The Florida agriculturist., 1889-05-08

was OrOorOQ TO release LllG HILL SlcdtuCIs
which, in obedience to signals from the
Craglevin, steamed as near that vessel
as safety would permit. Boats were
lowered from both ships, and the work
of transfer went on with great activity.
There was no lowering of flags on
board the Craglevin, for the syndicate
attached no importance to such outward
signs and formalities. If the captain of
the British ship chose to haul down his
colors he could do so. but if he preferred
to leave them still bravely floating above
his vessel, he was equally welcome to do
that.
When nearly every one had left the
Cragleviu, boat was sent from the re-
peller, which lay near by, with note
requesting the captain and first officer
of the British ship to come OF board Re-
peller No. II and witness the method of
discharging the instantaneous motor
bomb, after which they would be put on
board the transport. This invitation
struck the captain of the Craglevln with
surprise, but little reflection showed
him that it would be wise to accept it.
In the first place, it was in the nature of
a command, which in the presence Of
six crabs and repeller it would be
ridiculous to disobcy, and, moreover, he
was moved by desire to know some.
thing about the syndicate's mysterious
engine of destruction, if, indeed, such a
thing really existed.
Accordingly, when all the others had
left the ship. the captain of the Crag-
levin and his first officer came on board
the repeller, curiously observing the
spring armor over which they passed by
means of light gangboard with hand
rail. They. were received by the director
at one of the matches of the steel deck,
which were now all open, and conducted
by him to the bombproof compartment
in the bow. There was no reason why
the nature of the rcpeller's defenses
should not be known to the world nor
adopted by other nations. They were
intended as a protection against ordi-
nary shot and shell: they would avail
nothing against the instantaneous motor
bomb
The British officers were shown the
motor bomb to be discharged, which,
externally, was very much like an ordi-
nary shell, except that it was nearly as
long as the bore of the cannon: and the
director stated that although, of course,
the principle of the motor bomb was the
syndicate's secret. it was highly desira-
BILE that it's effects and it's methods OF
operation should be generally known.
The repeller, accompanied by the mail
steamer and all the crabs, now moved to
about two miles to the Ieeward of the
Craglevin, and lay to. The motor bomb
was then placed in one of the great guns,
while the scientific corps attended to the
necessary calculations Of distance, etc.
The director now turned to the British
captain, who had been observing every.
thing with the greatest interest, and
with smile, asked him if he would like
to commit harikari?
AS this remark was somewhat enig.
matical, the director went on to say that
if it would be any qualification to the
captain to destroy his vessel with his owr
hands, instead Of allowing this to be
done by an enemy, he was at liberty tt
do SO. This offer was Immediately &C
cepted, for if his ship were really to bt
destroyed, the captain felt that he would
Ike to do it himself.