The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-05-11

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FRANK r.. STOCKTON.
me rrpeIIer when was 70 take part In
the syndicate's proposed movement had
been a vessel of the United States navy
which for a long time had been out Of
commission and undergoing course OF
very slow and desultory repairs in q
dock yard. She had always been con-
sidered the most unlucky craft in tho
service, and nearly every accident that
could happen to a ship had happened to
her. Years and years before, when she
would set out upon a cruise, her officers
and crew would receive the humorous
sympathy of their friends, and wagers
were frequently laid in regard TO the
different kinds Of mishaps which might
befall this unlucky vessel, which was
then known as the Tallapoosa.
The syndicate did not particularly de
sire this vessel, but there was no other
that could readily be made available for
its purposes, and accordingly tho ITALIA
poosa was purchased from the govern
ment and work Immediately begun upon
her. Her engines and hull were put
into good condition. and outside Of her
was built another hull, composed of
heavy steel armor plates and strongly
hraced by great transverse beams run
ming through the ship.
Still outside of this was placed an inn
proved system Of spring armor, much
stronger and more effective than any
which had yet been constructed. This,
with the armor plate, added nearly fiji
teen feet 10 the width of the vessel above
water. All her supcrstructures were re-
moved from her deck, which was COW
cred by a curved steel roof, and under a
bomb proof canopy at the bow were
placed two guns capable of carrying the
largest sized motor bombs. The ITALIA
poosa, thus Transformed was called Re
peller No. H.
The immense addition TO her weight
would of course interfere very much
with the speed of the new mpcller, but
this was considered of little importance,
as she would depend on her own engines
only in time of action, She was now
ItlitNtl W lhihStNN lllbl' l''li''b 'A'l'lAs2No
than any battle ship in the world.
Early on a misty morning Rcpeller No
II. towed by four Of the swittCst and
most powerful crabs, and followed by
two others, left northern port of the
United States, bound for the coast of
Great Britain. Her course was very
northerly one, for the reason that the
syndicate had planned work for her to
do while on her way across the Atlantic.
The syndicate he'd now determined,
without unnecessarily losing an hour, TO
plainly demonstrate the power Of the in
Simultaneous motor bomb 1t Lad been
intended TO do this upon the Adamant,
but as it had been found impossible TO
induce the captain of that vessel to evac-
uate his ship, the syndicate had declined
10 exhibit the efficiency of their new
agent Of destruction upon disabled
craft crowded with human beings.
This course had been highly prcju-
dicial to the claims of the syndicate, for
as Repcller No. had made no use in the
contest with the Adamant of the motor
bombs with which she was said TO be
supplied, it was generally believed on
both sides Of the Atlantic that she car
ried no such bombs, and the conviction
that the destruction ut the Canadian port
had been effected by means OF mines con
tinued as strong as it had over been. TO
correct these false ideas was now the
duty of Repeller No. II.
For some time Great Britain had been
steadily forwarding troops and NUM-
tons Of war TO Canada, without Interrupt
ton from her enemy. Only once had
the syndicate's vessels appeared above
the banks of Newfoundland. and rs the
number of these peculiar craft must nee
essarily be small, it was not supposed
that their line of operations would be ex-
tended very far north, and no danger
from them was apprehended, provided
the English vessels laid their courses well
to the north.
Shortly before the sailing of Repeller
No. II, the syndicate had received news
that one of the largest transatlantic mail
steamers, loaded with troops and with
heavy cannon for Canadian Notifications,
and accompanied by the Cragleyin. one
of the largest ironclads in the ROYAL
navy, had started across the Atlantic.
The first business of the rcpeller and her
attendant crabs concerned these two YES
sells.
Owing TO the power and speed of the
crabs which towed her, Repeller No. II
made excellent time; and on the morn
ing OF the third day out the two British
vessels were sighted. Somewhat alter
ing their course, the syndicate's vessels
were soon within few miles of the
enemy.
The Cragleyin was magnificent war
ship. She was not quite 80 large us the
Adamant, and she was unprovided with
stern jacket or other defense of the
KIND. In sending her out the admiralty