still smarting under the memory of Americans' alleged indifference to
everything but money in 1918 when the United States stood by,
unprotesting, and saw England stripped of her mastery of the sea after
the loss of Gibraltar and the Suez Canal.

"There are two sides to that," frowned the Admiral, "but one thing is
certain--it's England or no one. We have nothing to hope for from Russia;
she has what she wants--Constantinople. Nothing to hope for from France;
she has her lost provinces back. And as for Germany--Germany is waiting,
recuperating, watching her chance for a place in the South American sun."

"Germany managed well in the Geneva Peace Congress of 1919," I said.

The veteran of Manila threw down his cigarette impatiently.

"Bismarck could have done no better. They bought off Europe, they
crippled England and--they isolated America."

"By the way," continued the Admiral, "I must show you some things in my
scrap book. You will be astonished. Wait a minute. I'll get it."

The old fellow hurried off and presently returned with a heavy volume
bound in red leather.

"Take it up to your room to-night and look it over. You will find the
most overwhelming mass of testimony to the effect that to-day, in spite
of all that has been said and written and all the money spent, the United
States is totally unprepared to defend its coasts or uphold its national
honour. Just open the book anywhere--you'll see."