the great war syndicate-第7章

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be　lost；　he　sent　a　corporal's　guard　to　the　fort；　and

there　discovered　an　Irish　sergeant　by　the　name　of

Kilsey；　who　had　sworn　an　oath　that　if　every　other　man

in　the　fort　ran　away　like　a　lot　of　addle…pated　sheep；

he　would　not　run　with　them；　he　would　stand　to　his　post

to　the　last；　and　when　the　couple　of　ships　outside

had　got　through　bombarding　the　stout　walls　of　the　fort；

the　world　would　see　that　there　was　at　least　one　British

soldier　who　was　not　afraid　of　a　bomb；　be　it　little　or　big。　

Therefore　he　had　managed　to　elude　observation；　and　to　remain

behind。



The　sergeant　was　so　hot…headed　in　his　determination

to　stand　by　the　fort；　that　it　required　violence　to

remove　him；　and　it　was　not　until　twenty　minutes

past　four　that　the　Syndicate　observers　perceived　that

he　had　been　taken　to　the　hill　behind　which　the　garrison

was　encamped。



As　it　had　been　decided　that　Repeller　No。　2　should

discharge　the　next　instantaneous　motor…bomb；　there　was

an　anxious　desire　on　the　part　of　the　operators　on　that

vessel　that　in　this；　their　first　experience；　they　might

do　their　duty　as　well　as　their　comrades　on　board　the

other　repeller　had　done　theirs。　　The　most　accurate

observations；　the　most　careful　calculations；　were　made

and　re…made；　the　point　to　be　aimed　at　being　about　the

centre　of　the　fort。



The　motor…bomb　had　been　in　the　cannon　for　nearly　an

hour；　and　everything　had　long　been　ready；　when　at

precisely　thirty　minutes　past　four　o'clock　the　signal

to　discharge　came　from　the　Director…in…chief；　and　in

four　seconds　afterwards　the　index　on　the　scale

indicated　that　the　gun　was　in　the　proper　position；　and

the　button　was　touched。

　　　

The　motor…bomb　was　set　to　act　the　instant　it　should

touch　any　portion　of　the　fort；　and　the　effect　was

different　from　that　of　the　other　bombs。　　There　was　a

quick；　hard　shock；　but　it　was　all　in　the　air。　　Thou…

sands　of　panes　of　glass　in　the　city　and　in　houses

for　miles　around　were　cracked　or　broken；　birds　fell

dead　or　stunned　upon　the　ground；　and　people　on

elevations　at　considerable　distances　felt　as　if　they

had　received　a　blow；　but　there　was　no　trembling　of　the

ground。

　　　

As　to　the　fort；　it　had　entirely　disappeared；　its

particles　having　been　instantaneously　removed　to　a

great　distance　in　every　direction；　falling　over　such　a

vast　expanse　of　land　and　water　that　their　descent　was

unobservable。

　　　

In　the　place　where　the　fortress　had　stood　there　was

a　wide　tract　of　bare　earth；　which　looked　as　if　it　had

been　scraped　into　a　staring　dead　level　of　gravel　and

clay。　　The　instantaneous　motor…bomb　had　been　arranged

to　act　almost　horizontally。

　　　

Few　persons；　except　those　who　from　a　distance　had

been　watching　the　fort　with　glasses；　understood　what

had　happened；　but　every　one　in　the　city　and　surrounding

country　was　conscious　that　something　had　happened　of　a

most　startling　kind；　and　that　it　was　over　in　the　same

instant　in　which　they　had　perceived　it。　　Everywhere

there　was　the　noise　of　falling　window…glass。　There　were

those　who　asserted　that　for　an　instant　they　had

heard　in　the　distance　a　grinding　crash；　and　there　were

others　who　were　quite　sure　that　they　had　noticed　what

might　be　called　a　flash　of　darkness；　as　if　something

had；　with　almost　unappreciable　quickness；　passed

between　them　and　the　sun。

　　　

