Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-11-08
or-war rose ana telI upon the waves.


oT-war rose ana fell upon the waves.
In obedience to orders from the re-
peller. each crab took hold of one of the
disabled vessels and lowed it near the
mouth Of the har cor. where it was left.
The city was now in state of feverish
excitement. which was intensified by the
fact that j ma iority of the people did not
understand what had happened, while
those to whom this had been made plain
could not comprehend why such a thing
should have been allowed to happen.
Three of her majesty's ships of war
equipped and ready for action, had sailed
out of the harbor, and an apparently in
significant enemy, without firing a gun
had put them into such condition that
they were utterly unfit for service and
must be towed into dry dock. How
could the government, the municipality
the army, or the navy. explain this?
The anxiety, the excitement, the ner.
vous desire to know what had happened
and what might be expected next, spread
that evening to every part of the Domin
ion reached by telegraph.
The military authorities In charge OF
the defenses of the city were as much
disturbed and amazed by what had hap
pened as any civilian could possibly be
but they had no fears for the safety Of
the place, for the enemy's vessels could
not possibly enter, nor even approach
the har5or. The Notifications on the
boi0bfS ,,,o,1DtoI r-,,rc ,,,,,cb I,c, r;,r l,o
those on the men-Ofwar, and shots froG,
these fred from an elevation might sinh
even those under water devils" But
more than or the forts, they relied upon
their admirable system OF torpedoes and
submarine batteries. With these in 20
sition and ready for action, AS they now
were, it was impossible for an enemy's
vessel, floating on the water, or under it
to enter the harbor without certain de
EtructiOl.
Bulletins to this effect were posted il
the city, and somewhat Gilayed the popu
lar anxiety, although many people who
were fearful of what might happen next
left by the evening trains for the interior
That night the news of this extraordinary
affair was cGblcd to Europe, ind thence
back to the United States, and all ovel
the world. In many quarters the &C,
count was disbelieved. and in no quarter
was it thoroughly understood. for il
must be borne iii mind that the methods
of operation employed by the crabs were
not evident even to those on board the
disabled vessels. But everywhere there
was the greatest desire to know what
would be done next.
1t was the general opinion that the two
armored vessels were merely tenders
to the submerged machines, which had
done the mischief. Having fired no guns
nor taken any active part in the combat
there was every reason to believe that
they were inteE!ed merely as bomb proof
store ships for t,ioir formidable conSOTts
As these submerged vessels could not at,
tack a town, nor REFUGE Notifications
but could exercise their power only
against vessels &1!oat, it was plain enough
to see that The object Of the American
syndicate was to blockade the port
That they would be able to maintain the
blockade when the full power of the
British navy should lie brought to bear
upon them was generally doubted, though
it was conrc,.ed in the most wrataltL
circles thai uIi!i the situation should be
altered, it wouli he unwise to risk vain.
able war cesoeis il encounters with tho
diaLoiic&i sea monsters now lying off the
port.
In the New York oGic( Of the syndi.
cate there Was great satisfaction. Tx
news rcceived vas Incorrect and inper-
feet, but it was evident that, so far
everything he'd gone well.
About 8 O'Clock the next morning Re.
pellcr No. |, with her consort half = mile
astorn, and preceded by the two crabs
one on either bow, approached to within
two miles Ct the harbor mouth The
crabs, a quarter Of mile ahead of the
repelier, moved slowly, for between them