The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-03-28


preston created by it was intensified
when it became known what the synIi-
cate proposed to do the next day. Orders
and advices from the British admiralty
and war Office sped across the ocean, and
that night few of the leaders i'll govern
ncnt circles in England or Canada closed
their eyes.
The opinions of the commandment Of
the fort were received with but Little IA
vcr by tho military and naval authori-
ties. Great preparations were already
ordered to repel and crush this most
audacious attack upon the port, but in
the meantime it was highly desirable
that the utmost caution and prudence
should be observed. Three mcn-of-var
had already been disabled by the novel
and destructive machines Of the enemy,
and it lad been ordered that for the
present no more vessels Of the British
navy be allowed to approach tie crabs
Of tic syndicate.
Whether it was mine or a bomb
which had been used in the Gcstruct ioa
Of the unfinished works CT Fort Hi!ci:cE,
it would be impossible to determine
until an cG:cial survey bad been made OF
the ruins; but. in any event. it would be
wise and humane not to expose the gar
rison Of the fort on the soutl, side Of the
Earbor to the danger which had over
taken the works on the opposite shore.
II, contrary to the opinion CT tho com
nandant, the Ccrr:soncd fort were really
mined, the following day would prota-
T,,fl1 -
should be determined it would Le highly
iudicious to temporarily evacuate the
fort. This could not be followed by oc-
clpatio:l Of the works by the enemy, for
all approaches, either by troops in boats
or by bodies of confederatcs by land
could be fully covered by the inland re-
doubts and for:ilications.
When the orders for evacuation reached
the commandant Of the fort, he protested
hotly, and urged that his protest be con
sidered. 1t was i:ot until the command
had been reiterated both from London
and Ottawa, that he accepted the situa-
ton, and with bowed head prepared tc
leave his post. All night preparations
for evacuation went on. and during the
next morning the garrison left the fort
and established itself far enough away
to preclude danger from the explosion oi
a mine, but near enough to be available
n case Of necessity.
During this morning there arrived il
the ofiing another syndicate vessel. This
had started from a northern part Of Tx
United States, before the repcllcrs ant
the crabs, and it had been engaged i.
laying Il private submarine cable, Esic!
should put the office of the syndicate i
| New York in direct communication wit
its naval forces engaged with the enemy
! Teiegraphic connection between tht
cable boat and Rcpellcr No. having
been established, the syndicate soon re
| ceived from it's director -in-cliief full anl
! comprehensive accounts of what has
| been done, and what it was proposed K
do. Great was tho satisfaction among
| the members Of the syndicate wheI
these direct and official reports came in
Up to this time they had been obliged t
depend upon very unsatisfactory intelli
gence communicated from Europe
which had been supplemented by wil>
statements and rUmors smuggled acros
| the Canadian border.
To counteract the effect of these full
report was Immediately made by TIL
| syndicate to the government Of tn
| United States, and a bulletin distinctl,
describing what had happened was is
sued to the people of the country. Thes
reports, which received a world wild
circulation in the newspapers, created
popular elation in the United States, ant
gave rise to serious apprehensions an
concern in many other countries. Blu
under both elation and concern ther
was a certain doubtfulness. So far til
syndicate had been successful, but it
style Of warfare was decidedly expert
mental, and its forces, in nunerica
strength at least, were weak. Wha
would happen when the great nava
power of Great Britain should
brought to bear upon the syndicate, wa
a question whose probable answer Wa
likely to cause apprehension and concer1
in tho United States and elation il man.
! other countries.
The commencement of active hostil
tiles had been nrecipitated by this synAi
cate. In England preparations wer
making by day and by night to sens
upon the coast lines of the United States