the great war syndicate-第19章

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had　stood；　filled　the　newspapers　of　the　world。　　Photo…

graphs　and　pictures　of　Caerdaff　as　it　had　been　and

as　it　then　was　were　produced　with　marvellous　rapidity；

and　the　earthquake　bomb　of　the　American　War　Syndicate

was　the　subject　of　excited　conversation　in　every

civilized　country。

　　　

The　British　Ministry　was　now　the　calmest　body　of

men　in　Europe。　　The　great　opposition　storm　had　died

away；　the　great　war　storm　had　ceased；　and　the　wisest

British　statesmen　saw　the　unmistakable　path　of　national

policy　lying　plain　and　open　before　them。　　There　was　no

longer　time　for　arguments　and　struggles　with　opponents

or　enemies；　internal　or　external。　　There　was　even　no

longer　time　for　the　discussion　of　measures。　　It　was　the

time　for　the　adoption　of　a　measure　which　indicated

itself；　and　which　did　not　need　discussion。

　　

On　the　afternoon　of　the　day　of　the　bombardment　of

Caerdaff；　Repeller　No。　11；　accompanied　by　her　crabs；

steamed　for　the　English　Channel。　　Two　days　afterward

there　lay　off　the　coast　at　Brighton；　with　a　white　flag

floating　high　above　her；　the　old　Tallapoosa；　now

naval　mistress　of　the　world。

　　　

Near　by　lay　a　cable　boat；　and　constant

communication　by　way　of　France　was　kept　up　between

the　officers　of　the　American　Syndicate　and　the

repeller。　　In　a　very　short　time　communications　were

opened　between　the　repeller　and　London。

　　　

When　this　last　step　became　known　to　the　public　of

America；　almost　as　much　excited　by　the　recent　events　as

the　public　of　England；　a　great　disturbance　arose　in

certain　political　circles。　　It　was　argued　that　the

Syndicate　had　no　right　to　negotiate　in　any　way　with　the

Government　of　England；　that　it　had　been　empowered　to

carry　on　a　war；　and　that；　if　its　duties　in　this　regard

had　been　satisfactorily　executed；　it　must　now　retire；

and　allow　the　United　States　Government　to　attend　to　its

foreign　relations。

　　　

But　the　Syndicate　was　firm。　　It　had　contracted　to

bring　the　war　to　a　satisfactory　conclusion。　　When　it

considered　that　this　had　been　done；　it　would　retire　and

allow　the　American　Government；　with　whom　the　contract

had　been　made；　to　decide　whether　or　not　it　had　been

properly　performed。

　　　

The　unmistakable　path　of　national　policy　which　had

shown　itself　to　the　wisest　British　statesmen　appeared

broader　and　plainer　when　the　overtures　of　the

American　War　Syndicate　had　been　received　by　the　British

Government。　　The　Ministry　now　perceived　that　the

Syndicate　had　not　waged　war；　it　had　been　simply

exhibiting　the　uselessness　of　war　as　at　present　waged。　

Who　now　could　deny　that　it　would　be　folly　to　oppose　the

resources　of　ordinary　warfare　to　those　of　what　might　be

called　prohibitive　warfare。

　　

Another　idea　arose　in　the　minds　of　the　wisest

British　statesmen。　　If　prohibitive　warfare　were　a　good

thing　for　America；　it　would　be　an　equally　good　thing

for　England。　　More　than　that；　it　would　be　a　better

thing　if　only　these　two　countries　possessed　the　power

of　waging　prohibitive　warfare。

　　　

In　three　days　a　convention　of　peace　was　concluded

between　Great　Britain　and　the　American　Syndicate　acting

for　the　United　States；　its　provisions　being　made

subject　to　such　future　treaties　and　alliances　as　the

governments　of　the　two　nations　might　make　with　each

other。　　In　six　days　after　the　affair　at　Caerdaff；　a

committee　of　the　American　War　Syndicate　was　in　London；

making　arrangements；　under　the　favourable　auspices　of

the　British　Government；　for　the　formation　of　an

Anglo…American　Syndicate　of　War。

　　　

