the great war syndicate-第8章

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failed　to　discover　any　present　signs　of　mining

operations。

　　　

This　theory　of　mines　worked　by　confederates　was

received　throughout　the　civilized　world；　and　was

universally　condemned。　　Even　in　the　United　States　the

feeling　was　so　strong　against　this　apparent　alliance

between　the　Syndicate　and　British　traitors；　that　there

was　reason　to　believe　that　a　popular　pressure　would　be

brought　to　bear　upon　the　Government　sufficient　to　force

it　to　break　its　contract　with　the　Syndicate；　and　to

carry　on　the　war　with　the　National　army　and　navy。　

The　crab　was　considered　an　admirable　addition　to　the

strength　of　the　navy；　but　a　mine　under　a　fort；　laid　and

fired　by　perfidious　confederates；　was　considered

unworthy　an　enlightened　people。

　　　

The　members　of　the　Syndicate　now　found　themselves

in　an　embarrassing　and　dangerous　positiona　position

in　which　they　were　placed　by　the　universal　incredulity

regarding　the　instantaneous　motor；　and　unless　they

could　make　the　world　believe　that　they　really　used　such

a　motor…bomb；　the　war　could　not　be　prosecuted　on　the

plan　projected。

　　　

It　was　easy　enough　to　convince　the　enemy　of　the

terrible　destruction　the　Syndicate　was　able　to　effect；

but　to　make　that　enemy　and　the　world　understand　that

this　was　done　by　bombs；　which　could　be　used　in　one

place　as　well　as　another；　was　difficult　indeed。　　They

had　attempted　to　prove　this　by　announcing　that　at　a

certain　time　a　bomb　should　be　projected　into　a　certain

fort。　　Precisely　at　the　specified　time　the　fort　had

been　destroyed；　but　nobody　believed　that　a　bomb　had

been　fired。

　　　

Every　opinion；　official　or　popular；　concerning　what

it　had　done　and　what　might　be　expected　of　it；　was

promptly　forwarded　to　the　Syndicate　by　its　agents；　and

it　was　thus　enabled　to　see　very　plainly　indeed　that　the

effect　it　had　desired　to　produce　had　not　been　produced。　

Unless　the　enemy　could　be　made　to　understand　that　any

fort　or　ships　within　ten　miles　of　one　of　the

Syndicate's　cannon　could　be　instantaneously　dissipated

in　the　shape　of　fine　dust；　this　war　could　not　be

carried　on　upon　the　principles　adopted；　and　therefore

might　as　well　pass　out　of　the　hands　of　the　Syndicate。

　　　

Day　by　day　and　night　by　night　the　state　of　affairs

was　anxiously　considered　at　the　office　of　the　Syndicate

in　New　York。　　A　new　and　important　undertaking　was

determined　upon；　and　on　the　success　of　this　the　hopes

of　the　Syndicate　now　depended。

　　　

During　the　rapid　and　vigorous　preparations　which

the　Syndicate　were　now　making　for　their　new　venture；

several　events　of　interest　occurred。

　　　

Two　of　the　largest　Atlantic　mail　steamers；　carrying

infantry　and　artillery　troops；　and　conveyed　by　two

swift　and　powerful　men…of…war；　arrived　off　the　coast　of

Canada；　considerably　to　the　north　of　the　blockaded

city。　　The　departure　and　probable　time　of　arrival　of

these　vessels　had　been　telegraphed　to　the

Syndicate；　through　one　of　the　continental　cables；　and　a

repeller　with　two　crabs　had　been　for　some　days　waiting

for　them。　　The　English　vessels　had　taken　a　high

northern　course；　hoping　they　might　enter　the　Gulf　of

St。　Lawrence　without　subjecting　themselves　to　injury

from　the　enemy's　crabs；　it　not　being　considered

probable　that　there　were　enough　of　these　vessels　to

patrol　the　entire　coast。　　But　although　the　crabs　were

few　in　number；　the　Syndicate　was　able　to　place　them

where　they　would　be　of　most　use；　and　when　the　English

vessels　arrived　off　the　northern　entrance　to　the　gulf；

they　found　their　enemies　there。

　　　

