The Florida agriculturist., 1889-04-03


their eyes.
The opinions of the commandant of
the fort were received with but little IA
vor by the military and naval authori-
ties Great preparations were already
ordered to repel and crush this most
audacious attack upon the port, but in
the meantime it was highly desirable
that the utmost caution and prudence
should be observed. Three men-of-war
had already been disabled by the novel
and destructive machines of the enemy,
and it had been ordered that for the
present no moro vessels of the British
navy be allowed to approach the crabs
of the syndicate.
Whether it was a mine or bomb
which had been used in the destruction
Of the unfinished works of Fort Pitcher,
it would be impossible to determine
until an official survey had been made Of
the ruins; but, in any event, it would be
wise and humane not to expose the gar
rison of the fort on the south side of the
harbor to the danger which had over
taken the works on the opposite shore.
If, contrary to the opinion of the COM
mandant, the garrisoned fort were really
mined, the following day would proba-
bly, prove the fact. Until this point
should be determined it would be highly
judicious to temporarily evacuate the
fort. This could not be followed by oc-
cupation of the works by the enemy, for
all approaches, either by troops in boats
or by bodies of confederates by land,
could be fully covered by the inland re-
doubts and Notifications.
When the orders for evacuation reached
the commandant Of the fort, he protested
hotly, and urged that his protest be con-
sidered. It was not until the command
had been reiterated both from London
and Ottawa, that he accepted the situa-
ton, and with bowed head prepared to
leave his post. All night preparations
for evacuation went on, and during the
next morning the garrison left the fort,
and established itself far enough away
to preclude danger from the explosion of
mine, but near enough to be available
in case of necessity.
During this morning there arrived in
the offing another syndicate vessel. This
had started from northern part Of the
United States, before the repellers and
the crabs, and it had been engaged in
laying private submarine cable, which
should put the Office of the syndicate in
New York in direct communication with
it's naval forces engaged with the enemy.
Telegraphic connection between the
cable boat and Repeller No. having
been established, the syndicate soon re-
ceived from it's director-in-chief full and
comprehensive accounts of what had
been done, and what it was proposed to
do. Great was the satisfaction among
the members of the syndicate when
these direct and official reports came in.
Up to this time they had been obliged to
depend upon very unsatisfactory intelli-
gence communicated from Europe,
which had been supplemented by wild
statements and rumors smuggled across
the Canadian border.
TO counteract the effect of these full
report was Immediately made by the
syndicate to the government Of the
United States, and bulletin distinctly
describing what had happened was is
sued to the people of the country. These
reports, which received world wide
circulation in the newspapers, created
popular elation in the United States, and
gave rise to serious apprehensions and
concern in many other countries. But
under both elation and concern there
xroc a cnrtoin dOuhtfI1lneSS So far tho