Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-04-11

oicdh"ater, with g wide stretch Of
smooth sea between her and the land
sIhere size lay, proof against all the artil
lery OF Europe and all the artillery Of The
sea ana tho storm, until a fleet Of small
vessels had taken from her her Bender.
GUS armament. her coal and stores, and
she had been lightened enough to feat
upon high tide and to follow three TUGS
to Portsmouth.
When night came on Repeller No. II
and the crabs dropped down with the
tide and lay to some miles west Of the
scene of battle. The fog shut them in
fairly well, but, fearful that torpedoes
might be sent out against them, they
showed no lights. There was little dan
ger of collision with passing merchant
men, for the English channel at present
was deserted by this class Of vessels.
The nextmorning the repeller, preceded
by two crabs, bearing between them a
submerged net similar to that used at the
Canadian port, appeared off tho eastern
end of the Isle of Wight The anchors
of the net were dropped, and behind it
the repcller took her place, and shortly
afterward she sent flag of truce boat tc
Portsmouth harbor. This boat carried q
note from the American war syndicate
to the British government
In this no:o it was stated that it was
now the intention of the syndicate tc
utterly destroy, by means of the instanta-
neous motor, fortified post upon the
British coast. AS this would be done
solely for the purpose of demonstrating
the irresistible destructive power of the
motor bombs, it was immaterial to the
syndicate what fortified post should be
destroyed, provided it should answer the
requirements Of the proposed demon
stration. Consequently the British gov
eminent was offered the opportunity of
naming the fortified place which should
be destroyed. lfsaid government should
decline to do this or delay the selection
for twenty-foff hours, tho syndicate
would itself decide upon tho place to be
operated upon.
Every one in every branch of the
British government. and, in fact, nearly
every thinking person in the British
islands, had been racking his brains, or
her brains, that night, over the astound-
ing situation; and the note of the syndi-
cate only added to tho perturbation of the
government. There was strong feeling
in official circles that tho insolent little
enemy must be crushed, if the whole
British navy should have to rush upon it,
and all sink together in common grave
But there were cooler and more prudent
brains at the head of affairs; and these
had already decided that the contest be-
tween the old engines of war and the
new was entirely one sided. Tho in
stincts OF good government dictated to
them that they should DO extremely wary
and circumspect during tho further con-
tinuance of this unexamplcd war. There
fore. when tho note of the syndicate was
considered, it was agreed that the time
had como when good craftsmanship and
wise diplomacy would DO moro valuable
to the nation than torpedoes, arrored
ships or heavy guns.
There was not the slightest doubt that
tho country would disagree with the
government, but on the latter lay the re-
sponsibility Of tho country's safety.
There was nothing, in tho opinion Of tho
ablest naval officers, to prevent tho syn
dicates fleet from coming up the Thames.
instantaneous motor bombs could sweep
away all forts and citadels and explode
and destroy all torpedo defenses, and
London might lie under the guns Of tho
repeller.
In consequence Of this view Of tho
state OF affairs an answer was sent to the
syndicate's note asking that further time
be given for the consideration of the sit
uaticn, and suggesting that an exhibition
OF the power Of tho motor bomb was not
necessary. as sufficient proof of this had
been given in the destruction of the Cana
dian forts, the humiliation of the Crac-
levin, and the extraordinary results Of
tho discharge Of said bombs on the pre-
ceding day.
To this reply was sent from the Office
OF tho syndicate in New York ty means
OF cable boat from the French coast.
that on no account could their purpose
be altered or their propositions modified.
Although the British government might
be convinced Of the power Of tho ssndi-
Gates motor bombs, it was not the csse
with tho British people, for it YVES vet
popularity disbelieved that motor bombs
existed. This disbelief the syndicate
was determined to overcome, not only for
tho furtheranco Of its own purposes,
but toprevent tho downfall of tbs present
British ministry, and probable radical
change In tho government. That sucf, 9
political revolution, as undesirable to the
syndicate rs to cool headed and sensible
Englishmeu. was imminent, there could
DO 20 doubt. The growing feeling Of
disaffccuon. almost amounting to dis.
loyalty. not only in the opposition party,
but among those who had hitherto been
drm adherents Of the government, was
mainly based upon tho idea that tho
present British rulcra had allowed them
selves to be frigh,e.:ed by mines and
torpedocs, artfully placed and exploded.
Therefore tho syndicate intended to Get
right tho public mind upon this subject
Tho note concluded By earnestly urging
the designation, without loss of time, Of !
, place Of operations.
This answer was received in London IN
the evening, and all night it was the
subject Of earnest and anxious delibera-
bon In the government Office. It was ct
- decided. amid great opposition,
hat thesynd;cate's alternative must DO |
accepted. for Il would DO the height of |
Jolly to allow tho repeller to lombard
my port she should choose. When this
had been reached, tho work
y selecting place for tho proposed |
demonstration Of the American syndicate
but little time. The task was
not difficult. Nowhere in Great Britain
vas there fortified spot Of so little i'm.
portance as Caerdaff, on tho west coast
4 Wales.
Caerdaf consisted Of Q largo fort On q
and an immense castellated |
structure on the other side Of a small
'ay. with a little fishing village ct the
head OF said bay. The castellated struct-
1re was rather old, the fortress some
what less so; and both had long been
considered useless, as there was no prob
ability that an enemy would land at this
point on the coast.
Caerdaf was therefore selected as the
pot to be operated upon. No one could
or moment imagine that the syndicate
had mined this place, and il it should be
destroyed by motor bombs it would prove
o the country that the government had
lot been frightened by the tricks of
:rafty enemy.
An hour after the receipt of the note