“The theoretical range of this one,” replied Roger, “as worked out by Mr. Dustin, is one mile. In other words, it is supposed to completely disintegrate any known matter of any possible hardness or tensile strength, up to that distance. Beyond that distance, however, it would be deadly to man or animals, even though it should not completely destroy their bodies, up to a distance of perhaps two miles. I have with me, also, weapons constructed on the same principle, but much larger, with a theoretical range of twenty-five miles.” “Have the weapons been tested at the ranges you name?” “Not to my knowledge, but when Mr. Dustin figures something out it is usually right.” “I would respectfully suggest, Mr. President,” said the General, stiffly, “that they be so tested.” “And I was about to suggest the same thing,” rejoined Roger. “We’ll make the tests at once,” decided the President. “While the General is arranging for the aerial targets you may get out one of the larger weapons, Mr. Sanders.” Fifteen minutes later, Roger and the President were hovering on the shore of Chesapeake Bay in the latter’s helicopter limousine. Several hundred feet above the General and the Secretary of War hovered in a government plane, while one of their men directed the four aerial targets, miniature helicopter planes controlled by radio. When one of them had flown a distance of a mile out over the bay the General signaled Roger who promptly brought it down with his pistol degravitor. A second, placed two miles away, presently crumpled and fell, although it withstood about five minutes’ exposure to the rays of the small weapon at that distance. Then Roger mounted his large degravitor on a tripod, and with the assistance of his powerful field glasses, brought down one of the targets which meanwhile had been stationed at a distance of twenty-five miles up the bay. The fourth target, placed thirty-five miles away, which was as far as he could see it with his glasses, suffered a similar fate after only a few seconds exposure to the rays. “Marvellous!” commented the President, as they winged their way back to the Capitol. “How many of these degravitors are ready for use?” “I brought ten of the large and a hundred of the small ones with me,” replied Roger. “Within the week I can send you ninety more of the large and four hundred of the small.” “And how fast can you turn them out after that?” “We are equipped to turn out five hundred small and one hundred large a week. If more are required we can enlarge our capacity at any time.” “Let the order stand on the weekly basis you mention, then,” said the President as they got out of the limousine, “unless I send you word to increase it.” They returned once more to the President’s office, where he was immediately signaled by the radiovisiphone operator. “World News Broadcasters on the air will announce important tidings from China in one minute. Shall I tune them in, sir?”