Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-03-28
Washington Standard
Il; Great Var Syndicate.

lh22 CIeal Var Syndicate.
By FRANK r. STOCKTON.
Author Of "Euddcr Grange" Amos Kill
bright" "TT':;e lee Man of Orn." Tho
Christmas Wreck" 1.-THE Lady or the
Tiger" "Zhc Late Mrs Null" The
Hund.edth Man." ''The Castin: Away
OF Mrs. Lccks and srrs. Aleshine." Tho
Dusantes," etc.
copyrighted by P. r. Collier, O. Golfers Cs,ce
Z Week, and published by special arrangement
With him through the American Press Assoca
ion. Al rights reserved.l
Still outside of this was placed an Inn
proved system Of spring armor, much
stronger and moro effective than any
which had yet been constructed. This,
with the armor plate, added nearly fif-
teen feet to the width of the vessel above
water. All her superstructures were re-
moved from her deck, which was COW
cred by a curved steel roof, and under a
bomb proof canopy at the bow were
placed two guns capable Of carrying the
largest sized motor hombs. The ITALIA
poosa, thus transformed, was called Re-
peller No. II.
The immense addition to her weight
would Of course interfere very much
with the speed of the new repeller, but
this was cCnsldere- of little Importance.
Us she would depend on her own engines
only in time of action. She was now
believed to possess more perfect defenses
than any battle ship in the world.
Early on a misty morning Repeller No
II, towed by four Of the swiftest and
most powerful crabs, and followed by
two others. left northern port of the
United States. bound for the coast of
Great Britain. Her course was a very
northerly one, for the reason that the
syndicate had planned work for her to
do while on her way across the Atlantic.
The syndicate had now determined,
without unnecessarily losing an hour, to
plainly demonstrate the power of the in
stantaneous motor bomb. It had been
intended to do this UPON tho Adamant,
but as it had been found impossible to
induce the captain of that vessel to evac-
uate his ship, the syndicate had declined
TO exhibit the efficiency Of their new
agent Of destruction upon a disabled
craft crowded with human beings.
This course had been highly preiu-
dicial to the claims Of the syndicate, for
a. Repeller No. 2 had made no use in the
contest with the Adamant Of the motor
bombs with which she was said to be
supplied, it was generally believed on
both sides Of the Atlantic that she car
ried no such bombs, and the conviction
that the destruction at the Canadian port
had been effected by means Of mines con-
tinued - strong as it had ever been. To
correct these false ideas was now the
duty Il Repeller No. II.
For some time Great Britain had been
steadily forwarding troops and NUM-
tons ct war to Canada, without Interrupt
ton from her enemy. Only once had
the Gyndicata's vessels appeared above
the hanks Il Newfoundland. and as the
number Of these peculiar craft must nee
easarily be small, it was not supposed
TIT their line Of operations would be ex.
tendsd vary Tar north, and no danger
Don them was apprehended, provided
- Eng1ish vesels laid their courses well
- IL north.
Shortly before the sailing Of Repeller
No. II, the syndicate had received news
TIT one Of the largest transatlantic mail
steamers, loaded with troops, and with
heavy cannon for Canadian Notifications,
ord accompanied BY the Craglevin. one
= H lnrgest ironclads In the Royal
ilaxy, had started across the Atlantic.
4he 1rBt business 81 the repeller and her
attendant crabs concerned these two yes
~
Owing to the power and speed Of the
cEabo which towed her, Repeller No. ii
mAlde excellent time; and on the morn
ing q tie third day out the two British
vessels were sighted. Somewhat alter
r. their course, the syndicate's vessels
vuEo ooon within . few miles Of the
ssnemy.
III Ctagisvin was : magnificent war
ship She was mot quite 20 large a. the
AdnMank and she was unprovided with
SeeEn jacket or other defense Of the
kind. n sending her out the admiralty
hAd Designed her to defend the transport
aeaanst the regular vessels Of the United
Gtntes navy; for although the nature of
IL ccnhact With tho syndicate was well
und1Itood II England, It was not sup
pooed that tho American government
would lcng consent to allow their war
venDe1s 70 remain entirely idle.
When tie captain Of the Craglevin
pesueiyed IL approach Of the repeller,
- ~ much surprised, but he did not
henftntD tor . moment = to his course
8eGiGnAled 10 the transport, then about
: ME 70 the north, to keep on the way
whfle ~ steered to meet the enemy. It
I'D heen decided IN British naval circles
that ~ proper thing to do in regard to
asspogef was to ram her ~ quickly as
pok Ihese vessels were necessarily
s1ow ~ unwieldy. and II . heavy iron
cla1 bunld keep clear Of crabs long
enqh TO rush down upon one, there was
o4Iy rqoQna 70 believe that the ''ball
6neo9e a1fhe fepellers were called by
1tltf1h aniloGs, could b crushed in be-
Ao1 IL vater line and sunk. So, full of
courage and dissemination. the captain
= IT, Csaglesin bors down upon the re-
pG1lR.
+ = MT necessazy to enter into details
q tie ensuing action. Before the Crag-
lovin was within half . mile Of her enc
GnR - 80 nnson6 ~ 800 .v~xnl,n al -