Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-05-07
whIch laa lIlo .LIp in Tow appearcl q

II
boat was sent from the nopcllcr to the
Adamant. II was allowed 90 como
alongside, hut when tho British captain
found that tho syndicate merely renewed
IT, demand for his surrender be- waved
ficrcely angry. and sent tho hoat hack
with tho wOnl that no further message
need b. sent 10 him unless II should h.
ono complying with the conditions ho
had offered.
Tho syndicate now gave up tho task of
inducing the captain of tho Alamant 90
surrender. Crab q was commanded 10
continue towing tho great ship south
ward, and 10 kecp her well away from
tho coast, In oulCr to avoid danger TO
seaport towns and coasting vessels. whilo
the rcpeller steamed away.
Week after week tho Adamant moved
southwark. roaring away with her rrcat
guns whenever an American sail came
within possible range. and surrounding
herself with q circle 81 bursting iombs
to lct any crab know what u riighi cx'
pcct n II attempted to como near. Blaz.
ing and laundering. Stern forcmost but
sioutly sho rodo the waves. rcady o.
show il,c world that she was an imprcg.
nablc British hattie ship, from which no
enemy could snatch the royal colors
which loatc,l high above hcr.
II was during the ilut week % the In
voluntary cruise % tho Adamant that
tho syndicate finished It, prcpoutions
for what Il hoped would bo the decisive
movement q ~ campaign. To do this
a rcpcllcr and six crabs. all with cxtraor.
dinary POWERS. had been fitted out with
great care. and also with great rapidiiy.
Tor tho British government was working
night and day 90 set IL decl Of ironclads
In readiness for descent upon tho
American coast. Many % the British
yossO.s wcro already well prepared for
ordinary naval warfare; Tut 70 resist
crabs additional defenscs were necessary.
II was known that tho Adamani had
been captured. and consequently tho
manufacture % stern jackets had been
abandoned. but IL was believed that pro-
lection could b. oiIoctually given 10 rud.
dcrs and propeller blades by q new
method which the admiralty had adopted
Tho rcpcllcr which was 10 taso part In
tho syndica,os proposed movement had
been vessel Of tho United States navy
which for long timo had been cut Of
commission and undergoing course o..
very slow and desultory repairs In q
dock yard. She had always been con.
tldercl tho most unlucky craft In tho
service. and nearly every accident that
could happen 20 a ship had happened 10
her. Years and yeas before. when sho
would 80 cut upon a cruise, her officers
nnd crew would receive tho humorous
sympathy ol their friends, and wagerB
wero frequently laid In regard 30 the
different kinds % mishaps which might
bciall this unlucky vessel. which was
then known as tho Tallapoosa.
The syndicate did no, particularly de-
Giro this vessel. but there was no other
that could readily bo made available for
IT, purposes, and accordingly tho Talla-
poosa was purchased from the govern
ment and work Immediately bcgin upon
her. Her engines and hull wero put
into COOL condition. and outside of her
was built another hull. oomposei OF
leayy steel armor plates and strongly
braccd by great transverse beams run
ming through tho ship.
still outside of this was placed an inn
proved system Of spring amor. much
stronger and moro effective than any
which had yet been constructed. This,
with the armor plate. added nearly iif'
teen feet 10 tho width Of tho vessel above
water. Al her supcrsiructurcs wero To
moved from her deck. which was COW
cred by curved steel roof, and under a
bomb proof canopy at the low were
placed two guns capable % carrying the
largest sized motor bombs. Tho Ialla-
poosa, thus transformed. was called I'e-
pollcr No. II.
The immense addition 10 her weight
would 81 course interfere very much
with tho spccd of tho new rvpcller. but
this was considered % little importance,
a. sho would depend on her own engines
only In time Of action. She was now
believed 90 possess more perfect dcfenscs
than any tattlc ship In tho world.
Early on a misty morning lIepeller No.
n. towcd by four II tho swificst and
most powerful crabs, and followed by
two others, left northern port Of the
United Staies. hound for the coast Of
Great Britain. Her course was n very
northcrly one. for tho reason that the
syndicate had planned work for her 70
DO while on her way across the Atlantic.
Tho syndicate had now determined,
without unnecessarily losing an hour, 70
plainly demonstrate the power Of the In
stantaneOus motor bomb. IL had bccn
intended 10 do this upon tho Adamant,
but rs II had been found impossible tc
induce the captain of that vessel 10 oySc'
uate his ship. the syndicate had declined
10 exhibit the efficiency ~ their new
agent of destruction upon a disabled
craft crowded with human boings.
This course had been highly prcju
dicial 10 tho claims of the syndicate, for
as RcIaller No. had made no Use In the
contest with tho Adamant of the motor
bombs with which she was said Ia Il
supplied. II was generally believed On
both sides 81 the Atlantic that she car
rie,l no such bombs. and the conviction
that the destruction nj the Canadian port
had bccn effected 10y means Of mines con
tlnucd as strong as IL had ever bccn. Tc
correct these false ideas was now th'
duty Of Repeller No. II.
For some time Great Britain had tccr
steadily forwarding troops and muni
tions ~ war to Canada, without Interrupt
tion from her enemy. Only once lad
tho syndicate's vessels appearcd aboy,
the hanks of Newfoundland. and as th,
number of these peculiar craft must nee
essarily b. small. 1t was not supposed
that their line of operations would be en-
tended very FAR north. AMI no dangcl
from them was apprehendcd. provided
the English vessels laid their courses wet
10 the moth.
Shortly before tho sailing % RcpcllcI
No. II, the syndicate had received new
that one Of the largest tranSatlantic mai
steamers, loaded with troops, and Will
heavy cannon for Canadian Notifications
and accompanied by tho Cnslc'in. one
II the largest ironclads In the Eoya
navy. had started across the Atlantis
Tho iirst business Of the repeller and heI
attendant crabs concerned these two vcs
sels.
Owing 20 the power and speed Of th'
crabs which towcd her. Repellcr 20. u