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"Do you--er--know anything of submarine mines, Mr. Linder?" drawled
the visitor.
"Huh?" returned the Honorable William Linder, startled.
"Submarine mines," explained the other., "Mines in the sea, if you
wish words of one syllable."
The lids of the Honorable Linder contracted.
"You're in the wrong joint," he said, "this ain't the Naval
College."
"Thank you. A submarine mine is a very ingenious affair. I've
recently been reading somewhat extensively on the subject. The main
charge is some high explosive, usually of the dynamite type. Above
it is a small jar of sulphuric acid. Teeth, working on levers,
surround this jar. The levers project outside the mine. When a
ship strikes the mine, one or more of the levers are pressed in.
The teeth crush the jar. The sulphuric acid drops upon the main
charge and explodes it. Do you follow me."
"I'll follow you as far as the front door," said the politician
balefully. He rose.
"If the charge were in a chair, in the cushion of an easy chair,
we'll say, on the third floor of a house in Brooklyn--"
The Honorable William Linder sat down again.


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