Morris tribune., 1889-05-15
The Great War Syndicate.
By FRANK B. STOCKTON.


Author of "Rudder Grange "Amos Kill
bright" "The Bee Man of orn," ''The
Christmas Wreck 1.-THE Lady or the
Tiger" 1.-THE Late Mrs. Null" THE
Hundredth Man." 1.-THE Casting Away
of Mrs. Leclxs and Mrs. Aieshinc,'' "The
Dusantes," etc.
Copyrighted by r. r. Collier, of Golfers Once
Q Week and published by special arrangement
with hin, through the American Press Associa
ton All rights reserved.l
It was a noble sight, for besides the
war ships there was another fleet hang
ing upon tho outskirts of the first, and
composed of craft, large and small, and
from both sides Of the channel, filled
with those who were anxious to witness
from afar the sea fight which was to take
place under such novel conditions. Many
of these observers were reporters and
special correspondents for great news
papers. On some of the vessels which
camo up from the French coast were
men with marine glasses of extraordi-
nary power, whose business it was to
send all early and accurate report of the
affair to the Office of the war syndicate
in New York.
AS soon as the British ships came in
sight, the four crabs cast off from Repel-
Ter No. II. Then with the other two
they prepared for action, moving con-
siderably in advance of the repeller,
which now steamed forward very slowly.
The wind was strong from the north
west, and the sea high, the shining tops
of the crabs frequently disappearing
under the waves.
The British feet came steadily on,
headed by the great Llangaron. This
vessel was very much in advance of the
others, fof knowing that when she was
really in action and the great cylinder
which formed her stern guard was lower
cd into the water her speed would be much
retarded, she had put on all steam, and
being the swiftest war ship Of her class,
she had distanced all her consorts. It
was highly important that she should
begin the fight and engage the attention
of as many crabs as possible while GER
tain of the other ships attacked the re-
peller with their rams. Although it was
now generally believed that motor
bombs from n repcller might destroy a
man of-war, it was also considered prob
able that the accurate calculations which
appeared to be necessary to precision of
aim could not be made when the object
Of the aim was in rapid motion.
But whether or not one or more motor
bombs did strike the mark, or whether
or not one or more vessels were blown
into fine particles, there were a dozen
ironclads in that feet, each of whose
commanders and officers were deter
mined to run into that repeller and crush
her, if so be they held together long
enough to reach her.
The commanders of the torpedo boats
had orders to direct their swift messen-
gers of destruction first against the crabs,
for these vessels were far in advance of
the repeller, and coming on with a ra-
pidity which showed that they were de-
termined upon mischief. If a torpedo,
shot from torpedo boat, and speeding
swiftly by it's own powers beneath the
waves, should strike the submerged hull
Of a crab, there would be one crab the
less in the English channel.
AS has been said, the Llangaron came
rushing on, distancing verything, even
the torpedo boats. If, before she was
obliged to lower her cylinder, she could
get near enough to the almost stationary
repeller to take part in the attack on her,
she would then be content to slacken
speed and let the crabs nibble awhile at
her stern.
Two of the latest constructed and
largest crabs, @ and r, headed at full
speed to meet the Llangaron, who, as she
came on, opened the ball by sending a
"rattler" in the shape Of 500-pound shot
into the ribs of the repeller, then at least
four miles distant, and Immediately after
began firing her dynamite guns, which
were of limited range, at the roofs Of the
advancing crabs.
There were some on board the repeller
who, at the moment the great shot struck
her, with ringing and clangor of steel
springs, such as never was heard before,
wished that in her former state of ex-
istence she had been some other vessel
than the Tallapoosa.
But every spring sprang back to its
place as the great mass of iron glanced off
into the sea. The dynamite bombs flew
over the tops of the crabs, whose rapid
motions and slightly exposed surfaces
gave little chance for accurate aim, and
in short time they were too close to the
Llangaron for this class Of gun to be used
upon them.
AS the crabs came nearer, the Liam
garon lowered the great steel cylinder
which hung across her stern, until it lay
almost entirely under water, and abaft
of her rudder and propeller blades.
She now moved slowly through the
water, and her men greeted the advanc-
ing crabs with yells of defiance, and a
shower Of shot from machine guns.
The character Of the new defense
which had been fitted to the Llangaron
was known to the syndicate, and the,
directors of the two new crabs under
stood the heavy piece of work which
lay before them. But their plans of &C
ton had been well considered, and they
made straight for the stern of the British
ship.
1t was, of course, impossible to en-
deavor to grasp that great cylinder with
its rounded ends; their forceps would
slip from any portion of its smooth sur
face on which they should endeavor to
lay hold, and no such attempt was made.
Keeping near the cylinder, one at each
end of it, the two moved slowly after the
Llangaron, apparently discouraged.
In short time, however, it was per-
ceived by those on board the ship, that a
change had takeh place in the appear
ance of the crabs: the visible portion of
their backs was growing larger and
larger; they were rising in the water.
Their mailed roofs became visible from
end to end, and the crowd of observers
looking down from the ship were amazed
to see what large vessels they were.
Higher and higher the crabs arose,
their powerful air pumps working at
their greatest capacity, until their pom
derous pincers became visible above the