Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-05-21

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bRrrIsu oFTIcERs WATCHING TuE EFTEcT
oF THE MORON BONES
Each Of the disabled ironclads was
now In tow of sister vessel o. Of tugs.
cHccp, tho ilangarUn. This great ship
had been disabled ~ early In the contest,
and her broadsidc had presented such a
vast surface to tho northwest wind. that
sho had drftcd much farther to the
south than any other vessel Consc-
qucnily bsforo the arrival % the tugs
which had bccn sent for 20 tow her into
the harbor. tho Llangaron was well on
her way across the channel A foggy
night oamc on. and the next morning.
sho was ashore on tho coast % France.
with mile ~ water between her and
dry land. Fast rooted In great sand
hank she lay week after week. with the
storms that came In from tho Atlantic
and tfc storms that came In from t.c
German occan bcating upon her tall aide
of solid irou. with no morc effect than II
Il had tccn a prccipiceof of rock Agains,
waves AMI sinds sho formed q massive
brcakwatcr. with a wide stretch Of
sIn.oth ssa bstwccn her and the land
Ther she lay. proof against all the artll.
-. - E,tr....-. .,N III a.. ..stIfar.. - az.
IA and the storm. until ncct of small
vessels had taken from her her ponder.
Gus armament. her coal and storcs. and
shc had bccn lightcnod enough To noai
upon high tide and 20 follow three tugs
Ia Portsmouth.
When night came on Repellcr No. II
and the erals dropped down with the
tide and lay to somc miles west of the
sccnc u lattlo. Tho fog shui them In
fairly well. but. fearful that torpcioss
might L. scnt out against them. they
showed NO lights. There was little dan.
ger u collision with passing merchant.
men. for the English channel at present
wa- dc,sfici 10y this class of vessels
The next morning the rcpellcr. prccc,icd
by two Gratis. bcaring betwesn them a
Submerged net similar 10 that u-',l al the
Canadian port, appeared OIL the eastern
end Of the lslc u Wight Tho anchors
of the net wen dropped. and behind Il
the vTellcr took her place. and shortly
aftcrwarl she seni a lag of truce boat 10
Portsmouth harlor This bat carried
note from the American war syndicate
10 the british government
IN this note u was stated that u was
now ihe intention ~ the syndicate to
utterly destroy. boy means of the insiania.
ncous motor. a fortified posi upon the
British cuast ~ this would h. done
solely for the purpose Of demonstrating
the irresistible destructive power Of the
motor tomi.. Il was immatsrial To the
syndi ,ate what fortified post should h.
Destroyed. provided IL should answer the
requirements - the proposed demon.
stTation Consequently the British gov
ernmcnt va, offered the opportunity Of
naming thc fortified place which should
H. destroyed lfsaid government should
decline a. do thisor delay the selection
for twcniy.four hours. the syndicate
would itself decide upon the place 10 be
operated upon.
Every one In every branch of the
British government. and. In fact. nearly
every thinking person In the British
islands. had bocn racking his brains. OF
her brains. that night, over the asiound'
ing situation. aud the note of the syndi'
cate only added 10 tho perturbation ofthe
government There was a strong feeling
In official circles that the insolent little
enemy must H. crushed. II tho whole
British navy should have Ia rush upon IL,
and all sink together In common grave.
Hut there were cooler and more prudent
brains at the head Of affairs. and these
had already decided that tho contest bc-
tween the old engines Of war and the
new was entirely one sided The in
siincts Of good government dictated 10
them that they should be extremely wary
and circumspcct during the further con-
tinuance Of this unexampled war. There
fore. when the note Of the syndicate was
considered. IL was agreed that the time
had come when good statesmanship and
wise diplomacy would DO more valuable
90 the nation than torpedoes, armored
ships or heavy guns.
There was not the slightest doubt that
the country would disagree with the
government. but on the latter lay the re-
sponsibility Of the country's safety.
There was nothing. In the opinion of the
ablesi naval officers. TO prevent tho syn
dicates ilcct from coming up the Thames.
instantaneous motor bombs could sweep
away all forts and citadels and explode
and destroy all torpedo defenses, and
London might lie under the guns Of the
repeller.
In consequence Of this view Of tho
state of Affairs an answer was sent 20 the
syndicaies note asking that further time
be given for the consideration Of the sit
uaiion. and suggesting that an exhibition
Of the power of the motor bomb was not
necessary. as sufficient proof Of this had
been given In the obstruction of the Cana
dian forts, the annihilation of the Crag-
levin. and the extraordinary results Of
the discharge Of said bombs on the pre-
ceding day.
To this a reply was sent from the office
Of the syndicate in New York Ly means
Of cable bat from the French coast.
that ol no account could their purpose
bcaltered or their propositions modified.
Although the British government might
h. convinced Of the power Of the syndi-
Gates motor bombs. IL was not the case
with the British people. for II was yet
popularity disbelievei that motor bombs
existed. This disbelief the syndicate
was determined TO overcome. not only for
the furtherance Of Its own purposes.
bui to prevent the downfall Of the present
British ministry. and probable radical
change In the government. That such a
political revolution. as undesirable TO the
syndicate rs to cool headed and sensible
Enslishmen. was imminent, there could