He rang a bell and ordered a box of milag cartridges sent to him in the office. When the Secretary had received them, he gave one to Cobb, saying:
“This small bullet does not look much like a cartridge, does it?”
Cobb took it and carefully examined it.
It was precisely similar to those he had sent to Washington in 1887. Smiling to himself, he turned his eyes first upon the President and then upon the Secretary.
“When did you say these were invented?” he asked, in an unconcerned manner.
“I can soon tell you.”
Rising and taking a book from the shelf, he quickly found the history of the milag cartridge, and read:
“‘Milag cartridge; from the Volapük word milag, “wonderful.” A cartridge using meteorite as an explosive; usual charge for 40 calibre, one and one-third grains; initial velocity, 3,562; range, four miles. Meteorite was discovered in 1899, and the formula sold to the government by John Otis, chief clerk to the Chief of Ordnance.’”
“Chief of Ordnance?” broke in Cobb, quickly.