However　strong　might　be　the　incredulity　of　the

enemy　regarding　the　powers　of　a　repeller　to　bombard　a

city；　the　Syndicate　felt　sure　there　would　be　no　present

invasion　of　the　United　States　from　Canada；　but　it

wished　to　convince　the　British　Government　that　troops

and　munitions　of　war　could　not　be　safely　transported

across　the　Atlantic。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　Syndicate

very　much　objected　to　undertaking　the　imprisonment　and

sustenance　of　a　large　body　of　soldiers。　　Orders　were

therefore　given　to　the　officer　in　charge　of　the

repeller　not　to　molest　the　two　transports；　but　to

remove　the　rudders　and　extract　the　screws　of　the　two

war…vessels；　leaving　them　to　be　towed　into　port　by　the

troop…ships。

　　　

This　duty　was　performed　by　the　crabs；　while　the

British　vessels；　both　rams；　were　preparing　to　make　a

united　and　vigorous　onset　on　the　repeller；　and　the　two

men…of…war　were　left　hopelessly　tossing　on　the　waves。　

One　of　the　transports；　a　very　fast　steamer；　had　already

entered　the　straits；　and　could　not　be　signalled；　but

the　other　one　returned　and　took　both　the　war…ships　in

tow；　proceeding　very　slowly　until；　after　entering　the

gulf；　she　was　relieved　by　tugboats。

　　　

Another　event　of　a　somewhat　different　character　was

the　occasion　of　much　excited　feeling　and　comment；

particularly　in　the　United　States。　　The　descent　and

attack　by　British　vessels　on　an　Atlantic　port　was　a

matter　of　popular　expectation。　　The　Syndicate　had

repellers　and　crabs　at　the　most　important　points；　but；

in　the　minds　of　naval　officers　and　a　large　portion　of

the　people；　little　dependence　for　defence　was　to　be

placed　upon　these。　　As　to　the　ability　of　the　War

Syndicate　to　prevent　invasion　or　attack　by　means　of

its　threats　to　bombard　the　blockaded　Canadian　port；

very　few　believed　in　it。　　Even　if　the　Syndicate　could

do　any　more　damage　in　that　quarter；　which　was

improbable；　what　was　to　prevent　the　British　navy　from

playing　the　same　game；　and　entering　an　American

seaport；　threaten　to　bombard　the　place　if　the　Syndicate

did　not　immediately　run　all　their　queer　vessels　high

and　dry　on　some　convenient　beach？

　　　

A　feeling　of　indignation　against　the　Syndicate　had

existed　in　the　navy　from　the　time　that　the　war　contract

had　been　made；　and　this　feeling　increased　daily。　　That

the　officers　and　men　of　the　United　States　navy　should

be　penned　up　in　harbours；　ports；　and　sounds；　while

British　ships　and　the　hulking　mine…springers　and

rudder…pinchers　of　the　Syndicate　were　allowed　to　roam

the　ocean　at　will；　was　a　very　hard　thing　for　brave

sailors　to　bear。　　Sometimes　the　resentment　against　this

state　of　affairs　rose　almost　to　revolt。

　　　

The　great　naval　preparations　of　England　were　not

yet　complete；　but　single　British　men…of…war　were　now

frequently　seen　off　the　Atlantic　coast　of　the　United

States。　　No　American　vessels　had　been　captured　by

these　since　the　message　of　the　Syndicate　to　the

Dominion　of　Canada　and　the　British　Government。　　But　one

good　reason　for　this　was　the　fact　that　it　was　very

difficult　now　to　find　upon　the　Atlantic　ocean　a　vessel

sailing　under　the　American　flag。　　As　far　as　possible

these　had　taken　refuge　in　their　own　ports　or　in　those

of　neutral　countries。

　　　

At　the　mouth　of　Delaware　Bay；　behind　the　great

Breakwater；　was　now　collected　a　number　of　coastwise

sailing…vessels　and　steamers　of　various　classes　and

sizes；　and　for　the　protection　of　these　maritime

refugees；　two　vessels　of　the　United　States　navy　were

stationed　at　this　point。　　These　were　the　Lenox　and

Stockbridge；　two　of　the　finest　cruisers　in　the

service；　and　commanded　by　two　of　the　most　restless　and

bravest　officers　of　the　American　navy。

　　　

