the great war syndicate(战争辛迪加)-第9节
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having been established； the Syndicate soon received from its Director…in…
chief full and comprehensive accounts of what had been done and what it
was proposed to do。 Great was the satisfaction among the members of the
Syndicate when these direct and official reports came in。 Up to this time
they had been obliged to depend upon very unsatisfactory intelligence
communicated from Europe； which had been supplemented by wild
statements and rumours smuggled across the Canadian border。 To
counteract the effect of these； a full report was immediately made by the
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Syndicate to the Government of the United States； and a bulletin distinctly
describing what had happened was issued to the people of the country。
These reports； which received a world… wide circulation in the newspapers；
created a popular elation in the United States； and gave rise to serious
apprehensions and concern in many other countries。 But under both
elation and concern there was a certain doubtfulness。 So far the Syndicate
had been successful； but its style of warfare was decidedly experimental；
and its forces； in numerical strength at least； were weak。 What would
happen when the great naval power of Great Britain should be brought to
bear upon the Syndicate； was a question whose probable answer was likely
to cause apprehension and concern in the United States； and elation in
many other countries。 The commencement of active hostilities had been
precipitated by this Syndicate。 In England preparations were making by
day an by night to send upon the coast…lines of the United States a fleet
which； in numbers and power； would be greater than that of any naval
expedition in the history of the world。 It is no wonder that many people of
sober judgment in America looked upon the affair of the crabs and the
repellers as but an incident in the beginning of a great and disastrous war。
On the morning of the destruction of Fort Pilcher； the Syndicate's vessels
moved toward the port； and the steel net was taken up by the two crabs；
and moved nearer the mouth of the harbour； at a point from which the fort；
now in process of evacuation； was in full view。 When this had been done；
Repeller No。 2 took up her position at a moderate distance behind the net；
and the other vessels stationed themselves near by。 The protection of the
net was considered necessary； for although there could be no reasonable
doubt that all the torpedoes in the harbour and river had been exploded；
others might be sent out against the Syndicate's vessels； and a torpedo
under a crab or a repeller was the enemy most feared by the Syndicate。
About three o'clock the signals between the repellers became very
frequent； and soon afterwards a truce…boat went out from Repeller No。 1。
This was rowed with great rapidity； but it was obliged to go much farther
up the harbour than on previous occasions； in order to deliver its message
to an officer of the garrison。 This was to the effect that the evacuation of
the fort had been observed from the Syndicate's vessels； and although it
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had been apparently complete； one of the scientific corps； with a powerful
glass； had discovered a man in one of the outer redoubts； whose presence
there was probably unknown to the officers of the garrison。 It was；
therefore； earnestly urged that this man be instantly removed； and in order
that this might be done； the discharge of the motor…bomb would be
postponed half an hour。 The officer received this message； and was
disposed to look upon it as a new trick； but as no time was to 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
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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
