very strong, since it could be concentrated on any point or points that should appear most vulnerable. I know that the assumption underlying the whole discreditable scare, is that there will be no attack; that all our sailors will be blind, all our captains and admirals dupes; and that an armada, far exceeding in strength that Spanish Fleet which found its grave in northern seas, flying from the shores of the land it came to conquer, will reach those same shores intact, because invisible. I know, too, that the reverse of all these anticipations would be true.
A British attack would certainly be made; there might, or might not, be a great general engagement, or in such engagement our Fleet might suffer as heavily as the German Fleet; but with the transports spread over many square miles, one after the other would find itself cut off from its defenders, and go to the bottom, sunk by cannon shot or torpedo, or, disabled and leaking, would lie helpless, look-