The　appearance；　early　on　a　summer　morning；　of　a

large　British　cruiser　off　the　mouth　of　the　harbour；

filled　those　two　commanders　with　uncontrollable

belligerency。　　That　in　time　of　war　a　vessel　of　the

enemy　should　be　allowed；　undisturbed；　to　sail　up　and

down　before　an　American　harbour；　while　an　American

vessel　filled　with　brave　American　sailors　lay　inside

like　a　cowed　dog；　was　a　thought　which　goaded　the

soul　of　each　of　these　commanders。　　There　was　a　certain

rivalry　between　the　two　ships；　and；　considering　the

insult　offered　by　the　flaunting　red　cross　in　the

offing；　and　the　humiliating　restrictions　imposed　by　the

Naval　Department；　each　commander　thought　only　of　his

own　ship；　and　not　at　all　of　the　other。

　　　

It　was　almost　at　the　same　time　that　the　commanders

of　the　two　ships　separately　came　to　the　conclusion　that

the　proper　way　to　protect　the　fleet　behind　the

Breakwater　was　for　his　vessel　to　boldly　steam　out　to

sea　and　attack　the　British　cruiser。　　If　this　vessel

carried　a　long…range　gun；　what　was　to　hinder　her　from

suddenly　running　in　closer　and　sending　a　few　shells

into　the　midst　of　the　defenceless　merchantmen？　　In

fact；　to　go　out　and　fight　her　was　the　only　way　to

protect　the　lives　and　property　in　the　harbour。

　　　

It　was　true　that　one　of　those　beastly　repellers　was

sneaking　about　off　the　cape；　accompanied；　probably；　by

an　underwater　tongs…boat。　　But　as　neither　of　these　had

done　anything；　or　seemed　likely　to　do　anything；　the

British　cruiser　should　be　attacked　without　loss　of

time。

　　　

When　the　commander　of　the　Lenox　came　to　this

decision；　his　ship　was　well　abreast　of　Cape　Henlopen；

and　he　therefore　proceeded　directly　out　to　sea。　　There

was　a　little　fear　in　his　mind　that　the　English　cruiser；

which　was　now　bearing　to　the　south…east；　might　sail　off

and　get　away　from　him。　　The　Stockbridge　was　detained

by　the　arrival　of　a　despatch　boat　from　the　shore　with　a

message　from　the　Naval　Department。　　But　as　this　message

related　only　to　the　measurements　of　a　certain　deck　gun；

her　commander　intended；　as　soon　as　an　answer　could　be

sent　off；　to　sail　out　and　give　battle　to　the　British

vessel。

　　　

Every　soul　on　board　the　Lenox　was　now　filled　with

fiery　ardour。　　The　ship　was　already　in　good　fighting

trim；　but　every　possible　preparation　was　made　for　a

contest　which　should　show　their　country　and　the　world

what　American　sailors　were　made　of。

　　　

The　Lenox　had　not　proceeded　more　than　a　mile　out

to　sea；　when　she　perceived　Repeller　No。　6　coming　toward

her　from　seaward；　and　in　a　direction　which　indicated

that　it　intended　to　run　across　her　course。　　The

Lenox；　however；　went　straight　on；　and　in　a　short　time

the　two　vessels　were　quite　near　each　other。　　Upon

the　deck　of　the　repeller　now　appeared　the　director　in

charge；　who；　with　a　speaking…trumpet；　hailed　the

Lenox　and　requested　her　to　lay　to；　as　he　had

something　to　communicate。　　The　commander　of　the

Lenox；　through　his　trumpet；　answered　that　he　wanted

no　communications；　and　advised　the　other　vessel　to　keep

out　of　his　way。

　　　

The　Lenox　now　put　on　a　greater　head　of　steam；　and

as　she　was　in　any　case　a　much　faster　vessel　than　the

repeller；　she　rapidly　increased　the　distance　between

herself　and　the　Syndicate's　vessel；　so　that　in　a　few

moments　hailing　was　impossible。　　Quick　signals　now　shot

up　in　jets　of　black　smoke　from　the　repeller；　and　in　a

very　short　time　afterward　the　speed　of　the　Lenox

slackened　so　much　that　the　repeller　was　able　to　come　up

with　her。

　　　

When　the　two　vessels　were　abreast　of　each　other；

and　at　a　safe　hailing　distance　apart；　another　signal

went　up　from　the　repeller；　and　then　both　vessels　almost

ceased　to　move　thro