Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-11-15

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tnIag winch their Elc!iccta could not
grasp 1t WIS net 10 !,' expected that
the ordinary mind could appreciate the
difference between the action of an in
Simultaneous motor when inhedded in
rocks and earth. and its effect. when op-
posed b. nothing but stone walls, upon
or near the surface OF the earth.
Early the next morning the little feet
Of the syndicate prepared to carry out
its further orders. The waters of the
lower bay were now entirely deserted,
craft Of every description having taken
refuge in tie upper part Of the harbor
near and above the city. Therefore as
soon as it was light CROUCH to make OBJ
servaticns nep"!!"T No. did not hesitate
20 discharge a motor bomb into the
harbor, a nile or more above where the
first one had fallen. This was done in
order to explode any torpcdoes which
might have been put into position since
tne discharge of the first bomb.
There were very few people in the city
and suburbs who were at that hour out
Of doors, where they could see the great
cloud of water rise toward the sky, and
behold it descend like mighty cataract
upon tie harbor and adjacent shores;
but the quick, sharp shock which ran
under the town made people spring from
their beds, and although nothing was
then to be seen, nearly every tody felt
sure that the syndicate's forces had be-
sun their days work Ly exploding an
other mine.
A lighthouse, the occupants Of which
had been ordered to le2ve when the fort
was evacuated. rs they might he il dan
ger in case Of a bcai,ardment, was so
shaken by the explosion Of this motor
bomb that it fell in ruins on the rocks
upon which it had stood
The two c"1,bs now took the steel net
from lis mornings and carried it up the
harbUr. This vas rather difficult On &C
count Of the islands. rocks and eandbars;
but the leading crao had on board I Ei!ot
acquainted with these waters. With the
net hanging between them, the two sub
merged vessels, one carefully following
the other, reached a point about two
miles below the city, where the net was
anchored across the harbGr 1t did not
reach from shore to shore, but in the
course Of the morning two other nets,
designed for sha,lowcr waters, were
brought from the repclicrs and anchored
at each end OF the iu;li,i net, thus form
ing line of complete protection against
submarine torpe',oes which might be
sent down from the upper harbor.
Ropeller No. ! now steamed into the
h2rbor, accompanied by Crab A, and
anchored about quarter Of a mile sea
ward Of tie net. The other reHc!iar.
with her attendant crab, cruised about
the mouth OF tie harGor. watching g
smaller entrance to the port as we'll as
the larger one, and thus maintaining an
effective blockade. This WAS not a dill
cult duty for since the news Of tie cx-
tra0rGiH&ry performances Of the crabs
had ha2a spread abroad, TO merchant
vessel, large or small. cared to approach
that port: and strict orders had been
issued by tie British admiralty that no
vessel of the navy should, Until further
Instructed, engage il combat With the
peculiar c.2et Of the synGicato Until a
plan Ct action had been determined
upon, it was very desirable That English
cruisers should not be exposed to useless
INJURY and danger.
This being the state OF Affairs, a mas
sage was sent from tie oaice Of
the syndicate across the border To
the Dominion government, Which
stated that the seaport city which
had been ATTACHED ty the forces CT the
syndicate nov l.;y under the Cuns Of its
vessels, and in case Of I'll overt at Of
war hy Greet E2gitain or Canada alone,
such rs the entrance cf an armed force
from british territory into the United
Stutcs, cI q capture 0. or attack ulon en-
! American vessel. navel CT commercial,
BY British u1an-of-v war, on IN attac:,
upon an American pot by British YES
seis, the city would La Lurabarded and
destroyed.
This message, wh;2h y;,s Ct couraa il
stant!y transmitted to London, placed
tie British government in the apparent
position Ct being held Ey the throat bv
the American War Syndicate. Bat i
the British government or the people Of
England or Canada recognized this posi-
tiDl. at all it w2s merely as a temporary
condition. In short time the most
powerful p!cn-of wcr Of lie royal navy,
as well as feet Of trans ports C2.Tvi2o
troops, would reach the coasts Of Eortl
America, and then the condition Vi
affairs would rapidly lie changed. Il
w2s absurd to suppose that few me.
dunn sized vessels, however hcaviiq
arinored, or 4 fc: Row tangled sutaaa-
rin2 machines, however destructive the
might be, could Withstand an armada q
the largest and finest arlnured vessels il
the world. j ship or two might be dis
ablod, althoug!. this was unlikely, now
that the new method of attack was I'm.
derstoo4. bat il would sonn he the ports
d the United States. on beth the Pacific
and Atlantic coasts, which would liz
under the guns Of an enemy.
Bat it was not in the power @? tlcir
navy that the British government and
the people Of England and Canada placed
their greatest trust, but in the incapacit7
OF their petty foe to support It's ridicu-
loGs assumptions. Tie claim that tn.
! city lay under the guns Of tie American
syndicate was considered ridiculous, fc1
few people believed shat these vessels
had any guns, Certainly there had been nc
evidence that any Shots Lad been fired
from them Ii t!.c opinion Of reasona.
bic people the destruction CT the for,s