“By the only aerial war vessels equipped with potentite which the allied nations would suffer to exist, your highness, and which vessels would be subject to the orders of the Court of Nations. If any nation refused to obey such decree, it could be disciplined, and if any nation attempted to put a potentite air ship under way, it would be necessary, in self-defense, for the allied powers, after adequate warning, to extirpate the offending parties.” “Might not a potentite air ship be secretly fitted out, your lordship?” asked the prince. “Hardly,” replied the Marquis, “for, with the aid of a corps of observation air ships, and of international detectives in every center of population, the world, both savage and civilized, could be adequately policed at a very small cost.” “And what, in your lordship’s opinion, will be the condition in or before the Congress of Nations, of a people who desire separate government and who have been unable to obtain it?” said Mr. Michael Davitt, who was standing by. The Marquis looked the Irishman squarely in the eye and replied slowly: “I think it will be quite out of the power of any government to retain by force under its rule any considerable number of people, who, with or without, a grievance, are practically unanimous for a separate government. The Congress of Nations will, or at least ought to, require that any people seeking separation shall be nearly unanimous. But do you think, Mr. Davitt, to be candid, that the people of Ulster and the people of Galway would ever be brought to agree to any proposition on earth?” “Begorra, your lordship, if you don’t mind me takin’ the answer to your question out of the mouth of Misther Davitt,” said the Honorable Bellew McCafferty, Home Rule member from Mayo—“begorra, there’s one great principle upon which Oireland is, and ever will be, united. Catholic and Protestant, Fardowner and Corkonian, Priest and Peeler are all heart and soul agreed”— “To do what?” queried his lordship. “Never,” replied the McCafferty, “never to pay any rint.” CHAPTER XXVI. “’Tis less to conquer than to make wars cease.” The _Siva_ steamed out of San Diego harbor at nine o’clock on an April morning in the year 1896, carrying as passengers the naval and ordnance officers commissioned by the various European and American governments to examine and report upon the result of the dynamic exposition. The civil and diplomatic representatives were apportioned among the different members of the fleet, which had gathered from the Pacific squadrons of every naval power in the world, and was now lying in San Diego Bay. The success of the air ship the day before in almost obliterating the Coronado Islands, filled every mind with eager anticipation of the results likely to be achieved by the torpedo boats, and there was an especial pressure for places on board the _Siva_, which carried the novel engines of destruction.