The　Atlantic　Ocean　now　sprang　into　new　life。　　It

seemed　impossible　to　imagine　whence　had　come　the

multitude　of　vessels　which　now　steamed　and　sailed　upon

its　surface。　　Among　these；　going　westward；　were　six

crabs；　and　the　spring…armoured　vessel；　once　the

Tallapoosa；　going　home　to　a　triumphant　reception；

such　as　had　never　before　been　accorded　to　any　vessel；

whether　of　war　or　peace。

　　　

The　blockade　of　the　Canadian　port；　which　had　been

effectively　maintained　without　incident；　was　now

raised；　and　the　Syndicate's　vessels　proceeded　to　an

American　port。

　　　

The　British　ironclad；　Adamant；　at　the　conclusion

of　peace　was　still　in　tow　of　Crab　C；　and　off　the　coast

of　Florida。　　A　vessel　was　sent　down　the　coast　by　the

Syndicate　to　notify　Crab　C　of　what　had　occurred；　and　to

order　it　to　tow　the　Adamant　to　the　Bermudas；　and

there　deliver　her　to　the　British　authorities。　　The

vessel　sent　by　the　Syndicate；　which　was　a　fast　coast…

steamer；　had　scarcely　hove　in　sight　of　the　objects　of

her　search　when　she　was　saluted　by　a　ten…inch　shell

from　the　Adamant；　followed　almost　immediately　by

two　others。　　The　commander　of　the　Adamant　had　no　idea

that　the　war　was　at　an　end；　and　had　never　failed；

during　his　involuntary　cruise；　to　fire　at　anything

which　bore　the　American　flag；　or　looked　like　an

American　craft。

　　　

Fortunately　the　coast　steamer　was　not　struck；　and

at　the　top　of　her　speed　retired　to　a　greater　distance；

whence　the　Syndicate　officer　on　board　communicated　with

the　crab　by　smoke　signals。

　　　

During　the　time　in　which　Crab　C　had　had　charge　of

the　Adamant　no　communication　had　taken　place　between

the　two　vessels。　　Whenever　an　air…pipe　had　been

elevated　for　the　purpose　of　using　therein　a　speaking…

tube；　a　volley　from　a　machine…gun　on　the　Adamant　was

poured　upon　it；　and　after　several　pipes　had　been　shot

away　the　director　of　the　crab　ceased　his　efforts　to

confer　with　those　on　the　ironclad。　　It　had　been

necessary　to　place　the　outlets　of　the　ventilating

apparatus　of　the　crab　under　the　forward　ends　of　some　of

the　upper　roof…plates。

　　　

When　Crab　C　had　received　her　orders；　she　put　about

the　prow　of　the　great　warship；　and　proceeded　to　tow　her

north…eastward；　the　commander　of　the　Adamant

taking　a　parting　crack　with　his　heaviest　stern…gun　at

the　vessel　which　had　brought　the　order　for　his　release。

　　

All　the　way　from　the　American　coast　to　the　Bermuda

Islands；　the　great　Adamant　blazed；　thundered；　and

roared；　not　only　because　her　commander　saw；　or　fancied

he　saw；　an　American　vessel；　but　to　notify　all　crabs；

repellers；　and　any　other　vile　invention　of　the　enemy

that　may　have　been　recently　put　forth　to　blemish　the

sacred　surface　of　the　sea；　that　the　Adamant　still

floated；　with　the　heaviest　coat　of　mail　and　the　finest

and　most　complete　armament　in　the　world；　ready　to　sink

anything　hostile　which　came　near　enoughbut　not　too　near。

　　　

When　the　commander　found　that　he　was　bound　for　the

Bermudas；　he　did　not　understand　it；　unless；　indeed；

those　islands　had　been　captured　by　the　enemy。　　But　he

did　not　stop　firing。　　Indeed；　should　he　find　the

Bermudas　under　the　American　flag；　he　would　fire　at　that

flag　and　whatever　carried　it；　as　long　as　a　shot　or　a

shell　or　a　charge　of　powder　remained　to　him。

　　　

But　when　he　reached　British　waters；　and　slowly

entering　St。　George's　harbour；　saw　around　him　the

British　flag　floating　as　proudly　as　it　floated　above

his　own　great　ship；　he　confessed　himself　utterly

bewildered；　but　he　ordered　the　men　at　every　gun　to

stand　by　their　piece　until　he　was　boarded　by　a　boat

from　the　fort；　and　informed　of　the　true　state　of　affairs。

　　　

