the great war syndicate-第21节

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from　her　her　ponderous　armament；　her　coal　and　stores；

and　she　had　been　lightened　enough　to　float　upon　a　high

tide；　and　to　follow　three　tugs　to　Portsmouth。

　　　

When　night　came　on；　Repeller　No。　11　and　the　crabs

dropped　down　with　the　tide；　and　lay　to　some　miles　west

of　the　scene　of　battle。　　The　fog　shut　them　in　fairly

well；　but；　fearful　that　torpedoes　might　be　sent　out

against　them；　they　showed　no　lights。　　There　was　little

danger；　of　collision　with　passing　merchantmen；　for　the

English　Channel；　at　present；　was　deserted　by　this　class

of　vessels。

　　　

The　next　morning　the　repeller；　preceded　by　two

crabs；　bearing　between　them　a　submerged　net　similar　to

that　used　at　the　Canadian　port；　appeared　off　the

eastern　end　of　the　Isle　of　Wight。　　The　anchors　of　the

net　were　dropped；　and　behind　it　the　repeller　took　her

place；　and　shortly　afterward　she　sent　a　flag…of…truce

boat　to　Portsmouth　harbour。　　This　boat　carried　a　note

from　the　American　War　Syndicate　to　the　British　Government。

　　　

In　this　note　it　was　stated　that　it　was　now　the

intention　of　the　Syndicate　to　utterly　destroy；　by　means

of　the　instantaneous　motor；　a　fortified　post　upon　the

British　coast。　　As　this　would　be　done　solely　for　the

purpose　of　demonstrating　the　irresistible　destructive

power　of　the　motor…bombs；　it　was　immaterial　to　the

Syndicate　what　fortified　post　should　be　destroyed；

provided　it　should　answer　the　requirements　of　the

proposed　demonstration。　　Consequently　the　British

Government　was　offered　the　opportunity　of　naming　the

fortified　place　which　should　be　destroyed。　　If　said

Government　should　decline　to　do　this；　or　delay　the

selection　for　twenty…four　hours；　the　Syndicate　would

itself　decide　upon　the　place　to　be　operated　upon。

　　　

Every　one　in　every　branch　of　the　British

Government；　and；　in　fact；　nearly　every　thinking　person

in　the　British　islands；　had　been　racking　his

brains；　or　her　brains；　that　night；　over　the　astounding

situation；　and　the　note　of　the　Syndicate　only　added　to

the　perturbation　of　the　Government。　　There　was　a　strong

feeling　in　official　circles　that　the　insolent　little　enemy　

must　be　crushed；　if　the　whole　British　navy　should　have　

to　rush　upon　it；　and　all　sink　together　in　a　common　grave。

　　　

But　there　were　cooler　and　more　prudent　brains　at

the　head　of　affairs；　and　these　had　already　decided　that

the　contest　between　the　old　engines　of　war　and　the　new

ones　was　entirely　one…sided。　　The　instincts　of　good

government　dictated　to　them　that　they　should　be

extremely　wary　and　circumspect　during　the　further

continuance　of　this　unexampled　war。　　Therefore；　when

the　note　of　the　Syndicate　was　considered；　it　was　agreed

that　the　time　had　come　when　good　statesmanship　and　wise

diplomacy　would　be　more　valuable　to　the　nation　than

torpedoes；　armoured　ships；　or　heavy　guns。

　　　

There　was　not　the　slightest　doubt　that　the　country

would　disagree　with　the　Government；　but　on　the　latter

lay　the　responsibility　of　the　country's　safety。　

There　was　nothing；　in　the　opinion　of　the　ablest

naval　officers；　to　prevent　the　Syndicate's　fleet　from

coming　up　the　Thames。　　Instantaneous　motor…bombs　could

sweep　away　all　forts　and　citadels；　and　explode　and

destroy　all　torpedo　defences；　and　London　might　lie

under　the　guns　of　the　repeller。

　　　

In　consequence　of　this　view　of　the　state　of

affairs；　an　answer　was　sent　to　the　Syndicate's　note；

asking　that　further　time　be　given　for　the　consideration

of　the　situation；　and　suggesting　that　an　exhibition　of

the　power　of　the　motor…bomb　was　not　necessary；　as

sufficient　proof　of　this　had　been　given　in　the

destruction　of　the　Canadian　forts；　the　annihilation　of

the　Craglevin；　and　the　extraordinary　results　of　the

discharge　of　said　bombs　on　the　preceding　day。

　　　

To　this　a　reply　was　sent　from　the　office　of　the

Syndicate　in　New　York；　by　means　of　a　cable　boat　from

the　French　coast；　that　on　no　account　could　their

purpose　be　altered　or　their　propositions　modified。　

Although　the　British　Government　might　be　convinced　of

the　power　of　the　Syndicate's　motor…bombs；　it　was　not

the　case　with　the　British　people；　for　it　was　yet

popularly　disbelieved　that　motor…bombs　existed。　

This　disbelief　the　Syndicate　was　determined　to

overcome；　not　only　for　the　furtherance　of　its　own

purposes；　but　to　prevent　the　downfall　of　the　present

British　Ministry；　and　a　probable　radical　change　in　the

Government。　　That　such　a　political　revolution；　as

undesirable　to　the　Syndicate　as　to　cool…headed　and

sensible　Englishmen；　was　imminent；　there　could　be　no

doubt。　　The　growing　feeling　of　disaffection；　almost

amounting　to　disloyalty；　not　only　in　the　opposition

party；　but　among　those　who　had　hitherto　been　firm

adherents　of　the　Government；　was　mainly　based　upon　the

idea　that　the　present　British　rulers　had　allowed

themselves　to　be　frightened　by　mines　and　torpedoes；

artfully　placed　and　exploded。　　Therefore　the　Syndicate

intended　to　set　right　the　public　mind　upon　this

subject。　　The　note　concluded　by　earnestly　urging　the

designation；　without　loss　of　time；　of　a　place　of　operations。

　　　

