The habit of personal security, moreover, is so deeply fixed in the
Londoner's mind, and startling intelligence so much a matter of course
in the papers, that they could read without any personal tremors:
"About seven o'clock last night the Martians came out of the cylinder,
and, moving about under an armour of metallic shields, have completely
wrecked Woking station with the adjacent houses, and massacred an
entire battalion of the Cardigan Regiment.  No details are known.
Maxims have been absolutely useless against their armour; the field
guns have been disabled by them.  Flying hussars have been galloping
into Chertsey.  The Martians appear to be moving slowly towards
Chertsey or Windsor.  Great anxiety prevails in West Surrey, and
earthworks are being thrown up to check the advance Londonward."  That
was how the Sunday _Sun_ put it, and a clever and remarkably prompt
"handbook" article in the _Referee_ compared the affair to a menagerie
suddenly let loose in a village.