The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-04-12

ohNa W PtVNt6NS 4AstA AiOe kN~Ai JiOduSSd.
Unless the enemy could be made to un-
derstand that any fort or ships within
ten miles of one of tho syndicate's car
non could bo instantaneously dissipated
in tho 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 undertake
ing was determined upon. and ON the
success Of this the hopes of tho syndicate
now depended.
During the rapid and vigorous prepa-
rations which the syndicate wero 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. Tho de-
parture and probable timc Of arrival of
tho vessels had been telegraphed to the
syndicate, through one of tho continent
tal cables; and repeller with two crabs
had been for some days waiting for
them. The English vessels had taken u
high northern course, hoping they might
enter the Gulf of st. Lawrence without
subjecting themselves to injury from the
enemy's crabs, it net being considered
probable that there were enough of
these vessels to patrol the entire coast.
But although the crabs wero few in num-
Der, 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 tho gulf. they
found their enemies there.
However strong might be the incredu-
lily of the enemy regarding the powers
Of n repeller to lombard city, tho syn
dictate felt sure there would DO no pres
ent invasion Of the United States from
Carala, 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, tho syndicate very much OBJ
Jected to undertaking the imprisonment
and sustenanco of o large body of SOL
diers. Orders were therefore given to
the officer in charge Of the repeller not to
modest the two transports, but to remove
the rudders and extract the screws Of the
two war vessels, leaving them to be
toved into port by the troop ships.
This duty was performed by the crabs,
whilo tho British vessels, both rams,
were preparing to make united and
vigorous onset on the repeller, and the
two men-of-war were left helplessly
tossing ON tho waves. One of the trans
ports, very fast steamer, had already
entered the straits, and could not lie sig
nailed, but the other one returned and
took both the war ships in tow, proceed
ing very slowly until, after entering the
gulf, she was relieved by tugboats.
Another event of somewhat different
character was the occasion Of much ex-
cited feeling and comment, particularly
in tho United States. The descent and
attack by British vessels on an Atlantic
port was a matter Of popular expectation.
The syndicate had repellers ard crabs at
the most important points, but in the
minds Of naval officers. and n large por-
ton of the people, little dependence for
defense 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 lombard the blockaded
Canadian port, very few believed in it.
Even if the syndicate could do any more
damage in that quarter, which was inn
probable, what was to prevent the British
navy from playing the same game, and
entering an American seaport, threaten
to lombard the place if the syndicate did
not Immediately run all their queer YES
sells high and dry on some convenient
beach?
Affecting of indignation against the syn
dictate had existed in the navy from the