When　the　officers　of　the　garrison　mounted　the　hill

before　them　and　surveyed　the　place　where　their　fort　had

been；　there　was　not　one　of　them　who　had　sufficient

command　of　himself　to　write　a　report　of　what　had

happened。　　They　gazed　at　the　bare；　staring　flatness　of

the　shorn　bluff；　and　they　looked　at　each　other。　　This

was　not　war。　　It　was　something　supernatural；　awful！　

They　were　not　frightened；　they　were　oppressed　and

appalled。　　But　the　military　discipline　of　their　minds

soon　exerted　its　force；　and　a　brief　account　of　the

terrific　event　was　transmitted　to　the　authorities；　and

Sergeant　Kilsey　was　sentenced　to　a　month　in　the　guard…

house。

　　　

No　one　approached　the　vicinity　of　the　bluff　where

the　fort　had　stood；　for　danger　might　not　be　over；　but

every　possible　point　of　observation　within　a　safe

distance　was　soon　crowded　with　anxious　and　terrified

observers。　　A　feeling　of　awe　was　noticeable

everywhere。　　If　people　could　have　had　a　tangible　idea

of　what　had　occurred；　it　would　have　been　different。　　If

the　sea　had　raged；　if　a　vast　body　of　water　had　been

thrown　into　the　air；　if　a　dense　cloud　had　been　suddenly

ejected　from　the　surface　of　the　earth；　they　might　have

formed　some　opinion　about　it。　　But　the　instantaneous

disappearance　of　a　great　fortification　with　a　little

more　appreciable　accompaniment　than　the　sudden　tap；　as

of　a　little　hammer；　upon　thousands　of　window…panes；　was

something　which　their　intellects　could　not　grasp。　　It

was　not　to　be　expected　that　the　ordinary　mind　could

appreciate　the　difference　between　the　action　of　an

instantaneous　motor　when　imbedded　in　rocks　and　earth；

and　its　effect；　when　opposed　by　nothing　but　stone

walls；　upon　or　near　the　surface　of　the　earth。

　　　

Early　the　next　morning；　the　little　fleet　of　the

Syndicate　prepared　to　carry　out　its　further　orders。　

The　waters　of　the　lower　bay　were　now　entirely　deserted；

craft　of　every　description　having　taken　refuge　in　the

upper　part　of　the　harbour　near　and　above　the　city。　

Therefore；　as　soon　as　it　was　light　enough　to　make

observations；　Repeller　No。　1　did　not　hesitate　to

discharge　a　motor…bomb　into　the　harbour；　a　mile　or

more　above　where　the　first　one　had　fallen。　　This　was

done　in　order　to　explode　any　torpedoes　which　might　have

been　put　into　position　since　the　discharge　of　the　first

bomb。

　　　

There　were　very　few　people　in　the　city　and　suburbs

who　were　at　that　hour　out　of　doors　where　they　could　see

the　great　cloud　of　water　arise　toward　the　sky；　and

behold　it　descend　like　a　mighty　cataract　upon　the

harbour　and　adjacent　shores；　but　the　quick；　sharp　shock

which　ran　under　the　town　made　people　spring　from　their

beds；　and　although　nothing　was　then　to　be　seen；　nearly

everybody　felt　sure　that　the　Syndicate's　forces　had

begun　their　day's　work　by　exploding　another　mine。

　　　

A　lighthouse；　the　occupants　of　which　had　been

ordered　to　leave　when　the　fort　was　evacuated；　as　they

might　be　in　danger　in　case　of　a　bombardment；　was　so

shaken　by　the　explosion　of　this　motor…bomb　that　it　fell

in　ruins　on　the　rocks　upon　which　it　had　stood。

　　　

The　two　crabs　now　took　the　steel　net　from　its

moorings　and　carried　it　up　the　harbour。　　This　was

rather　difficult　on　account　of　the　islands；　rocks；　and

sand…bars；　but　the　leading　crab　had　on　board　a

pilot　acquainted　with　those　waters。　　With　the　net

hanging　between　them；　the　two　submerged　vessels；　one

carefully　following　the　other；　reached　a　point　about

two　miles　below　the　city；　where　the　net　was　anchored

across　the　harbour。　　It　did　not　reach　from　shore　to

shore；　but　in　the　course　of　the　morning　two　other　nets；

designed　for　shallower　waters；　were　brought　from　the

repellers　and　anchored　at　each　end　of　the　main　net；

thus　forming　a　line　of　complete　protection　against

submarine　torpedoes　which　might　be　sent　down　from　the

upper　harbour。

　　　

