The Press., 1889-04-18

them. The commander roared through his trumpet that if that internal sea beetle were not immediately loosed from his ship he would first sink her and then the repeller.
 To these remarks the director of the syndicate's vessels paid no attention, but proceeded to state as briefly and forcibly as possible that the Lenox had been de- tained in order that he might have an opportunity of speaking with her com mander, and of informing him that his action in coming out of the harbor for the purpose of attacking British vessel, was in direct violation of the contract between the United States and the sym dicate having charge of the war, and that such action could not be allowed.
 The commander of the Lenox paid no more attention to these words than the syndicate's director had given to those he had spoken, but immediately con- menced violent attack upon the crab. It was impossible to bring any of the large guns to bear upon her, for she was almost under the stern of the Lenox, but every means of offense which infuriated ingenuity could suggest was used against it. Machine guns were trained to fire almost perpendicularly, and shot after shot was poured upon that portion of its glistening back which appeared above the water.
 But as these projectiles seemed to have no effect upon the solid back of Crab H, two great anvils were hoisted at the end of the spanker boom and dropped, one after the other, upon n. The shocks were tremendous, but the internal con- struction of the crabs provided, by means of upright beams, against injury from attacks of this kind, and the great masses of iron slid off into the sea with out doing any damage.
 Finding it impossible to make any i'm pression upon the mailed monster at his stern, the commander of the Lenox hailed the director of the repeller, and swore to him through his trumpet that if he did not immediately order the Lenox to be set free, her heaviest guns should be brought to bear upon his float ing counting house, and that it should be sunk if it took all day to do it.
 It would have been grim satisfaction to the commander of the Lenox to sink Repeller No. 6, for he knew the vessel when she had belonged to the United States navy. Before she had been bought by the syndicate, and fitted out with spring armor, he had made two long cruises in her, and he bitterly hated her, from her keel up.
 The director of the repeller agreed to release the Lenox the instant her com mander would consent to return to port. No answer was made to this proposition, but dynamite gun on the Lenox was brought to bear upon the syndicate's ves- sel. Desiring to avoid any complications which might ensue from actions of this sort, the repeller steamed ahead, while the director signaled Crab H to move the stern of the Lenox to the windward, which, being quickly done, the gun of the latter bore upon the distant coast. It was now very plain to the syndicate director that his words could have no effect upon the commander of the Lenox, and he therefore signaled Crab H to tow the United States vessel into port. When the commander of the | Lenox saw that his vessel was beginning l to move backward he gave instant orders to put on all steam. But this was found to be useless, for when the | dynamite gun was about to be fired the engines had been ordered stop1Ha Sssd the moment that the propeller A
 ceased moving the nippers of the crab had been released from their hold upon the stern post, and the propeller blades of the Lenox were gently but firmly seized in a grasp which included the rudder. It was therefore impossible for the engines of the vessel to revolve the propeller, and, unresistingly, the Lenox l was lowed, stern foremost, to the break water.
 The news of this incident created the widest indignation in the United States navy, and throughout the country the | condemnation of what was considered the insulting action of the syndicate was general. In foreign countries the affair was the subject of a good deal of com | ment, but it was also the occasion of much serious consideration, for it proved that one of the syndicate's submerged vessels could, without firing. gun, and without fear of injury to itself, capture man-of-war and tow it whither it pleased.
 Tho authorities at Washington took instant action on the affair, and as it was quite evident that the contract between the United States and the syndicate had been violated, by the Lenox, the com- mander of that vessel was reprimanded by the secretary of the navy, and en- joined that there should be no repetitions of his offence. But as the commander of the Lenox knew that the secretary of the navy was as angry as he was at what had happened, he did not feel his repri- mand to be in any way disgrace.
 It may be stated that the Stockbridge, which had steamed for the open sea as soon as the business which had detained her was completed, did not go outside the cape. When her officers perceived with their glasses that the Lenox was returning to port stern foremost they opined what had happened, and desiring that their ship should do all her sailing in the natural way, the Stockbridge was put about and steamed, bow foremost, to her anchorage behind the breakwauer, the commander thanking his stars that for once the Lenox had got ahead of him.
 The members of the syndicate were very anxious to remove the unfavorable impression regarding what was called in many quarters their attack upon a United States vessel, and circular to the public was issued, in which they ex- pressed their deep regret at being obliged to interfere with so many brave officers