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"I suspect that religion is a necessary evil in the childhood of our particular species. And that's one of the interesting things about contact with other intelligences: we could see what role, if any, religion plays in their development."
- Arthur C. Clarke
 |
| Motor Torpedo | ||
| A terrestrial torpedo, driven by ion beams. |
| "This little tube along the top of the torpedo is a
telescope sight. You will peer through, get the cross
hairs squarely upon your target, and hold them there.
Then press this nickeled lever. That starts the projectile
inside the case to spinning so that inertia will hold it
true. Then, being certain that the aim is correct, press
the red button. The torpedo is thrown from the case by
compressed air, and a positive ray mechanism drives it true to the target. When it strikes, about fifty pounds of Dr. Trainor's new explosive, trainite, will be set off...
Bill balanced his torpedo, peered through the telescope, and pressed the lever. The hum of a motor came from the heavy tube. "All ready?" the Prince inquired. "Ready," each man returned. "Fire !" Bill pressed the red button. The tube drove heavily backward in his hands, and then was but a light, sheetmetal shell. He saw a little gleam of white light before him, against the right blue globe, a diminishing point. It was the motor ray that drove the torpedo speeding toward its mark. |
| Technovelgy from The Prince of Space,
by Jack Williamson. Published by Amazing Stories in 1931 Additional resources -
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'But he didn't get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts. George winced...'
