Nofuhl.
And with wisdom. For the loss of thy brain. Ad-el-pate, could not
affect the nature of thy speech.

Whereupon there was laughter, and Ad-el-pate held his peace.

Khan-li.
But tell us of this battle, O Nofuhl. I remember now to have read
about it at college. These details of ancient history I am prone to
forget. How came it about?

Nofuhl.
I have spoken of the Mehrikans being a greedy race. And their greed,
at last, resulted in this war. By means of one-sided laws of their
own making they secured for themselves a lion's share of all profits
from the world's commerce. This checked the prosperity of other
nations, until at last the leading powers of Europe combined in
self-defence against this all-absorbing greed. They collected an
armada the like of which was never imagined, neither before nor since.
Then, across the ocean, came the iron host. And here, upon this very
spot where we are floating, they met the Mehrikan ships.

Khan-li.
How many ships in all?

Nofuhl.
The Mehrikans had eighty heavy ships of iron, with a number of smaller
craft. The allies had two hundred and forty heavy battleships, all of
iron. They also had smaller craft for divers purposes.