The Bottineau courant., 1909-03-26


midable triange, whose sides were
formed by other battle ships of scarce
ly less tonnage, graceful cruisers, and
swift-moving destroyers, while bring
ing up the far rear were the colliers
in whose hulls were carried fuel for
the great armada.
Here was the Kashima, which could
drive her 1900 tons of steel through
the water at 19 knots speed; the ka-
tori, but little smaller and almost as
fast; the Asahi, the Mikasa, the Asama,
the Tokiwa. and others which were
dear to the heart and pride of Nippon
- gallant navy, carefully planned,
well constructed, and of invincible
size and strength. No squadron that
breasted the waves might cause it to
hesitate.
In the stiffness of the morning there
came a sudden, sharp exclamation
from the man on the lookout, an ex.
cited call to the bridge, and the quick
step of an officer in answer to the sum-
mons. Almost instantly he was fol.
lowed by another, who brought with
him pair of powerful binoculars,
through which he gazed in the direc.
tion indicated by the sailor. There in
the immeasurable void of the upper
air, 80 high above that it foated in
the broader light, scared a covey of
gigantic objects unpictured in the lore
of flight. Onward it came until al.
most above, when it stopped and ma
jestically lowered over them, and
seemed to be watching and waiting
for some ray of broader light The
pallid blue of those .far-foating bodies
rendered them almost indistinguish.
able, save when now and then they
swung broadside to in deploying, re-
sumed their speed, and swept round in
circles.
Puzzled and amazed, the officer
handed the glasses to his companion
and watched his face attentively, as If
hoping to read from it's expression
some solution of this mysterious visi.
tation from the immense unclouded
space above. The glasses were low.
cred, and the two men with the super.
stition of ages behind them turned to
each other with pallid faces, fearing
the supernatural or the unknown.
Again they looked, and saw that tho
flying specks Travelled with incredible
rapidity, and were apparently observ-
ing them, after which, as they
watched, they saw them come to an
abrupt stop. It was enough. What.
ever they were, their presence would
be made known.
The officers sprang to the alarms,
and in an instant thunderous volleys
beloved out across the waters, awak.
ening the other vessels. Shrill pi.
pings, the staccato blare of bugles, and
the sound of running feet told the
story of excitement and that we'll
drilled crews were answering the call.
The hour was early for the perfect use
OF flag signals: so from one warship
to another flashed the searchlight
warnings, and wireless operators in
their cabins licked frantic messages
to outlying members of the feet to
close in for action. Admirals and cap.
tains, who had fought successfully in
other wars and counted their service
as valuable adjuncts In any engage.
ment, stood upon the bridges or the
tanks of the great turrets and stared
spellbound at this apparition which
had come upon them In the night.
There 1t was, q silent fleet OF the air,
sinister and menacing, lowering over
them as If waiting opportunity or bid
ing its time to strike.
A sudden evolution brought one Of
those terrible adversaries to the outer
edge of the aerial formation, and
through their glasses they saw thrown
out to the vi is of the morning. whip
ping and w:ithing, the flag OF the na~