Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-02-13

AllS llObb ohN NNhNhAS, =
worlds criminals and of intrigue in
Captain set forth for the China Sea. They
had told him that piracy was chief OF the
aquatic sports in those parts, and one might
as we'll try to induce cat to ignore cream
as to expect the Captain to fail to be inter-
ested in bit of Far Eastern piracy. I'm
happy the pirate who fell in with the Cap
tain.
1t took some time to get across the
Pacific in those days, and the Captain.
simply to while away the days, invented
torpedo. shall not attempt to describe
this fearsome thing except to say that 1t
was about six feet long and resembled a
huge porcupine. in that it had steel spines
bristling from its body. Let a ship so
much as touch one Of those spines and the
marine insurance folk would be making
payments within few weeks.
And simple of operation? There was
nothing to it except to ease 1t into the
water and attach hawser to the ring in
its nose. 1t was provided with air cham
bers that foated it Just below the surface.
The hawser would have TO be long, of
course The vessel towing the torpedo
would cut across the bows of the intended
victim at a time nicely calculated. The
victim boat would pillow into the hawser
and, naturally, pull the torpedo in toward
her. Eventually the torpedo would be
fetched against the side Of the unhappy
narchaEtman. And that was all.
Towing His Live Torpedo.
Blew Up Pirate Junk
It worked beautifully. The Captain
reached the China Sea with his torpedo in
tow. He obtained in his own mysterious
way sloop called the Leckwlth. With the
torpedo we'll astern he sailed forth to in.
tercept Chinese junk, on which its pirate
crew had loaded the cargo Of a British mer.
chant vessel
The junk caught the hawser and the tor.
pedo caught the junk. Neither junk, crew
nor cargo was ever located subsequently.
The marine hedgehog blew the pirates
their boat and their booty into thin air
Sometimes the Captain was a bit too Wig
orous.
In September, 1898, the Captain became
violently interested in the affairs OF
Brazilian politicians who desired the over
throw of Deodora da Fonseca, then Presi
dent of that country. Floriano Peixotto
the vice-President, was the leader of the
revolutionists. Peixotto had the army with
him and thought the navy powers-Ad
mirals Mello and Da Gama-were friendly
Peixotto, thus assured, called upon Ds
Fonseca to abdicate. The President va
Gated and promptly dropped dead. VIZ
have it on the word Of Official dispatche:
that 1t was heart disease. Peixotto was
declared President. That was easy enough
But Mello decided that he was not get
ting the proper recognition. 1t was his
idea that he should be the power behind
the Presidential chair. whereas Peixottt
was of the opinion that his was suficien
power. Mello began to grow mean ant
Peixotto sent out hurry call for oul
friend the Captain.
Oddly enough, the Captain happened Il
be in Brazil at that very moment. New!
Of the unrest in that country had reached
our hero. The revolutionary bird nevel
chirped but the Captain heard, and hearing
he rushed to her. What would revolu
tion be without the Captain? They've Ian
guished since he died. wonder what h
would have done with Russia?
I'm the harbor," explained the fright
ened Peixotto lis that pirate Mello will
his flagship, the Aquidaban."
IT see," replied the Captain.
"He ia q scoundrel and traitor" con
tinued the President. Likewise he annoy
me. Do you think you could do anything
about TT"
"A simple matter" scofted the Captain
and he explained his wire haired torpedo
An hour later Mello began bombardinl
Rio de Janiero, and warships from Amer
lea, Great Britain, Italy, Germany. Aus
tria and Portugal steamed into the harbo
to see that every one had fair play. The
silenced Mello, and Boynton retired to
Government machine shop. where he mad