The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-04-04

QcfSl3uu tnat luy lOTt OF SHIPS Witlun
ten miles Of one Of tho syndicate's can
non could be instantaneously dissipatcd
in the shape of fine dust, this war could
not be carried on upon the principles
adopted, and therefore might 90 well
pass out Of the hands of the syndicate.
Day by day and night by night the
state of affairs was anAiously considered
at the Office Of the syndicate in New
York. A new and important under;ak-
ing was determined upon, md on the
success Of this the hopes of the syndicate
now depended.
During the rapid and vigorous prepa-
rations which the syndicate were now
making for their new venture, several
c-ents 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
nort! CT the blockaded city. The de-
parturo and probable time cf arrival Of
the vessels had been tcleyraphed to the
syndicate, through one Of the continen-
tai cables; and Il repeller with two crabs
had been for some days waiting for
them. The English vessels had taken q
high northern course, hoping they might
enter the Gulf Of st. Lawrence without
subjcctins themselves to injury from, the
cneiGy's crabs, it not being considered
probable that there were enough of
these vessels to patrol the entire coast.
But although the crabs were few in num-
Der, the syndicate was able to place them
where they would be of most use, and
when tho English vessels arrived off the
northern entrance to the gulf, they
found their enemies there.
However strong might be the incredu-
iity Of the enemy regarding tho powers
of repeller to lombard a city, the syn
dicatc felt sure thero would be no pres
ent invasion of the United States from
Canada. but it wished to convince the
British government that troops and
munitions of war could not be safely
transported across tho Atlantic. On the
other hand, the syndicate very much OBJ
jected to undertaking the Imprisonment
and sustenance of Il large body of SOL
diers. Orders were therefore given to
the officer i'll charge Of the repeller not to
molcst the two transports, but to remove
the rudders and extract the screws Of the
two war vessels, leaving them to be
towed into port By the troop ships.
This duty was performed by the crabs,
while the British vessels, both rams,
were preparing to mako q united and
vigorous onset on tho 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 be sig
nailed, but the other ono 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 n somewhat different
character was the occasion of much cx-
cited feeling and comment, particularly
in the United States The descent and
attack by British vessels on all Atlantic
port was matter Of popular expectation.
The syndicate had repellers and crabs at
the most important points, but in the
minds of naval officers, and a large por-
ton of the people, little dependence for
defense was to be placed upon these.
as 10 tuc aoliIty Vi Tie WdT eS uOlCdsc W
prevent invasion or attack by means es
its threats to bombard the hloe'eaf,n~l
Canadian port, very few believed in t.
Even if the syndicate could do any moro
damage in that quarter, which was i'm
probable, what was to prevent the British
navy from playing the same game, and
entering an American seaport, threaten
to bosnhard the place if the syndicate did
not Immediately run all their queer YES
sells high and dry on some convenient
: beach?
4 Afeclins of indignation against the syn
iicate had existed in the navv from the
un,c ,I.;sI the war contract had been made,
and this feeling increased daily. That
! the officers and men of the United States
navy should he penned up in harbors,
ports and sounds, while British ships and
the hulking mine sprinSers and rudder
pinchers of the syndicate were allowed
| to roam the ocean at will, was very
hard thiop for brave sailOrs to bear