The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-03-17

CTHIS STORY COMMENCED LAST
SUNDAYS HERALD)
OlThe story is laid at the end Of the present
century. War has broken out between tne
United States and Great Britain, over lne
Fisheries question, and our government sorely
perpleXed how to cope with the superior navy OF
England, has accepted the proposition OF com
blnation of American capitalists, known as tne
War Syndicate This syndicate Sumed entire
Coltrol OF the war, and guaranteed, under heavy
monetary penalties, TO bring the war 10 a success
full and speedy issue. They fit out small fleet
OF ingenious war vessels steel armOred and with
new electric appliances, known as CRABS and
with these they proceed against one OF the
principal Canadian seaports and summon 1t to
surrender.
The overwhelming effrontery Of this
demand caused the commander OF the
Scarabeus to doubt whether he had to
deal with raving lunatic or buster
ing fool but he informed the person in
charge of the flag of truce boat that he
would give him fifteen minutes in which
to get back to his vessel, and that he
GOULD then open fire upon that craft.
The men who rowed the little boat
were not men-of-war's men, and were
unaccustomed to duties of this kind. In
eight minutes they had reached their
vessel and were safe on board.
just seven minutes afterward the first
shot came from the Scarab9us. 1t
passed over Repeller No. l, and that
vessel, instead of replying, Immediately
steamed nearer her adversary. The
director-in-chief desired to determine
the effect of an active cannonade upon
the new armor, and therefore ordered
the vessel placed in such a position that
the Enghshman might have the best
opportunity for using it as target.
The Scarabaeus lost no time in availing
herself of the facilities offered. She was
large and powerful ship, with heavy
Armament; and, soon getting the range
of the syndicate's vessel, she hurled ball
after bail upon her striped side. Repeller
No. made ne reply, but quietly sub
mitted to the terrible bombardment
Some Of the great shot Jared her from
bow to stern, but not one of them broke
a steel spring, nor penetrated the heavy
inside plates,
After half an hour of this work the
director-iR-chief became satisfied that
the new arnor had well acquitted itself
in the seTTe trial to which it had been
subjected. Some of the air buffers had
been disabled, probably on account of
faults in their construction, but these
could readily be replaced, and no further
injury had been done the vessel. 1t was
SpOt necessary, therefore, to continue the
experiment any longer, and besides there
was danger that the Englishman perceiv-
ing that his antagonist did not appear to
be affected by his fire, would approach
closer and endeavor to ram her. This
was to be avoided, for the Scarabeus
was much larger vessel than Repeller
No. 1, and able to run into the latter and
sink her by mere preponderance of
weight.
1t was, therefore, decided to now test
the powers Of the crabs. Signals were
made from Repeller No. l to Crab A,
which had been lying with the larger
vessel between it and the enemy. These
signals were made by jets of dense black
smoke, which were elected from q small
pipe on the repeller. These slender col
umns Of smoke preserved their cylindri-
cal forms for some moments, and were
night, being illuminated in the latter
case by electric light The length and
frequency of these jets were regulated
by an instrument in the directors room.
Thus, by means of long and short puffs,
with the proper use of intervals, mes
sage could be projected into the air as a
Geographic instrument would mark it
upon paper.
In this manner Crab a was ordered to
Immediately proceed to the attack of
the Scarabeus. The almost submerged
vessel steamed rapidly from behind her
consort, and made for the British man.
of-war.
aWhen the latter vessel perceived the
approach of this turtle backed object,
squirting little jets of black smoke as she
replied to the orders from the repeller,
there was great amazement on board.
The crab had not been seen before, but
as it came rapidly on there was no time
for curiosity or discussion, and several
heavy guns were brought to bear upon
it. 1t was difficult to hit a rapidly NOV
ing fiat object scarcely above the surface
of the water; and although several shot
-struck the crab, they glanced off without
in the least interfering with its progress.
Crab A soon came so near the Scara-
baus that it was impossible to depress
the guns of the latter so as to strike her.
The great vessel was, therefore headed
toward its assailant, and under a full
head of steam dashed directly at it to
run it down. But the crab could turn as
upon pivot, and shooting to one side
allowed thesurging man-of-war to passit.
Perceiving instantly that it would be
difficult to strike this nimble and almost
submerged adversary, the commander of
the Scarabeus thought it well to let it
alone for the present, and to bear down
with all speed upon the repeller. But it
was easier to hit the crab than to leave
Etbehind. 1t was capable of great speed,
and, following the British vessel, it
quickly came up with her.
The course of the Scarabeus was in
stantly changed, and every effort was
made to get the vessel into position to
run down the crab But this was not
easy for so Ks a ship, and Crab a
seemed to have no difficulty in keeping
close to her stern.
Several machine guns especially adapt |
ed for firing at to-pedo boats, or any hos
tile craft which might be discovered |
close to a vessel, were now brought to
bco,. ,,,,oy, tho crah and baU oftar bo n |