Repeller　No。　1　now　steamed　into　the　harbour；

accompanied　by　Crab　A；　and　anchored　about　a　quarter　of

a　mile　seaward　of　the　net。　　The　other　repeller；　with

her　attendant　crab；　cruised　about　the　mouth　of　the

harbour；　watching　a　smaller　entrance　to　the　port　as

well　as　the　larger　one；　and　thus　maintaining　an

effective　blockade。　　This　was　not　a　difficult　duty；　for

since　the　news　of　the　extraordinary　performances　of　the

crabs　had　been　spread　abroad；　no　merchant　vessel；　large

or　small；　cared　to　approach　that　port；　and　strict

orders　had　been　issued　by　the　British　Admiralty　that　no

vessel　of　the　navy　should；　until　further

instructed；　engage　in　combat　with　the　peculiar

craft　of　the　Syndicate。　　Until　a　plan　of　action　had

been　determined　upon；　it　was　very　desirable　that

English　cruisers　should　not　be　exposed　to　useless

injury　and　danger。

　　　

This　being　the　state　of　affairs；　a　message　was　sent

from　the　office　of　the　Syndicate　across　the　border　to

the　Dominion　Government；　which　stated　that　the　seaport

city　which　had　been　attacked　by　the　forces　of　the

Syndicate　now　lay　under　the　guns　of　its　vessels；　and　in

case　of　any　overt　act　of　war　by　Great　Britain　or　Canada

alone；　such　as　the　entrance　of　an　armed　force　from

British　territory　into　the　United　States；　or　a　capture

of　or　attack　upon　an　American　vessel；　naval　or

commercial；　by　a　British　man…of…war；　or　an　attack　upon

an　American　port　by　British　vessels；　the　city　would　be

bombarded　and　destroyed。

　　　

This　message；　which　was；　of　course；　instantly

transmitted　to　London；　placed　the　British　Government　in

the　apparent　position　of　being　held　by　the　throat　by

the　American　War　Syndicate。　　But　if　the　British

Government；　or　the　people　of　England　or　Canada；

recognized　this　position　at　all；　it　was　merely　as　a

temporary　condition。　　In　a　short　time　the　most

powerful　men…of…war　of　the　Royal　Navy；　as　well　as　a

fleet　of　transports　carrying　troops；　would　reach　the

coasts　of　North　America；　and　then　the　condition　of

affairs　would　rapidly　be　changed。　　It　was　absurd　to

suppose　that　a　few　medium…sized　vessels；　however

heavily　armoured；　or　a　few　new…fangled　submarine

machines；　however　destructive　they　might　be；　could

withstand　an　armada　of　the　largest　and　finest　armoured

vessels　in　the　world。　　A　ship　or　two　might　be　disabled；

although　this　was　unlikely；　now　that　the　new　method　of

attack　was　understood；　but　it　would　soon　be　the　ports

of　the　United　States；　on　both　the　Pacific　and　Atlantic

coasts；　which　would　lie　under　the　guns　of　an　enemy。

　　　

But　it　was　not　in　the　power　of　their　navy　that　the

British　Government　and　the　people　of　England　and　Canada

placed　their　greatest　trust；　but　in　the　incapacity　of

their　petty　foe　to　support　its　ridiculous　assumptions。　

The　claim　that　the　city　lay　under　the　guns　of　the

American　Syndicate　was　considered　ridiculous；　for　few

people　believed　that　these　vessels　had　any　guns。　

Certainly；　there　had　been　no　evidence　that　any　shots

had　been　fired　from　them。　　In　the　opinion　of

reasonable　people　the　destruction　of　the　forts　and　the

explosions　in　the　harbour　had　been　caused　by　mines

mines　of　a　new　and　terrifying　powerwhich　were　the

work　of　traitors　and　confederates。　　The　destruction　of

the　lighthouse　had　strengthened　this　belief；　for　its

fall　was　similar　to　that　which　would　have　been

occasioned　by　a　great　explosion　under　its　foundation。

　　　

But　however　terrifying　and　appalling　had　been　the

results　of　the　explosion　of　these　mines；　it　was　not

thought　probable　that　there　were　any　more　of　them。　　The

explosions　had　taken　place　at　exposed　points　distant

from　the　city；　and　the　most　careful　investigation

failed　to　discover　any　present　signs　of　mining

operations。

　　　

This　theo