Page:Robert William Cole - The Struggle for Empire; A Story of the Year 2236 (1900).djvu/29

Rh vinces of Engineering and Technology. It had been found that the attraction of cohesion could be diminished or altogether removed by focussing on to the mass to be acted upon the energy radiated by the two forces Pralion and Dynogen. Hence it was easy enough, by properly regulating and applying these forces, to cut, plane, and saw masses of wood, metal, or stone, and to make them assume the form of any mould without the application of heat. In this manner, and by using the powerful motive force that could so easily be obtained, all building and constructive operations were very quickly performed. Telegraphy had also been much improved, and it was possible to send messages through space without any intervening wire over a distance of more than three hundred million miles. These messages could be received by, or sent from, an interstellar ship while in motion.

After the discovery of the great power that dwelt within the Sirian system, the 2