Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-10-28

lhan mile out to sen when she per-
reived Repeiler No 6 coming toward her
from seawartl, and in direction which
Indicated that it intended TO run across
Ter course. The Lenox, however, went
straight on, and in Q short time the two
vessels were quite near each other. Upon
he deck of the repel!er now appeared
The director in charge, who, with
l2ealsing trumpet, hailed the Lenox and
rquested her to lay to. as he had some
Thing to communicate. The commander
Of the Lenoz, through his trumpet, an
fwered that he wanted no conamunica-
lions. and advised the other vessel to
keep out Of his way.
The Lcnox now put on greater head
af steam, and as she was in any case a
nucli faster vessel than the rcpeller, she
;apidly increased the distance between
herself and the syndicate's vessel, SO that
n few moments Mailing wa8 impossible.
Quick signals now shot up in jets Of black
tnokc from the rcpcllci, and in very
hort time aftefwarl the speed Of the
Lenox slackened SO much that the repel-
Ter was able 10 come up with her
When the two vessels were abreast of
each other, and at safe llailing distance
apart, another signal went up FROM the
repeller, and then both vessels almost
ceased to move through the water. al
though the engines of the Ianox were
working at high speed, with her propel-
Ter blades stirring up whirlpool at her
stern.
For minute or two the officers of the
Lenox could not comprehend what had
happened. 1t was first supposed that by
mistake the engines bad been slackcned,
but almost at the same moment that it
was found that this was not the case, the
discovery was made that the crab ac-
companying the repeller had laid hold OF
the stern post of the Lenox, and with all
the strength of her powerful engines was
holding her back.
Now burst forth in the Lenox a storm
of frcnziad rage, such as was never seen
perhaps upon any vessel since vessels
were first built. From the commander
to the stokers every heart was filed with
fury at the insult which was put upon
them The commander roared through
his trumpet that if that Internal sea
beetle were not Immediately loosed from
his ship he would first sink her and then
the repeller.
To these remarks the director of the
syndicate's vessels paid no attention, but
proceeded to state as briefly and forcibly
as possible that the Lenox had been de
tanned in order that he might have an
opportunity of speaking with her com
mander, and of informing him that his
action in coming out of the harbor fer
the purpose Of attacking British vcssel,
was in direct violation of the contract
between the United States and the syn
dictate having charge of the war, and
that such action could not be allowed.
The commander Of the Lenox paid no
more attention to these words than the
syndicate's director had given to those
he had spoken, but Immediately com
menced violent attack upon the crab.
1t was impossible to bring any of the
large guns to bear upon her. for she was
almost under the stern of the Lenox, but
ingenuity could suggest was used against
it. Machine guns were trained to fire
almost perpendicularly and shot after
shot was poured upon that portion Of its
glistening back which appeared above
the water.
But as these projectiles seemed to have
no effect upon the solid back of Grab II,
two great anvils were hoisted at the end
of the spankcr boom and dropped, one
after the other, upon it. The shocks
were tremendous, but the internal con-
struction of the crabs provided, BIZ
means of upright beams, against injury
from attacks of this kind, and the great
masses of iron slid off into the sea with
out doing any damage.
Finding it impossible to make any i'm
preston upon the mailed monster at his
stern, the commander of the LenoX
hailed the director of the repeller, and
swore to him through his trumpet that
if he did not Immediately order tht
Lenox to be set free, her heaviest guns
should be brought 10 bear upon his float.
ing counting house, and that it should bc
sunk if it took all day to do it.
1t would have been Grim satisfaction
to the commander Of the Lenox to sinh
Repcller No G, for lie knew the vesse
when she had belonged to the United
States navy. Before she had beer
bought by the syndicate, and fitted out
with spring armor, he had made twe
long cruises in her, and lie bitterly hated
her, from her keel up.
The director of the repeller agreed t
release the Lenox the instant her com
mander would consent to return to port
No answer was made to this proposition
but dynamite gun Oh the Lenox wa.
brought to bear upon the syndicate'sv YES
sell Desiring toavoil any complication.
which might ensue from actions of thi.
sort. the repellor steamed ahead. whilC
the director signaled Grab II to move tht
stern of the Lenox to the windward
which, being quickly done, the gun Of
the latter bore upon the distant coast.
1t was now very plain TO the syndicate
director that his words could have Nc
effect upon tho commander Of tho
Lenox, and he therefore signaled Grail
Ii to tow the United States vessel int
port. When the commander of tho
Lenox saw that his vessel was beginning
to move backward he gave instant
orders to put on all steam. But thi.
was found to be useless, for when the
| dynamite gun was about TO be fired tht
engines had been ordered stopped, anC
the moment that the propeller blade:
ceased moving the nippers of the cral
had been released from their hold upor
the stern post. and the propeller blade.
Of the Lenox were gently but firmly
seized in a grasp which included tho
rIddcr It was therefore impossible fol
the engines of the vessel to revolve the
propeller, and, INCREASINGLY. the Lemon
was lowed, stern foremost. to the break
water.
The news of this Incident created tllt
widest Indignation in the United State:
navy, and throughout the country the
condemnation OF what WAS considered
the insulting action Of the syndicate was
general In foreign countries the attain
was the subject Of good deal of com
nent, but it was also the occasion Of
much serious consideration, for it proved
that one Of the syndicate's submerged
vessels could, without firing a gun, and
without fear of injury to itself, capture
nan-of-war and tow It whittier il
pleased
The authorities at Washington tool
/ instant action On the affair. and as it wa:
| quite evident that the contract between
the United States ard the syndicate had
been violated by the Lenox, the com.
mander of that vessel was reprimanded
/ by the secretary Of the navy. and en-,
| joined that there should be no repetitions