Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-02-21

MAP OF CANADIAN CITY AND HARBoR.
A, Il NJ s Scanheus; B, Crab A; c, Repeller
10 !; D. new fort; f. old fort; F. city: q. island;
q, laland
they bore an immense net, three or four
hundred feet long and thirty feet deep,
composed Of jointed steel rods. Along
the upper edge Of this net was series Of
air floats, which were 90 graduated that
they were sunk by tho weight OF the net
. few feet below tho surface Of the water.
from which position they held the net
suspended vertically.
This net, which was intended to pro-
tect the repeller against the approach Of
submarine torpcdoes which might be
directed from the shore, wis anchored
ar each end, two very small buoys indi-
eating its position. The crabs then fall.
ing astern. Repeller No. lay to, with
the sunken net between her and the
shore, and prepared to project the first
instantaneous motor bomb ever used IN
warfare.
Tho great gum in the bow Of the vessel
was loaded with one OF the largest end
most powerful motor bombs; and the
spot to DO aimed at was selected. This
was point In the water just inside Of
the mouth Of the harbor, and nearly q
mile from the land on either side. The
distance Of this point from the vessel be.
ing calculated. the cannon was adjusted
ct the angle called for by the scale Of
distances and levels, and the instrument
indicating rise, fall and direction was
then put in connection with It.
Now the director.in-chief stepped for.
ward to the button, by pressing which
the power OF the motor was developed.
The chief Of the scientific corps then
showed him the exact point upon the
scale. which would be indicated when
the gun was in its proper position, and
the piece was then moved upon its bear.
mgs 60 a. TO approximate a. nea,1y a
possible this direction.
The bow Of the vessel now rose upor
the swell Of the sea, and the instant that
the index upon the scale reached the de-
sired point, the director-in-chief touched
the button.
There was no. report, no smoke, no
visible sign that the motor had left
the cannon: but at that instant
there appeared. to those who were
on the lookout. from q fort about
. mile away. a vast aperture in
the waters of the bay, which was
variously described as from 100 yards to
500 yards in diameter. At that same in
stant, in the neighboring headlands and
Islands far up the shores Of the bay, and
In every street and building Of the city,
there was felt sharp shock as il the
underlying rocks had been struck by a
gigantic trip hammer.
AT the same instant the sky above the
spot where the motor had descended was
darkened by a wide spreading cloud.
This was formed Of that portion Of the
water Of the bay which had been in.
stantaneous raised to the height of about
. thousand feet The sudden appear
ance of this cloud was even more terri
bic than the yawning chasm in the
waters OF the bay, or the startling shock,
bVt It did not remain long in view. II
had no sooner reached its highest eleva.
ton than it began to descend. There
was strong sea breeze blowing, and in
IT'D descent this vast mass Of water was
tmpeiled toward the land.
It came down. not a. rain, but as the
waters Of vast cataract. as though q
mountain lake. by an earthquake shock,
had been precipitated in body upon q
valley. Only one edge of it reached the
land. and here the seething food tore
away earth, trees and rocks, leaving be-
hind It great chasms and gullies as it
descended to the sea.
The hay itself. into which this vast
body Of the water fell. became a scene
Of surging madness. The towering walls
Of water which had stood up all around
the suddenly created aperture hurled
themselves back into the abyss. and down
into the great chasm 1t the bottom Of
the bay. which ia.. been made when the
motor sent its shock along the great rock