This　answer　was　received　in　London　in　the　evening；

and　all　night　it　was　the　subject　of　earnest　and　anxious

deliberation　in　the　Government　offices。　　It　was　at　last

decided；　amid　great　opposition；　that　the　Syndicate's　

alternative　must　be　accepted；　for　it

would　be　the　height　of　folly　to　allow　the　repeller　to

bombard　any　port　she　should　choose。　　When　this

conclusion　had　been　reached；　the　work　of　selecting　a

place　for　the　proposed　demonstration　of　the　American

Syndicate　occupied　but　little　time。　　The　task　was　not

difficult。　　Nowhere　in　Great　Britain　was　there　a

fortified　spot　of　so　little　importance　as　Caerdaff；　on

the　west　coast　of　Wales。

　　　

Caerdaff　consisted　of　a　large　fort　on　a　promontory；

and　an　immense　castellated　structure　on　the　other　side

of　a　small　bay；　with　a　little　fishing　village　at　the

head　of　said　bay。　　The　castellated　structure　was　rather

old；　the　fortress　somewhat　less　so；　and　both　had　long

been　considered　useless；　as　there　was　no　probability

that　an　enemy　would　land　at　this　point　on　the　coast。

　　　

Caerdaff　was　therefore　selected　as　the　spot　to　be

operated　upon。　　No　one　could　for　a　moment　imagine　that

the　Syndicate　had　mined　this　place；　and　if　it　should　be

destroyed　by　motor…bombs；　it　would　prove　to　the　country

that　the　Government　had　not　been　frightened　by　the

tricks　of　a　crafty　enemy。



An　hour　after　the　receipt　of　the　note　in　

which　it　was　stated　that　Caerdaff　had　been

selected；　the　Syndicate's　fleet　started　for　that　place。　

The　crabs　were　elevated　to　cruising　height；　the

repeller　taken　in　tow；　and　by　the　afternoon　of　the　next

day　the　fleet　was　lying　off　Caerdaff。　　A　note　was　sent

on　shore　to　the　officer　in　command；　stating　that　the

bombardment　would　begin　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning

of　the　next　day　but　one；　and　requesting　that

information　of　the　hour　appointed　be　instantly

transmitted　to　London。　　When　this　had　been　done；　the

fleet　steamed　six　or　seven　miles　off　shore；　where　it

lay　to　or　cruised　about　for　two　nights　and　a　day。



As　soon　as　the　Government　had　selected　Caerdaff　for

bombardment；　immediate　measures　were　taken　to　remove

the　small　garrisons　and　the　inhabitants　of　the　fishing

village　from　possible　danger。　　When　the　Syndicate's

note　was　received　by　the　commandant　of　the　fort；　he　was

already　in　receipt　of　orders　from　the　War　Office　to

evacuate　the　fortifications；　and　to　superintend　the

removal　of　the　fishermen　and　their　families　to　a　point

of　safety　farther　up　the　coast。

　　　

Caerdaff　was　a　place　difficult　of　access　by　land；

the　nearest　railroad　stations　being　fifteen　or

twenty　miles　away；　but　on　the　day　after　the　arrival　of

the　Syndicate's　fleet　in　the　offing；　thousands　of

people　made　their　way　to　this　part　of　the　country；

anxious　to　seeif　perchance　they　might　find　an

opportunity　to　safely　seewhat　might　happen　at　ten

o'clock　the　next　morning。　　Officers　of　the　army　and

navy；　Government　officials；　press　correspondents；　in

great　numbers；　and　curious　and　anxious　observers　of　all

classes；　hastened　to　the　Welsh　coast。

　　　

The　little　towns　where　the　visitors　left　the　trains

were　crowded　to　overflowing；　and　every　possible

conveyance；　by　which　the　mountains　lying　back　of

Caerdaff　could　be　reached；　was　eagerly　secured；　many

persons；　however；　being　obliged　to　depend　upon　their

own　legs。　　Soon　after　sunrise　of　the　appointed　day　the

forts；　the　village；　and　the　surrounding　lower　country

were　entirely　deserted；　and　every　point　of　vantage　on

the　mountains　lying　some　miles　back　from　the　coast　was

occupied　by　excited　spectators；　nearly　every　one　armed

with　a　field…glass。

　　　

A　few　of　the　guns　from　the　fortifications　were

transported　to　an　overlooking　height；　in　order　that

they　might　be　brought　into　action　in　case　the

repeller；　instead　of　bombarding；　should　send　men　in

boats　to　take　possession　of　the　evac