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Submarine Mining System would depend upon its being completed in time, and it would be necessary in order to ensure that such permanent instructions from Stone should be at the Station as would make it certain that orders to construct would be given in time.
Great secrecy would be necessary or the junks would be spirited away and would be obtained only with the greatest difficulty. If nothing was known about it all that would be necessary would be for Naval Torpedo Boats or Steam Launches to prevent shape from the Starbour and as many junks as were required might be taken in exchange for warrants.
I have ascertained that the most experienced contractors here would not undertake to load 300 junks in less time than two months and 360 would probably take another fortnight - or to be on the safe side 3 months altogether.
In case of Emergency this time might be reduced by working night and day, but I do not think it could be much reduced as the material itself would not be forthcoming in sufficient quantity and blasting would be necessary.
Thus orders to construct & blasting would have to be given some 3 months before the declaration of war which seems to put the plan out of court.