The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-05-02

CidSScS, usiSLSIleu 10 the w eiSu coast.
The little towns where the visitors left |
the trains were crowded to overflowing, |
and every possible conveyance by which
the mountains lying back of Cardiff
could be reached was eagerly secured,
many. persons, however, being obliged
to depend upon their own legs. Soon
after sunrise of the appointed day the
forts, the village and the surrounding
lower country were entirely deserted:
tains lying some. miles back from the
coast was occupied by excited spectators,
nearly every one armed with a field
glass.
A few of the guns from the fortifca-
tons were transported to an overlooking
height, in order that they might be
brought into action in case the repeller,
instead of bombarding, should send men
in boats to take possession Of the evacu-
ated Notifications, or should attempt any
mining operations. Tho gunners for this
battery wero stationed at safe place to
the rear, whence they could readily
reach their guns if necessary.
Tho next day was one of supreme im-
portance to the syndicate. On this day
1t must make plain to the world, not only
what the motor bomb could do, but that
the motor bomb did what was done.
Before leaving the English channel the
director Of Repeller No. II had received
telegrapiic advices from both Europe
and America indicating the general drift
Of public opinion in regard to the recent
sea fight; and, besides these, many Eng
lish and continental papers had been
brought to him from the French coast.
From all these the director perceived
that the cause of the syndicate had in
certain way suffered from the manner in
which the battle in the channel had been
conducted. Every newspaper urged that
if the repeller carried guns capable of
throwing the bombs which the syndicate
proposed to use there was no reason why
every ship in the British fleet should not
have been destroyed. But as the repeller
had not fired q single shot at the fleet, and
as tic battle had been fought entirely
b. tile crabs, there was every reason to
believe that il there were such things IA
motor guns their range was very short,
not as great as that Of the ordinary dyna-
mite cannon. The great risk run by one
Of the crabs in order to disable q dyna-
mite gunhoat seemed an additional proof
OF this.
It was urged that the explosions in the
water might h:He been produced by tor
pcdces; that the torpedo boat which had
been destroyed was SO near the repeller
that an ordinary shell was sufficient to
accomplish the damage that had been
done.
To gainsay these assumptions was inl-
perative on the syndicatc's forces. To
firmly establish the prestige Of the in
stantaneous motor was the object Of the
var. Grabs were Of but temporary SER
vice. Any nation could build vessels
like them, and there were many means
OF destroying them. The spring armor
was g complete defense against ordinary
artillery, but it was not defense against
submarine torpedoes. The claims Of ths.
syndicate could be firmly based on moth
in:; but the powers OF absolute annihila-
ticn possessed by the instantaneous mo-
tor bomb.
Ato1t 8 o'clock on the appointed morn
ing ncpalier No. 11I much to the surprise
OF the spectators On the high grounds
With field glasses and telescopes, steamed
awav from Caerdaff. What this meant
nobody knew, but the naval military OBJ
servers Immediately suspected that the
svndicates yess.l had concentrated atten-
tion upon Caerdaff in order to go over to
Ireland to do some sort Of mischief there.
No
paAied her, but as they were now at their
fighting depth it was impossible to sec
tE2IA st SO great distance.
D:-t It was soon perceived that Repel-
lei, No. II had no intention Of running
away, nor Of going over to Ireland.
From slowly cruising about four CT five
p1iles Of shore she had steamed west
ward until she had reached :: point
which, according to tie calculations cf
her scientific corps, was ni-:c marine
miles from Caerdaf. There she lay to
against strong breeze from the east.
It was not yet 1Go'clock when the Off
Ger in charge of the starboard gun re-
marked 10 the director that he supposed
that it would not be necessary to give
the SMOKE signals, as had been done In
the channel, as now all the crabs were
lying near them. The director reflected
q moment, and then ordered that the
signal sl ould be given at every discharge
of the gun, and that the columns Of black
smoke should be shot up to their creates
height.
At precisely 10 o'clock, up rose from
Repelier No. II two tall jets Of black
smoke. Up rose from the promontcry
CT Caerdaff, q heavy gray cloud, like an
immense balloon, and then the people
on the hill tops and highlands felt &
sharp shock of the ground and rocks be
meath them, and heard the eound of ;
terrible but nonlentary grinding crush.
AS the cloud began to settle, it wa:
borne ont to sea by the wind, and then il
was revealed that the Notifications oi
Caerdaff had disappeared.
In ton minutes there was another
smoke signal, and great cloud over tht
caStellated structure on the other side o.
the bay The cloud passed away, leav
ing o vacant space On the other side O
the bay.
The second shock sent panic through
/ the crowd OF spectators. The next earth
! quake bomb might strike among them
/ Down the eastern slopes ran hundreds O
. them, leaving only few of the braves
| civilians. the reporters of the press, anS
the naval and military men.
! The next motor bomb descended int
| the fishing village, the comminuted par
ticles of which, being mostly of ligh