Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-11-29

Z
dominant sentiment seemed to be. in
America Us well as in Europe, one Of
curiosity. Were these six crabs and one
repeller bound for the British Isles? And
il 50. what did they intend to Go when
they est there?
1t vas now generally admitted that
one Of the srndicates crabs could disable
xlan-of-w2r; that enc Of the syndi-
Gates rcpeliers could withstand the
heaviest artillery Ere, and that one of the
syndic2te's motor bombs could destroy a
vessel or a fort. Ts1t these things had
been proved in isolated conbats, where
the new methods OF attack and defense
had had almost u1distGr3ed opportunity
for exhibiting their efficiency. But what
could repeller and half dozen crabs
do sgajnst the combined force Of the
Royal navy, a navy which had in the
last few years regained its supremacy
among the nations, and which had made
Great britain once more the first mari
time power in the world?
The crabs might disable some men-of-
war, the raPcllar might make her calcu-
lations and discharge her bomb at ship
or a fort, but what would the main body
Of the navy be doing meanwhile? Over
whclminS, crushing and sinking to the
bottom crabs, reroller, motor guns and
everything that belonged TO them.
In England there was a feeling Of
strong resentment that such little feet
should be allowed to sail with such in
tent into British waters. This resent
ment extended itself not only 10 the i'm
pudent syndicate, but toward the gov
ernnent, and the opposition party gained
daily in strength. The opposition papers
hid been loud and reckless i'll their de-
nmciations of the slowneas and made
quacy OF the naval preparations, and
loaded the government with the entire
responsibility, not only OF the damage
which had already been done to the forts,
the ships, and the prestige Of Great
Britain, but also fer the threatened
danger Of sudden descent Of the syndi-
Gates fleet upon come unprotected point
upon the coast. This feet should never
have been allowed to approach within q
thousand miles CT England 1t should
have been sunk in nid-ocean, if its sink
ing had involved the loss of a dozen men
of-war.
In America very strong feeling Of dis
satisfaction showed itself. From the first
the syndicate contract had not Leen popu-
lar, bat the quick, effective and business
like action OF that body OF men, and the
married success up to this time of their
inventions and their operations, had
caused q great reaction il their favor.
They had, 50 far, successfully defended
the American coast, and when they had
increased the number Of their vessels,
they would have been relied upon to con-
tiHuo that defense. Even if a British
armada had Get cut 20 cross the Atlantic,
its movements must have been slow and
cumbrous. and the swift and sudden
strokes with which the syndicate waccd
war could have been given by night and
BY day over thousands Of miles Of ocean.
Whether or not these strokes would
have been quick enough or hard enough
to turn back an armada might be a cues
ton, but there could be no question Of
the 5licidal policy Of sending seven ships
and t|o cannon to conquer England. 1t
seemed az if the success Of the syndicate
had SO pulled up its members with pride
and confidence il their powers that they
had come to believe that they had only
to show themselves to conquer, whatever
might be the conditions Of the contest.
The destruction Of tile syndicate's feet
would now be heavy blow to the
United states. 1t would produce an utter
want Of confidence in the councils and
judgments Of the syndicate, which could
rot be counteracted by the strongest
faith in the efficiency Of their engines of
war, and it E-as feared that it might be-
come necessary, even ct this critical
juncture, to annui the contract with the
syndicate, aud to depend upon the
American navy for the defense Of the
American coast.
Even among the men on board the g7n-
dicate's feet there were signs Of doubt
and aPprehe1sions of evil. 1t had all
been very we'll SO far, but fighting one
ship at time was very different thug
from sto2ninG into the midst of a hun
dred ships. On board the repeller there
WAS How On additional reason for fears
and misgivings. The unlickv character
Of the vessel when it had been the ITALIA
Poosa was known, and rot few of the
men imagined that it mast now be time
for some new disaster to this i'll starred
craft, and if her evil genius had desired
fresh disaster for her, it was certainly
sending her into good place to look
for it.
But the syndicate neither doubted nor
hesit2ted, nor paid any attention to the
doubts and condemnations which they
heard from every quarter. Four days
after the news Of the destruction of the
Craglevin had been tclegraphed from
Canada TO London, the syudicates feet
entered the English channel. Owing to
the power and speed Of the crabs, Repcl-
Ter No. Il had made a passage of the At
lantic which in her old naval career
would have been considered miraculous
Craft Of various kinds were now
passed, but none of them carried The
British flag. In the expectation of the
arrival Of the enemy, British merchant
men and fishing vessels had been adj
vlsed to keep in the background until the
British navy had concluded its business
with the vessels of the American svndi-
cate.
AS has been said before, the British
admiralty had adopted new method Of
defense for the rudders and screw pro
pellers Of naval vessels against the at
lacks of submerged craft. The work OF
constructing the new appliances had been
pushed forward as fast as possible, but
so far only one OF these had been finished
and attached 70 man-of-war.