The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-03-29


these strange and terrible enemies. and
had supposed that she would be afraid to
mako her peculiar attack upon one OF
them. because while doing SO shc would
expose herself to the danger Of being run
down by tho other. Tut the presence Of
two Of these almost submerged engines Of
destruction entirely changed the situa-
ton.
But the commanders Of the British
ships were brave men. They had started
to run down the strangely arm ed Amer
lean craft, and run her down they would,
if they could. They put on more steam
and went ahead ut greater speed. In
such furious onslaught the crabs might
not dare To attack them.
But they did not understand tie &c
ture nor the powers Of these enemies.
In less than twenty minutes Crab A had
laid hold ri one Of the mcn-of-war. ard
Crab Ii OF the ether. The ruddcrs Of
both were shattered All torn away; AMI
while the blades Of one propeller wc.c
crushed to pieces. the other with nearly
half Its shaft. WAS drawn out ana dropped
into the ocean. Hcipicssly the two nen
of-war rose and fell upon the waves
In obedience to orders from the re-
pcllcr. each crab took hold Of ono Of the
disabled vessels and towed il ucG: the
mouth Of the harb0r, where il was left
Tho city was now in II state Of icveri5ii
excitement. which was intensified by the
fact that IL ma ority Of the people did moi;
understand what hal happened. wiilc
those To whom this had been made Ii...n
could rot comprehend why such q Ching
should have been allowed TO happen
Three Of her majesty's ehips OF war,
equipped and ready for action. had sailpi
out of the harbor. and an apparently in
significant enemy. without firing gun.
had put them into such Il condition ,.iat
| they were utterly unllt for service and
must be lowed into Il dry dock. Flow
could the government. tho munivip9iIty
the army. or the navy. eXpl".L t't.,
The anxiety. the cxciiemvni. che ner-
vous desire to know what had happened,
and what might bccxwctcd net, spread
that evening to every part Of the E0uin-
Ion reached by telegraph.
The military authorities in charge OF
the defenses of tie city were IN much
disturbed and amazed by what had hap
pened Us any civilian could possibly he,
| but they had no fears for the 6aiety OF
the place, for the enemy's vessels could
| not possibly enter, nor even approach.
the harbor. The Notifications on the
heights mounted guns much heavier than
| those on the men-of-war. and Shots from,
| lar s,,t.
even those under water devils. But
more than on the forts. they relied upon
their admirable system Of torpedocs and
submarine batteries With these in po
sition and ready for action. IN they now
were. it was impossible for an enemy's
vessel. floating on tho water, or under it.
to enter tho harbor without certain de-
structiol.
Bulletins to this effect were posted ir
the city, and somewhat allaycd the popu
lar anxiety, although many people who
were fearful of what might happen next
left by the evening trains for the interior
That night the news Of this extraordinary
affair was cablcd to Europe. and thence
back to tho United States, and all over
tho world. In many quarters the ac'
count was disbelieved, and in no quarter
was it thoroughly understood, for il
must be borne in mind that the methods
Of operation employed by the crabs were
not evident even to those on board the
disabled vessels. But everywhere there
was the greatest desire to l.now what
would be done next.
1t was the general opinion that the two
armored vessels were merely tenders
to tho submerged machines, which had
done the mischief. Having fired no guns
nor taken any active part in the combat
there was every reason to believe that
they were intended merely as bomb proof
store ships for their formidable consorts
As these submerged vessels could not ut,
tack town. nor reduce Notifications
but could exercise their power only
against vessels afoat, it was plain enough
to see that tho object of the American
syndicate was to blockade the port
That they would be able to maintain the
blockade when tho full power of the
British navy should be brought to beal
upon them was generally doubted, though
il was conceded in tho most wrathfu
circles that until tho situation should bt
altered, 1t would be unwise to risk valu
ablo war vessels in encounters with the
diabolical sea monsters now lying off the
port.
| In tho New York Office of the syndi
cato there was great satisfaction. Tht
news received was incorrect and imper
feet, but it was evident that, SO far
everything had gone well.
About . o'clock the next morning Re
pallcr No. /, with her consort half q milk
astern. and preceded by tho two crabs
one on either bow. approached to within
two niles Of the harbor mouth. The
crabs, . quarter of n mile ahead of tho
rcpelcr, moved slowly, for between then
N ~!