But　even　then；　when　weary　Crab　C　raised　herself

from　her　fighting　depth；　and　steamed　to　a　dock；　the

commander　of　the　Adamant　could　scarcely　refrain　from

sending　a　couple　of　tons　of　iron　into　the　beastly　sea…

devil　which　had　had　the　impertinence　to　tow　him　about

against　his　will。

　　

No　time　was　lost　by　the　respective　Governments　of

Great　Britain　and　the　United　States　in　ratifying　the

peace　made　through　the　Syndicate；　and　in　concluding　a

military　and　naval　alliance；　the　basis　of　which　should

be　the　use　by　these　two　nations；　and　by　no　other

nations；　of　the　instantaneous　motor。　　The　treaty　was

made　and　adopted　with　much　more　despatch　than　generally

accompanies　such　agreements　between　nations；　for　both

Governments　felt　the　importance　of　placing　themselves；

without　delay；　in　that　position　from　which；　by　means　of

their　united　control　of　paramount　methods　of

warfare；　they　might　become　the　arbiters　of　peace。

　　　

The　desire　to　evolve　that　power　which　should　render

opposition　useless　had　long　led　men　from　one　warlike

invention　to　another。　　Every　one　who　had　constructed　a

new　kind　of　gun；　a　new　kind　of　armour；　or　a　new

explosive；　thought　that　he　had　solved　the　problem；　or

was　on　his　way　to　do　so。　　The　inventor　of　the

instantaneous　motor　had　done　it。

　　　

The　treaty　provided　that　all　subjects　concerning

hostilities　between　either　or　both　of　the　contracting

powers　and　other　nations　should　be　referred　to　a　Joint

High　Commission；　appointed　by　the　two　powers；　and　if

war　should　be　considered　necessary；　it　should　be

prosecuted　and　conducted　by　the　Anglo…American　War

Syndicate；　within　limitations　prescribed　by　the　High

Commission。

　　　

The　contract　made　with　the　new　Syndicate　was　of　the

most　stringent　order；　and　contained　every　provision

that　ingenuity　or　foresight　of　man　could　invent　or

suggest　to　make　it　impossible　for　the　Syndicate　to

transfer　to　any　other　nation　the　use　of　the

instantaneous　motor。

　　　

Throughout　all　classes　in　sympathy　with　the

Administrative　parties　of　Great　Britain　and　the　United

States　there　was　a　feeling　of　jubilant　elation　on

account　of　the　alliance　and　the　adoption　by　the　two

nations　of　the　means　of　prohibitive　warfare。　　This

public　sentiment　acted　even　upon　the　opposition；　and

the　majority　of　army　and　navy　officers　in　the　two

countries　felt　bound　to　admit　that　the　arts　of　war　in

which　they　had　been　educated　were　things　of　the　past。　

Of　course　there　were　members　of　the　army　and　navy　in

both　countries　who　deprecated　the　new　state　of　things。　

But　there　were　also　men；　still　living；　who　deprecated

the　abolition　of　the　old　wooden　seventy…four　gun　ship。

　　　

A　British　artillery　officer　conversing　with　a

member　of　the　American　Syndicate　at　a　London　club；　said

to　him：

　　　

〃Do　you　know　that　you　made　a　great　mistake　in　the

beginning　of　your　operations　with　the　motor…guns？　　If

you　had　contrived　an　attachment　to　the　motor　which

should　have　made　an　infernal　thunder…clap　and　a　storm

of　smoke　at　the　moment　of　discharge　it　would　have　saved

you　a　lot　of　money　and　time　and　trouble。　　The　work　of

the　motor　on　the　Canadian　coast　was　terrible　enough；

but　people　could　see　no　connection　between　that

and　the　guns　on　your　vessels。　　If　you　could　have　sooner

shown　that　connection　you　might　have　saved　yourselves

the　trouble　of　crossing　the　Atlantic。　　And；　to　prove

this；　one　of　the　most　satisfactory　points　connected

with　your　work　on　the　Welsh　coast　was　the　jet　of　smoke

which　came　from　the　repeller　every　time　she　discharged

a　motor。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　those　jets；　I　believe

there　would　be　people　now　in　the　opposition　who　would

swear　that　Caerdaff　had　been　mined；　and　that　the

Ministry　were　a　party　to　it