The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-07-06

A BLASTED SHARK.
The Operation Performed by q
Meal Of Gun Cotton.
How Torpedo Expert Retaliated Upon .
Ravenous Sea-Lawyer That Tried to
Eat Him - Peaceful End of
the Big Fish.

Though they failed to achieve glory
since the revolution collapsed before
they struck a blow ut it. the men who
went to Brazil last fail in President
Peixotos improvised warships were in
many instances repaid by the new ex-
perienceS the adventure afforded them.
Among them were a number of Brook
lynites, the most prominent of whom
was Baron Nils de FOch, Swedish
nOh!eman who moved in large and
influential circle.
Baron de Foch is a torpedo expert.
He was trained in the best torpedo
schools of his native country and
France, and having, moreover, made
4 good record in the service of the
United states government. the agents
of the brazilian government in New
York were particularly anxious to Sc
cure him as ordnance officer OF EricS-
sons submarine gunbOat, the De-
strOyer, which was renamed by its
new owners the Pirating. The baron,
who is tall and distinguished looking,
though democratic in his tastes and
manners, was glad to accept their
offer, for he had hitherto longed for
nothing so much as an opportunity to
GO into actual combat, and he was,
moreover. enthusiastic over the De-
~troyer, hi>, admiration for which was
heightened by the fact that her in
ventOr. OF undying Monitor fame, was
a countryman of his birth.
Baron de Foch's disappointment,
hn hof
stroyer did not get into action must
have been particularly acute, but that
he has abundant reason otherwise to
look back on the expedition with salts
faction, to say the least, is indicated by
d recent number of the SmalandS Allie
handle, q prominent paper published in
the Swedish city of JOnkOping. where
the baron was born. 1t contains a let
ter from the baron giving an account
of an experience of his in Martin
ique, the Destroyers first port of call
on her way from New York to Pernam-
buco. He narrowly escaped from be-
ing eaten by sharks.
Early one morning, the letter says,
being d good swimmer and fond of sea-
water bathing, he jumped overheard
for bath. Presently he was startled
by Il cry of: SHARK. shark!' 1t was
yelled at him from the deck of the De-
stroycr, as well as from the decks of
several neighboring vessels, and when
he looked around he saw q dorsal fin
Swimming along the top of the water,
and not far off. 1t was only matter
of q few strokes, however, and he was
on board the Destroyer. At the shark
tin cans and other things were thrown,
and it was even fired at, but still it
lowered about and was joined by two
others. Then the baron took about
pound OF gun cotton, the identical ter
rible explosive with which the De-
stroyer's submarine gun was to blow
up the insurgent warships in Rio har-
Dor and filled q quart bottle with it.
He put a fuse in it and effected con-
nection with a friction electric bat
terry, such as is used for blasting pur-
poses. \ large piece of meat was
tied around the bottle, which was then
thrown overheard.
The three sharks rushed for it imme-
diatcly One OF them swallowed it as
lcl&urCly as Il ravenOuS Sharl, can swal-
low. There was Scant opportunity for
digestion, the big fish d moment later
bei:lr 5lo"-n to pieces
). h,:n tht water subsidized a section
of SEarl. cal2c to the surface, but it
was not large enough even for purposes
OF Identification.