The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-04-12
The Great War Syndicate.
Ey FRANK R. STOCKTON.

Tiger, Tho Late Mrs. Null" 'The
Hundredth Man." "The Casting Away
OF Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aieshine," 'The
Dusantes." etc.
Copyrighted by p. f. Collier. OF Golfers Once
a Week, and published by special arrangement
with him through the American Press Associa-
ton. All rights reseived.l
Repeiier NO. now steamed inJo the
harbor, accompanied by Crab A, and
anchored about quarter of mile sea-
ward of the net The other repeller.
with her attendant crab, cruised about
tho mouth of the harbor, watching q
smaller entrance to tho port as well as
the larger one, and thus maintaining an
effective blockade. This was not q diff
cult duty, for since the news Of the ex-
traordinary performances Of tho crabs
had been spread abroad, 10 merchant
vessel, large or small, cared to approach
that port; and strict orders had been
issued by the British admiralty that no
vessel of the navy should, until further
instructed, engage in combat with the
peculiar craft of tho syndicate. Until a
plan of action had been determined
upon, it was very desirable that English
cruisers should not be exposed to useless
injury and danger.
This being the state OF affairs, u mes
sage was sent from the Office of
the syndicate across tho border to
the Dominion government, which
stated that the seaport city which
had been attacked by tho forces of the
syndicate now lay under, the guns of its
vessels, and in case Of an overt act of
war by Great Britain or Canada alone,
such as the entrance of an armed force
from British territory into the United
States, or capture of or attack upon an
American vessel, navel or commercial,
by British man-of-war, or an attack
upon an American port by British ves-
sells, the city would be bombarded and
destroyed.
This message, which was of course in
stantly transmitted to London, placed
tho British government in tho apparent
position of being held by the throat by
the American War Syndicate. But if
the British government or the people Of
England or Canada recognized this posi-
condition. In a short time tho most
powerful men-of-war of the royal navy,
as well as fleet of transports carrying
troops, would reach tho coasts of North
America, and then the condition of
affairs would rapidly be- changed. 1t
was absurd to suppose that q few me-
dunn sized vessels, however heavily
armored, or q few new tangled subma-
rine machines, however destructive they
might be, could withstand an armada of
tho largest and finest armored vessels in
the world. A ship or two might be dis
abled, although this was unlikely, now
that the new method of attack was I'M
derstood; but it would soon be the ports
of the United States, on both the Pacific
and Atlantic coasts, which would lie
under the guns Of an enemy.
But it was not in the power of their
navy that the British government and
the people of England and Canada placed
their greatest trust, but in the incapacity
of their petty foe to support its ridicu-
lous assumptions. The claim that the
city lay under the guns of the American
syndicate was considered ridiculous, for
few people believed that these vessels
had any guns. Certainly there had been no
evidence that any shots had been fired
from them. In the opinion of reasona-
BILE people the destruction OF the forts
and the explosions in the harbor had
been caused by mines-mines of q new
and terrifying power-which were the
work of traitors and confederates. The
destruction of the lighthouse had
strengthened this belief, for its fall
was similar to that which would have
been occasioned by great explosion I'M
der its foundation.
But however terrifying and appalling
had been the results of the explosion of
these mines, it was not thought probable
that there were any more of them. The
explosions had taken place at exposed
points distant from the city, and the
most careful investigation failed to dis
cover any present signs of mining opera
tions
This theory of mines worked by con-
federates was received throughout the
civilized world, and was universally con-
demned. Even in the United States the
feeling was so strong against this appar-
emf alliance between the syndicate and
British traitors that there was reason to
believe that popular pressure would be
brought to bear upon the government
sufficient to force it to break its contract
with the syndicate and to carry on the
war with the national army and navy.
The crab was considered an admirable
addition to the strength of navy, but
mine under fort, laid and fired by per-
fidious confederates, was considered un-
worthy an enlightened people.
The members of the syndicate now
found themselves in an embarrassing
and dangerous position; q position in
which they were placed by the universal
incredulity regarding the instantaneous
motor, and unless they could make the
world believe that they really used such
a motor bomb, the war could not be pro-
secuted on the plan projected.
1t was easy enough to convince the
enemy of the terrible destruction the
syndicate was able to effect; but to make
that enemy and the world understand
that this was done by bombs, which
could be used in one place as well as an