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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

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