Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-03-14
Wasaingtan Standard
The Great War Syndicate.
By FRANK Z STOCKTON.

BY fRANk L. STUUhT UA.
author .: ladder Grange" Amos Kill
D..,h,," "The Zee Man OF Crn," THE
Christmas Wreck" ''Thc Lady OF the
Tiger" The Late Mrs. Null" The
Hund..dth Man." Tho Castin: Away
Of Mrs. I.ccis and Mrs. Aieshinc." Tho
pusantes." etc.
Copyrighted by 7. + Collier OF Golfers C-ycs
, Week. and published by special arrangement
riih him through the American Press Associa
iE1. All rights reserved
She was floating fortress. with men
enough to make up the population Of
town. and with stores, ammunition and
coal sufficient to last for q long term OF
active service. Such was the mighty
English battle ship which had come for
ward 10 raise the siege of the Canadian
port.
The officers of the syndicate were well
aware of the character Of the Adamant,
her armament and |. defenses, and had
been informed by c.ible of her time Of
sailing and probable destination. They
sent out Repeller No. Z. with Crabs j
and k, to meet her of the Banks OF
Newfoundland.
This repeller was the largest and
strongest vessel that the syndicate had
ready for service. In addition to the
spring armor with which these vessels
were supplied. this one was furnished
with second coat of ;rmor outside the
first, the elastic steel ribs of which ran
lCr:",. -....Gliy and at right angles to
those of the inner set. Both coats were
furnished with great number of I'M
proved air buffers, and the arrangement
Of spring armor extended five or six feet
beyond the massive steel plates with
which the vessel was originally armorcd.
She carried one motor cannon Of large
size.
One of the crabs was Of the ordinary
pattern. but Crab X was furnished with
a spring armor above the heavy plates
CT her roof. This had been placed upon
her after the news had been received by
the syndicate that the Adamant would
carry perpendicular cannon over her
stern, but there had not been time
enough TO fit out another crab in the
same way.
When the director in charge of repeller
No. first caught sight of the Adamant,
and scanned through his glass the vast
proportions of tho mighty ship which
was rapidly steaming toward the coast,
he felt that responsibility rested upon
him heavier than any which had yet
been borne by an officer Of the syndicate,
but he did not hesitate in the duty which
he had been sent to perform, and imme.
diately ordered the two crabs to advance
to meet the Adamant, and to proceed to
action according to the instructions
which they had previously received.
His own ship was kept, in pursuance of
orders, several miles distant from the
British ship.
As soon as the repeller had been
sighted from the Adamant strict look
out had been kept for the approach Of
crabs. and when the small exposed por-
lions OF the backs OF two Of these were
perceived glistening in the sunlight the
speed Of the great ship was slackened.
The ability Of the syndicate's submerged
vessels to move suddenly and quickly in
any direction had been clearly demon
strated, and although q great ionclad
with q ram could run down and sink q
crab without feeling tho conclusion, ii
was known that it would be perfectly
easy for the smaller craft to keep out Of
tho way Of its bulky antagonist. There
fnro tho AdovnouA s~lsA 49, A. A..
crabs. nor to get away from them. Her
commander intended, If possible, to run
down ono or both Of them, hut he did
net propose to do this In the usual way.
A. the crabs approached. the stern
3achpe Of the Adamant was let down and
the engines were slowed. This stern
jacket, when protecting the rudder and
/ peupelers. looked very much like the
COW catcher Of . locomotive, and was ca
pablo ct being put to . somewhat sirnila.
ma Il was the Intention OF the captain
q The Adamant, should the crabs al
tempt to nttach themselves to his stern.
tosnddenly put On all steam. reverse his
engines and back upon them, the stern
3acket answering Is ram.
1he commander Of the Adar,ant had
no doubt that in this way be could run
into q crab, roll 4 over In the water. and
when Il was lying bottom upward, like
= floating eosk, he could move his shir
70 2 distance and make . target Of it. Sc
deirous WA this brave and somewhat
Sacee1oua captain to try his new plan
upon . crab that he foreb0fe to fire upon
the two vesDels Of that class which were
appseaching him. Gon,eof his guns were
- mounted that their muxzies could lie
eFeefty depee0ed and aimed at an object
y tIse water not far from the ship. But
theee ware not discharged, and, indeed.
de crabss which we're new ones Of un-
ugtnl swiftness, were alongside the Ada,
mant IN N Incredibly short time and out
q The range q these sans
CtabJ U1scu the starboard sido of the
Adnmant, Cab & wa on the port side,
and. simultaneously. the two laid hold ci
her. But they were not directly astern
o. the great vessel. Each had its nippers
fastened to one side Of the stern Jacket,
near tho hinge ike bolts which held Il to
tho vessel. and on which Il was raised
and lowered.
Ia moment the Adamant began to
seam backward, but the only effect Of
this motion, which soon became rapid.
was to swing the crabs around against
her sides and carry them with her. As
the veaaels were thus moving the great
pincers Of the crabs were twisted with
tremendous force, the stern Jacket on
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