the great war syndicate-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　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