Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-30

ana her broadside had presented such n
vast surface to the northwest wind. that
she mad drifted much farther to the
south imam any other vessel. Conse-
quently before the arrival of the tugs
which had been sent for To tow her into
the harbor, the Llangaron was well on
her way across the channel. A fogoy
lilgh9 came on, and the next morning.
she was ashore on the coast of France
with mile of water between her and
ufy iaho. Fast rooted in great sand
oahh she lay week after week, with The
STORMS that came in from the Atlantic
anu the storms that came IN from the
herman ocean beating upon her tall side
OF SOLID iron, with no more effect than if
IL mad been precipice of rock. Against
waves and winds she formed a massive
oreakwater, with wide stretch of
smooth sea between her and the land.
lhere she lay, proof against all the artil-
lery OF Europe and all the artillery of the
sea and the storm, until fleet Of small
vessels had taken from her her ponder
Gus armament, her coal and stores, and
| she had been lightened enough to float
upon high tide and to follow three tugs
to Portsmouth.
When night came on Repeller No. II
and the crabs dropped down with the
tide and lay to some miles west of the
scene of battle. The fog shut them in
fairly well, but, fearful that torpedoes
might bo sent out against them, they
showed no lights There was little dan
ger of collision with passing merchant
men, for the English channel at present
was deserted by this class of vessels.
The nextmorning the repeller. preceded
by two crabs, bearing between them a
submerged net similar to that used at the
! Canadian port, appeared off the eastern
end of the Isle of Wight. The anchors
of the net were dropped, and behind it
the repeller took her place, and shortly
afterward she sent a fiag of truce boat to
Portsmouth harbor. This boat carried
note from the American war syndicate
to the British government.
In this note it was stated that it was
now the intention of the syndicate to
utterly destroy, by means of the instanta-
neous motor, fortified post upon the
British coast As this would be done
solely for the purpose OF demonstrating
the irresistible destructive power of the
motor bombs, it was immaterial to the
syndicate what fortified post should be
destroyed, provided it should answer the
requirements of the proposed demon
stration. Consequently the British gov
eminent was offered the opportunity of
naming the fortified place which should
be destroyed. If said government should
| decline to do this or delay the selection
for twentyfour hours, the syndicate
would itself decide upon the place to be
operated upon.
Every one in every branch of the
I British government. and, in fact, nearly
every thinking person in the British
islands, had been racking his brains, or
her brains, that night, over the astound-
ing situation: and the note OF the syndi-
cate only added to the perturbation OF the
government. There was 4 strong feeling
iii official circles that the insoiant little
enemy must be crushed, if the whole
British navy should have to rush upon it,
and all sink togetherin common grave.
But there were cooler and more prudent
brains at the head of affairs; and these
had already decided that the contest be-
tween the old engines of war and the
now was entirely one sided. The in
stincts OF good government dictated to
them that they should be extremely wary
and circumspect during the further con-
tinuance Of this uneXampled war. There
fore, when the note OF the syndicate was
considered, it was agreed that the time
had come when good craftsmanship and
wise diplomacy would be more valuable
to the nation than torpedoes, armored
ships OF heavy guns.
There was not the slightest doubt that
the country would disagree with the
government, but on the latter lay the re-
sponsibility of the coUntry's safety.
There was nothing, in the opinion OF the
ablcst naval officers, to prevent the syn
dicate's fleet from coming up the Thames.
Instantaneous motor bombs could sweep
away all forts and citadels and explode
ard destroy all torpedo defenses, and
London might lie under the guns Of the
repelier.
In consequence of this view Of the
state of affairs an answer was sent to the
syndicates note asking that further time
be given for the consideration OF the sit
uation, and suggesting that an exhibition
of the power Of the motor bomb was not
necessary, IS sufficient proof of this had
been given in the destruction Of the Cana
dian forts, the humiliation Of the Crag
levin, and the extraordinary results Of
the discharge of said bombs on the pre-
ceding day.
To this reply was sent from the Office
of the syndicate in New York by means
of q cable boat from the French coast,
tina. on no account could their purpose
be altered or their propositions modified.
Although the British government might
be convinced of the power of the syndi-
Gates motor bombs, it was not the case
with the British people, for it was yet
popularity disbelieved that motor bombs
existed. This disbelief the syndicate
was determined to overcome, not only for
the furtherance of is own purposes,
but to prevent the downfall of the present