Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-11-18
THE
Great War Syndicate.
By FRANK R. STOCKTON.

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80. ;. ..r, ..r,..
e"'''u'A' ING lazy VI 'ie
iiser' inc Late mrs Null me
Hundredth Man." The Casting Away
of Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aieshine," 1.-THE
Dusantes." ETC.
tconvr,,b,ed no pr co,,,sr ., coI,,sr.s orca
. Week. and published BY special arrangement
with him through the American Press Associa
ton All rights reservedi
CONTINUED.
WIN disabled snip. ana the iiVes OF
SO many men In ms charge, the captain
OF the CragleVin saw tliat II wouid oe
wrong Tor MN 10 attenlp1 10 ilght' ana
he did not ire gun. with as mucn
caimness as the circumstances would
permit lie awaited the progress OF
events.
In very snort Tune message came
TO MN from Repeiier NO. H. when
stated tfat IN Two hours ms snip "ouio
De destroyed by instantaneous motor
ooihhs. Every opportunity however
"ouia DE given lot ihe transfer 70 the
mall steamer OF all inc oiiicers ana men
on Doara the CrasieVih' toSether win
such OF thelr possessions as they couid
take WIN them IN tiiat time. When inns
had been done the transport would be
ailoWed 10 proceed on ler way
70 this demand nothing but acquies-
cence was possible. Whether or not
there was such thing as an mstantane-
GUS motor bomb the Cragevin's officers
did not know; but they knew that If left
to herself their ship would soon attend
to her own sinking, for there was a terri
BILE rent in her stern, owing to pitch of
the vessel while one OF the propeller
shafts was being extracted.
Preparations for leaving the ship were
therefore Immediately begun. The crab
was ordered to release the mail steamer
which, in obedience to signals from the
Craglevin, steamed as near that vessel
as safety would permit. Boats were
lowered from both ships, and the work
of transfer went on with great activity.
There was no lowering of flags on
board the Craglevin, for the syndicate
attached no importance to such outward
signs and formalities. If the captain of
the British ship chose to haul down his
colors he could do SO. but if he preferred
to leave them still bravely floating above
his vessel, he was equally welcome to do
that.
when nearly every one had lett the
Cragievln, boat was sent from the re-
pelier' winch lay near by, with note
requesting the captain ana hrst ollcer
OF the british ship to come on board Re
peller NO. II and witness the method OF
discharging the instantaneous motor
oomo' aiter whlch they would DE put on
board the transport. ms invitation
struck the captain OF the Craglevln with
surprise, but little reflection showed
him that it would be wise to accept it.
In the first place, it was in the nature OF
a command, which In the presence OF
SIX crabs and a repeller it would be
ridiculous to disobey, and. moreover, he
was moved by desire to know some
thing about the syndicates mysterious
engine of destruction, if, indeed, such
thing really existed.
Accordingly, when all the others had
left the ship, the captain of the Crag-
levin and his first officer came on board
the repeller, curiously observing the
spring armor over which they passed by
means of light ganGboard with hand
rail. They were received by the director
at one OF the matches of the steel deck,
which were now ali open, and conducted
by him to the bombproof compartment
in the bow. There was no reason why
the nature of the repeller's defenses
should not be known to the world nor
adopted by other nations. They were
intended as a protection against ordi-
nary shot and shell; they would avail
nothing against the instantaneous motor
bomb
The British officers were shown the
motor bomb to be discharged, which,
externally, was very much like an ordi-
nary shell, except that it was nearly as
long as the bore of the cannon; and the