Perhaps that genius might be with him now in the bridge-house.

His vivid imagination was already picturing the lovely girl at his side crowned Empress of the Russias and the East, and himself in command of an aerial navy, beneath whose assault the armies and navies and fortresses of the rest of the world would be as so many toys to play with and destroy.
"If I could do that, and I do not think it would be so very difficult after all," said Franklin Marmion, returning his glance, "I would not do it.

It would put too much power in the hands of a few men, and we have enough of that already.

The owner of a fleet of aerial warships would be above all human law.

He could terrorise the earth, and make mankind his slaves.