The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-04-12

preston upon tho mailed monster Mt his
stern. the commander Of the Lenox
hailed tho director of the repeller, and
sworo to him through his trumpet that
il he did not Immediately order the
Lenox to be set free, her heaviest guns
should DO brought to bear upon his float
ing counting house, and that it should be
sunk if it took all day to do it.
1t would have been grim satisfaction
to tho commander of the Lenox to sink
Repeller No. @, for he knew tho vessel
when sho had belonged to tho United
States navy. Before she had been
bought by the syndicate, and fitted out
with spring armor, he had made two
long cruises in her, and he bitterly hated
her, from her keel up.
The director of the repellcr agreed to
release tho Lcno.S tho instant her COM
mander would consent to return to port.
No answer was made to this proposition,
but dynamite gun on the Lenox was
brought to bear upon the syndicate's YES
sci. Desiring to avoid any complications
which might ensue from actions Of this
sort, the repellcr steamed ahead, while
the director signaled Crab II to move the
stern of the Lerox to the windward,
which, being quickly done, tho gun of
the latter bore upon the distant coast.
1t was now very plain to the syndicate
director that his words could have no
effect upon the commander of the
Lenox, and he therefore signaled Crab
III to tow the United States vessel into
port. When the commander Of the
Lenox saw that his vessel was beginning
to move backward he gave instant
orders to put on all steam. But this
was found to be useless, for when the
dynamite gun was about to be fired the
engines had been ordered stopped, and
the moment that the propeller btsdes
ceased moving the nippers of the crab
had been released from their hold upon
the stern post, and the propeller blades
Of the Lenox wero gently but firmly
seized in @ grasp which included the
rudder. 1t was therefore impossible for
the engines Of tho vessel to revolve the
propeller, and, INCREASINGLY, tho Lenox
was towed, stern foremost, to tho break
water.
The news of this incident created the
widest Indignation in tho United States
navy, and throughout the country the
condemnation of what was considered
the insulting action of the syndicate was
general. In foreign countries the affair
was the subject of good deal of COM
raent, but it was also the occasion of
much serious consideration, FORT proved
that one Of tho syndicate's submerged
vessels could, without firing gun, and
without fear Of injury to itself, capture
O man-of-wa- and tow /. whittier it
pleased.
The authorities at Washington took
instant cction On tho affair, and as twas
quite evident that tho contract between
tho United States and tho syndicate had
been violated by the Leno,;, tho COM
mander Of that vessel was reprirnanded
by tho secretary of tho navy, and en-
joined that there should DO no repetitions
Of his offence. But as the commander Of
the Lenox knew that the secretary Of tho
navy was as angry rs he was at what
had happened, no did no. feel his repri.
rnand to DO in any way disgrace.
It may be stated that the StocEbridgc,
which had steamed for the open sea as
soon as the business which had detained
her was completed, did not 60 outside
tho cape. When her officers perceived
with their glasses that the Lenox was
returning To port stern foremost they
opined what had happened, and desiring
that their ship should do all her sailing
in the natural way, the Stockbridge was
put about and steamed, bow foremost,
to her anchorage behind the breakwater,
the commander thanking his stars that
for once the Lenox had got ahead of
him.
The members of the syndicate were.
very anxious to remove the unfavorable
impression regarding what was called in
many quarters their attack upon a
United States vessel, and circular to
the public was issued, in which they ex-
pressed their deep regret at being obliged
to interfere with so many brave officers
and men in a moment of patriotic en-
thusiasm, and explaining how absolutely
necessary it was that the Lenox should
be removed from a position where con-
flict with English line of battle ships
would be probable. There were many
thinking persons who saw the weight of
the syndicates statements, but the effect
of the circular upon the popular mind
was not great.
The syndicate was now hard at work
making preparations for the grand stroke
which had been determined upon. In
the whole country, there was scarcely q
man whose ability could be made avail
able in their work, who was not engaged
in their service; and everywhere, in
foundries, workshops and ship yards, the
construction of their engines of war was
being carried on by day and by night.
No contracts were made for the delivery
of work at certain times: everything was
done under the direct supervision of the
syndicate and its subordinates; and tho
work went on with definiteness and
rapidity hitherto unknown in naval con-
struction.
In the midst of the syndicate's labors
there arrived off the coast of Canada the
first result Of Great Britain's prepara-
tons for her war with the American
syndicate, in the shape of the Adamant,
the largest and finest ironclad which had