The Bottineau courant., 1909-02-19

SACS duu pCtcuIldAAllco.
Japan. hopeless and driven to ex.
tremities, appealed to her ally, Great
Britain. for news. She showed no
cowardly spirit by asking for aid Of
arms, and sought the assistance Of her
closest friend only that she might gain
information. And Great Britain after
due consideration responded.
The premier Of the dominion of
Canada was asked in the interests of
humanity to pass q communication to
the soldiers on the border, asking for
particulars of the destruction of the
Japanese fleet. 1t was duly accepted
and forwarded. and back came the
reply:
''The United States has no report
whatever to impart on the subject
most vitality concerning his majesty's
closest ally beyond the fact that the
fleet which came to invade the Pa
cific coast has been duly met, properly
vanquished and rendered incapable of
further harm. The United States re-
grets that such action became neces-
sary, and, with all due respect to Great
Britain and such other powers as may
be interested, wishes to express a dis
inclination to reply to any further
communications of this or q similar
nature"
A slap in the face could have caused
no greater CONSERVATION. The very
terms Of the reply showed insolence
toward all the world, and demanded
explanation. But who dared attempt
it? What country was brave enough
to take the risk Of meeting those ter
rible submarines, which were capable
in a night Of destroying the most COM
plete flotilla that ever had been mobil-
ized and sent away? If they only
knew what form these monsters took,
what dire warning they gave as they
advanced to the attack, there might
be some means of offsetting them or
perhaps repelling them. That infor-
nation, at any cost, must be gained.
In it's reaching out for anything which
might suggest a way, the British min,
istry sent for Hitler.
Guy, sleepless and worn from nights
and days of anxiety, responded to the
call, listlessly wondering what further
information he could give as to the sit
uation in America, or what II any duty
could be expected of him when the
ministry itself was unable to accom-
plish anything.
He was ushered into the room
where on several previous occasions
he had answered questions, and found
there the same men who had met him
On the day of his arrival in London;
but there was a different attitude this
time, however, and the officials before
him seemed anxious and Ill at ease.
Plainly they were ready for any sug-
gestion he might offer, or any measure
that might seem possible.
"Mr. Hillier," the lord of the ad-
miralty began, I'm all the time you
were in Washington did any rumors
or stories or information reach you re-
garding some new form of submarine
boat projected, or being experimental
with, by the United States govern
ment?"
At first on impulse, he almost an
swered NO." but before his lips could
formulate the monosyllable there sud-
denly returned to his memory several
conversations he had had with DR..
Roberts on this subject, and also he
recollected that in one of these talks
Norma had participated. There was
no reason so far as he could think
why he should conceal this knowl.
edge.
YES" he replied, II do know some
thing of the subject, but nothing tan
gible or of value That which recurs
to me Is a conversation l had few
months ago with scientific inventor
who is friend of mnie."
And his name, pray?"
"Dr William Roberts,"
Every man in the room gave
start and looked at his neighbor The
mention of the name seemed to have
affected them. The prime minister
repeated 1t as an exclamation. THAT
is the man," he said, who is supposed
to have gone insane, but who at one
Clmc, aCCOrQluS 10 our secret reports,
was working on some electrical dis
covery which might be utilized for an
improved submarine. What do you
know of it?'
II know only this" he said, that
DR.. Roberts told me he believed it
perfectly feasible so to use electricity
through metal as to change it's struc-
ture and at the same time lessen the
resistance, or skin friction, through
the water of boat so constructed"
"Were you at the time discussing
submarines?"
Eyes, we were. The subject arose
through his describing certain ex
periments in which he and his daugh-
ter were then engaged. His contention
was that a submarine could never be
made totally effective unless it gained
a speed so far beyond anything known
that it could traverse great distances
and maneuver with such rapidity that
it would be practically immune from
attack"
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