The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-03-06

immune from seizure. Where was the
limit to be reached? What could be
expected next? Was there no pos
sible protection even for the heads Of
government and society?
In the offices of the admiralty those
Of more or less prominence in the de-
partment held a conference and de-
tailed men to take charge of the
Dreadnought. There could be no at
tempt to rehabilitate her at that time,
inasmuch as 1t would be impossible
ever again to bring her into service
without destroying span Of the
bridge below; therefore no coroner's
inquest could have convened with
more solemnity than did those men
who took charge of and boarded this
great dead thing of the sea.
A derelict cast upon an open sandy
beach offered more chance of salvage
than the greatest vessel Of the great
est navy of the world, nosed In the
mud and practically walled in. And
while she lay In this state of helpless
ness there was forming round English
shores a formidable hotilla of other
war vessels flying the British flag
which had been summoned from all
waters of the globe to protect the
mother country from German invasion
or II need arose calamity to seek
death beds in the sea In the attempt
to fend on the American terror
should 1t be directed against the 10
land ruler OF the waves.
AS they advanced, captains of this
great navy arrived in London in re-
Spouse to urgent summons and hast
ened to the admiralty. One and all
they were asked to pass expert opinion
on the condition of the Dreadnought,
and offer solution of the methods
used to bring her to that singular
in the river: but, like chill
dren cropping in the mist. they could
formulate no tenable theory nor give
any lucid explanation. They looked
at each other in amazement, wagged
their heads and admitted their inabili-
ty. Plague would have left dead men
at their posts, or battle would have
left more serious scars than the cut
ting away Of the fighting masts and
Of the stacks: but even then
who would navigate her to home wa
ters, and what could account for her
presence in place where even
small sea-going craft could not go?
II that nation In the west had a sub
marine of terrific speed and unknown
power it might perhaps destroy
ship; but by what means could it
force it under or over . bridge of
solid masonry and steelf
And SO the men OF the sea passed
down and back. while the people OF
London spent the time in trying to
zee the latest evidence of disaster,
took turns in crowding to the en-
and then went to their
homes. Business came to a halt. shops
we're unopened and desks were closed.
IN the government Offices men moved
lelplessly, and in homes throughout
he country families sat within doors
yravely discussing the latest NANTES
alton Of power.
Nor was the public aware that In
higher circles another cause for anx-
ETY. had been uncovered, which was
Nothing less than the disappearance
VI the prime minister. A king, q
,rime minister and the first lord of
he admiralty taken at one time! It
vas sufficient to make others of ]
prominence look at one another oues-
ioning when their turn might come
md what the end would be. No one
vas safe in this great crisis, when
hrones tottered on their settings and |
men were whisked away in the night,
vhen the most powerful vessels of war
reated by all the wisdom Of science
nd ingenuity of invention might be
dominated and handled like toys.
There was no ground for belief that |
ny power other than the United |
'tates might have been the controlling
pirit in this long series Of untoward |
vents, but from that nation came no |
1ord, only silence more menacing |
han the thunder of distant guns, and |
1ore terrible and ominous than an |
pen display of invincible arms. 1t |
ook no great stretch of imagination to /
eople the air with phalanx on pha-
INK Of stern and implacabIe foemen
ent on invasion when the time
eemed ripe. A country which could
aunt. the world was capable Of any
hing. and 1t was not believable that
he was acting without purpose. But
that means did she take? What
Tould be her next move? How had
he accomplished those victories al
eady scored upon her tally sheet?
MY one hope for partial explanation
and that was based upon
ne return to sanity OF a maddened
ailor who had come to them on a life
aft from the unknown, as the only
illness of a disaster. and the only
Al l