general could
stay behind out of range, as he does to-day, and direct the whole thing
with an electric battery and a telescope. It is not a difficult matter
when you once accept the principle, and the principle can be extended
to cavalry and infantry just as well. It will be a great thing for the
nations that are best at mechanics, and that means you and us."

"I don't see," said Sam, "how you can get on without the courage of
brave men."

"Courage! Why, what is more courageous than a piece of steel? It
wouldn't be easy to frighten it. And it is just so with all soldierly
qualities. Do you want obedience? What is more obedient than a machine?
I suppose you admit that a human soldier may disobey orders sometimes."

"Perhaps," said Sam, blushing uneasily.

"You may be sure that a steel soldier won't unless he is disabled, and
a human soldier may be disabled too. Then the Emperor said a soldier
should not reason. There's no danger of a steel soldier trying that.

"'Theirs not to reason why.
Theirs but to do and die.'

"Why, the Light Brigade at Balaklava won't be in it with them. And it's
just the same with regard to conscience. A piece of steel has no
conscience. What we want is a machine soldier. A soldier must be
obedient, and he must be without fear, conscience, or a mind of his
own. In all these respects a machine can surpass a man. Why, you
yourself, in praising those Tutonian soldiers, said that they went like
clockwork. That's the highest military praise