The Press., 1889-03-28
Issued Every Thursday Evening.

Each of these tubes could exert force sufficient to move an ordinasV train ot passenger cars one mile. and, this power could be exerted fundamentally, so that she difference in time in the starting of a srain at one end of the mile and it's ar- rival at the other would not be appro ciable. The difference in concussionary force between trairfraQving at the rate of 2 mile in two minutes, Or even one minute, and another train which moves 8 mile fin an instant, can easily be imag- ined.
 In these bombs those tubes which might direct their powers downward or laterally upon the earth were capable of instantaneously propelling every portion of solid ground or rock to a distance of two or three hundred yards, while the particles o3 objects on the surface of the earth were instantaneously refnOved to a far greater distance. The tube which propelled the bomb was of force grad uated according to circumstances, and it would carry bomb to as great a dis tance as accurate observation for pur- poses of aim could be made. Its force was brought into action while in the cannon by means of electricity, while the same effect was produced in the other tubes by the concussion of the steel head against the object aimed at.
 What gave the tubes their power was the jealously guarded secret.
 The method of aiming was as Aovel as the bomb itself. In this process nothing l depended on the eyesight of the gunner; e1 nIs mated. The gun was so mounted that its direction was accurately indicated by l graduated scales; there was an instru- ment which was acted upon by the dip, rise or roll of the vessel, and which showed at any moment the position of the gun with reference to the plane of 1 the sea surface.
 Before the discharge of the cannon an observation was taken by one of the sci~ entific men which accurately determined the distance to the object to besimed at, and reference to 8 carefully prepared mathematical table showed to what 1 points on the graduated scales the gun should be adjusted; and the instant that the muzzle of the cannon was in the po- sition that it was when the observation was taken button was touched, and the bomb was insfantaneously placed on the spot aimed at. The exactness with which the propelling force of the bomb could be determined was an important factor in this method of aiming.
 As soon as three of the spring armored vessels and five "crabs'' were completed, the syndicate felt itself ready to begin operations. It was indeed time. The seas had been covered with American and British mefchantmen hastening home ward, or to friendly ports, before the actual commencement of hostilities. But all had not been fortunate enough to reach safety within the limits of time allowed, and several American mef- chantmen had been already captured by fast British cruisers.
 The members of the syndicate well understood that if 8 war was to be car ried on as they desired, they must strike the first real blow. Comparatively speak ing, 8 very short time had elapsed since the declaration of war; and the opportu- tunity to take the initiative was still open.
 It was in order to take this initiative that, in the early hours of July morn ing, two of the syndicate's armored vessels, each accompanied by a crab, steamed out of a New England port, and headed for the point on the Canadian coast whereit had been decided to open the campaign.
 The vessels of the syndicate had no in- dividual names. The spring armored ships were termed ''repellers," and were numbered, and the crabs were known by the letters of the alphabes Each repeller was in charge of director of naval operations; and the whole naval force of the syndicate was under the command of g. director-in-chief. On this momen- tous occasion this officer was on board of Repeller No. 1, and commanded the little Heet
 The repellers had never been vessels of great speed, and their present. armor of steel strips, the lower portioh of which was frequently under water, considerably retarded their progress, but each of them was taken in tow by one of the swift and powerful crabs, and with this assistance they msdevery good time, reaching their destination on the mqEning of thesecond day.
 1t was on & breezy day, with a cloudy sky, and the sea moderately smooth, that the little fleet of the syndicate Jay to of the harbor of one of the principal Cana dian seaports. About I've miles away the headlands on either side of the mouth of the harbor could plainly be seen, Ii had been decided that Repeiler No. should begin operatioRs. Accordingly, that vessel steamed about mile nearer the harbor, accompanied by Crab A. The other repeller and crab remained ir their first position, ready to act in case they should be needed.
 The approach of two vessels, evidently men-of-war, and carrying the American flag, was perceived from the forts and redoubts at the mouth of the harbor and the news quickly spread to the city and to the vessels in port. Intense ex citement ensned on land and water among the citizens of the place as wei as its defenders. Every man who had { post of duty was instantly at 1t; and 1T less than half an hour the British man of-war SeaYah@,ss, which had been lying at anchor short distance outside ths harbor, came steaming out to meet ths enemy. There were other naval vessels in port, but they required more time tt he put in readiness for action.
 As soon as the approach of Scarabseu' was perceived by Repeller No. 1. boa bearing white flag was lowered from that vessel and was rapidly rowed to ward the British ship. When the lattel saw the boat coming she lay to, ant