“Both the tower system and the cement block system have control valves along the pipeline, of course, so that in case of a break we can shut the flow of gas off instantly and bring the pipeline to the surface for repairs.
“Near the shoreline we have to be very careful because of ice scouring. We lay the pipe in a trench which we dig, using an automated dredge called The Crab, which can crawl along the bottom.”
The President shook his head in disbelief. “Son, I’ve got to hand it to you.” He finished off his bourbon and soda and asked, “How do you get the pipes put together and into the water?”
Magnusson replied, “We do it this way. Here at Melville we’ve carried the trench out to a point where the bottom is 200 feet down. Then we’ve made a series of holes in the ice all the way across to the other side. These sealholes, as we call them, are about 10 feet in diameter. We’ve set up domes over each one of them which can be heated and keep the surface of the water free of ice for as long as we want. Then we work our way across, feeding sections of the pipe through the sealholes to the divers working underneath. When we get a line completely across, we can then attach the next 12-inch section, and so on, until we build up the sixteen pipes we need in each line.
“Both pipeline systems are complete now and in position. The pipes are presently filled with seawater. When we’re ready to go with the experiment, we’ll put a plug of oil through to clean out the water. It will be blown from the Melville side straight across to the Byam Martin end, and out behind the water it’s shoving through. Behind the plug will come the gas which we’ll take up to operating pressure of 1400 pounds per square inch.”
The President broke in. “By the way, Harold, I’ve got to be out of here as quickly as possible when the experiment is finished. It want to be back in Resolute airborne by 8:15.”
“No problem there, Mr. President. We’ll get up shortly after five and be out to the main dome at the centre of the channel by six. We’re due to start to bring the line under pressure at 6:10, and we should know by 6:30 how things are going to go.”
“That’s fine, Harold, just great,” said the President. “You know, this is a fantastic effort. You’ve come up with a really ingenious arrangement. I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes tomorrow.”
“Well, Mr. President, we’ll be able to see, all right. I’ve got a television rig set up at the main sealhole and lighting down to pipe level, 600 feet, so that we can watch as the pressure is applied. And of course we’ve got all sorts of sensors set along the pipe to check on the effects as the pressure builds up.”
The President slid off his perch, straightened up, and said, “Son, I think you’d better let me at that steak. I’m starved.”
As the two men moved toward the door the telephone rang. Magnusson answered and then turned the phone over to the President. “It’s for you. Mr. Wolf calling from the 747.”
The President took the phone and said, “Yes, Irving.”
Wolf’s voice came back. “Prime Minister Porter has been trying to reach you, Mr. President.”
“Well, I can’t talk to him right now, Irving. We’re just going to eat. Let his people know that I’ll be available at 7:45, that’s 8:45 their time. I’ll be in touch with you then. O.K.?”
“I’ll pass the word, Mr. President.”
“By the way, Irving, the experiment that I want to see will take place here tomorrow morning shortly after six, so I’ll get back to Resolute by 7:45 and we can be out of there immediately.”
“I’ll tell Wypich, Mr. President. We’ll be set to go as soon as you get here.”
Ottawa / 7:28 p.m., EDT
Robert Porter was back in his office, eating the steak Scott had produced and working on the draft of the TV address for nine o’clock. He had discussed the counter-sanction with both John Thomas and Scott, with Michael Clarkson, the Minister of Finance, and finally had reviewed it carefully with the Governor-General. They had all agreed that cutting off the oil and gas supply to the United States was a powerful weapon which stood a good chance of forcing the President’s hand and making him lift the ultimatum.
At 7:45 a call was placed to the President. The two exchanged terse greetings, and the President said, “Well, what can I do for you?”
“Mr. President, you’ve hit Canada hard today, first with your ultimatum and then with the decision to cut off the flow of investment capital even before we had a chance to respond.”
“Yes, it was a little rough, but I want to let you people know I mean business.”
“We already knew that. It takes a lot to get Canadians excited, but I think you’ve certainly been able to do it today. Now Mr. President, let me put it to you straight. We are by no means as helpless in this country to resist blackmail as you think. As the United States’ largest trading partner, we have very powerful economic weapons of our own, and since you have chosen to invoke sanctions against us without any prior discussion or warning, I am now going to give you a counter-sanction. But I intend to be fair about it; I won’t impose the sanction if you agree to the condition I suggest.”
“Well, let’s hear it.”
“Your country is currently receiving about 1½-million barrels of oil and three-billion cubic feet of gas per day from Western Canada. While Montreal and the Maritime Provinces used to be dependent upon oil supply from the United States, they too have a direct pipeline connection now with the West. Therefore, I’m going to order the flow of Canadian oil and gas into the United States cut off immediately unless you agree to lift the ultimatum.”
There was silence for a few moments. Then Porter could hear the President chuckling. “You know, down in Texas we like cool poker players, and you do pretty well, young fellow. That’s a pretty good card you’ve played, but not quite good enough. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. If you agree not to impose the counter-sanction, I’ll agree to lift the embargo I put on at noon and not to put on the further sanction I was going to impose at midnight. In fact, I agree not to order any other sanctions between now and six o’clock tomorrow evening. The midnight sanction, by the way, was to close the border to the movement of all goods.”
It was Porter’s turn to pause as he thought over the President’s move. Reluctantly he said, “I’m afraid you won that hand, Mr. President, but if nothing else, I think you’ve got the message that we have some weapons of our own.”
“Yes,” the President replied, “but I think you’ll find you’re outgunned. Is there anything else, Mr. Prime Minister?”
“No, that’s all for the moment. You’ll hear from me.”
“I’m sure I will.” The President hung up, while Porter muttered to himself, “Half a loaf is better than none, I guess.”
John Thomas said, “You’ve got a real tough cookie at the other end of that telephone. He’s going to play this one right down to the wire.”
Porter nodded. “Yes, you’re certainly right. But now I’ve got to get that speech finished. Let’s go over it once again.”
Inuvik / 6:30 p.m., CDT
Freddie Armstrong picked up the