The reef off
your harbour would infallibly wreck any ship that tried to
approach within the range of your battery (270 point-blank, I
believe); and my experience with a picnic party last summer
convinced me that to discharge the complement of even half a
dozen boats by daylight on your quay requires a degree of method
which in a night attack would almost certainly be lacking.
Our boats would not be flat bottomed, but only partially so:
enough for practical purposes.
"I do not apprehend any casualties. With a little forethought we
may surely avoid the confusion incident to a night surprise,
while carrying it out in all essentials. But I may mention
that we have a well-found hospital in Troy, that we should bring
our own stretcher-party, and that our honorary surgeon,
Mr. Hansombody, is a licentiate of the Apothecaries' Hall, in
London.--I am, my dear Pond, yours truly,"
"Sol. Hymen (_Major_)."
"Confound this fire-eater!" sighed Captain Pond. "I knew, when they
told me he had founded a hospital, he wouldn't be satisfied till he'd
filled it." Yet he could scarcely decline the challenge.
"My dear Major,--In these critical times, when Great Britain
calls upon her sons to consolidate their ranks in face of the
Invader, I should have thought it wiser to keep as many as
possible in health and fighting condition than to incur the
uncertain risks of such a nocturnal adventure as you propose.
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