The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-30

and Queen Olga, Of Greece; Abdul Ha-
mid. OF Turkey Tsaltien. Emperor or
China: Mutsuhito. the Japanese Mikado,
with his beautiful Princess Harako; tho
President of France, the President Of
Switzerland, the First Syndic OF the little
republic OF Andorra. perched on the crest
of the Pyrenees. and the heads OF the
Central and South American republics.
were coming to Washington to take part
In the deliberations. which. II was felt
were TO settle the fate OF the earth and
OF Mars.
One day after this announcement had
been received. and the additional news
had come that nearly all the visiting mon
archs had set out. attended by brilliant
suites and conveyed by fleets OF warships
for their destination. some coming across
the Atlantic to the port Of New York.
others across the Pacific 10 San Francis
co. Mr.. Edison said to me:
This will be fine spectacle. would
you like TO watch IT,
Certainly" | replied.
The Ship OF Space was Immediately at
our disposal think have not yet men,
toned the fact that the inventors con-
troll over the electrical generator carried
I'm the car was so perfect that by varying
the potential or changing the polarity he
could cause Il slowly or swiftly, as might
be desired. to approach or reccde from
any object The only practical difficulty
was presented when the polarity Of the
electrical charge upon an object In the
neighborhood OF the car was unknown
10 those in the car. and happened 10 be
opposite 10 that OF the charges which
the car, AT that particular moment. was
bearing. In such a case OF course. the
car would fy toward the object. whatever
It might be. like a pith ball or feather,
attracted 10 the knob OF an electrical ma
chine. In this way. considerable danger
wcs occasionally encountered and few
accidents could not be avoided. Fortu-
nately. however. such cases were rare.
Ii was only now and then that. owing
10 some local cause. electrical polarities
unknown to or unexpected by the navi-
gators. endangered the safety OF the car.
Az I shall have occasion 70 relate. how
ever. in the course OF tho narrative. this
danger became more acute and assumed
at times a most formidable phase. when
we had ventured outside the sphere - 49,
earth and were moving through the I'M
explored regions beyond.
On this occasion. having embarked. we
rose RAPIDLY 10 height OF some tnous-
ands Of feet and directed our course over
the Atlantic. When half way 20 Ireland.
we beheld. i'm the distance. steaming west
ward the smoke % several fleets. As we
drew nearer q marvellous spectacle un-
folded itself 20 our eyes. From the north
east their great guns flashing I'M the
sunlight. and their huge tunnels belch-
ing black volumes that rested like thun-
der clouds upon the sea, came the mighty
warships Of England. with her meteor
flag streaming red IN the breeze. while
the roval insignia insicating the presence
Of the ruler of the British Empire. was
conSpicuously displayed upon the nag
ship Of the squadron.
Following a course more directly west
ward. appeared. under another black
cloud OF smoke. the hulls and guns and
Dungeons Of another great fleet. carry
ing the tri-color Of France. and bearing
i'm its midst the head OF the magnificent
republic Of western Europe.
Farther south beating up against the
nOrtnerly winds. came a. third fleet WITH
the gold and ref of SPAN huttering from
its masthead This. too. was carrying IT'S
king westward. where now. indeed, the
star Of empires had taken it's way
Rising a little higher. so as TO OK
ten1 our horizon. We saw coming down
the English channel. behind the British
neet. the black ships or Russia. Side By
side. or following one another's lead
these war fleets were on a peaceful voy-
age that belied their threatening APP
pearance. There had been no thought ot
danger 70 or from the forts and ports
OF rival nations which they had passed.
There was 10 enmity. and no fear be-
tween them when tho Threats Of their
nonderous guns yawned al one another
across the waves. They were now, IN
shirt. all one fleet having one object,
bearing against one enemy, ready To
defend but one country. and that coun-
try was the entire earth.
II was some time before we caught
sight OF the Emperor Williams fleet II
seems that the Kaiser, although at nrst
consentine 10 the arrangement by which
Washington had been selected az the as
sembing place for the nations. after
wards objected 20 IT,
IT ought 90 do this thing myself ne
had said My glorious ancestors would
never have consented 10 allow these up-
start Republicans 10 lead in o. warnke
enterprise OF this kind what would my
grandfather have said 10 f.? T suspect
that il IS some scheme aimed at The divine
rights of kings"
But the good sense OF the German
people would not suffer their ruler 10
place them I'm a position so false and
so untenable. And swept along by their
the Kaiser had at last COM
scented To embark on his flagship az kiel.
and now he was following the other fleets