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existed。 Accordingly； when all the others had left the ship； the captain of
the Craglevin and his first officer came on board the repeller； curiously
observing the spring armour over which they passed by means of a light
gang…board with handrail。 They were received by the director at one of the
hatches of the steel deck； which were now all open； and conducted by him
to the bomb…proof compartment in the bow。 There was no reason why the
nature of the repeller's defences should not be known to world nor adopted
by other nations。 They were intended as a protection against ordinary shot
and shell； they would avail nothing against the instantaneous motor…bomb。
The British officers were shown the motor…bomb to be discharged； which；
externally； was very much like an ordinary shell； except that it was nearly
as long as the bore of the cannon； and the director stated that although； of
course； the principle of the motor…bomb was the Syndicate's secret； it was
highly desirable that its effects and its methods of operation should be
generally known。 The repeller； accompanied by the mail steamer and all
the crabs； now moved to about two miles to the leeward of the Craglevin；
and lay to。 The motor…bomb was then placed in one of the great guns；
while the scientific corps attended to the necessary calculations of distance；
etc。 The director now turned to the British captain； who had been
observing everything with the greatest interest； and； with a smile； asked
him if he would like to commit hari…kari？ As this remark was somewhat
enigmatical； the director went on to say that if it would be any gratification
to the captain to destroy his vessel with his own hands； instead of allowing
this to be done by an enemy； he was at liberty to do so。 This offer was
immediately accepted； for if his ship was really to be destroyed； the
captain felt that he would like to do it himself。 When the calculations had
been made and the indicator set； the captain was shown the button he must
press； and stood waiting for the signal。 He looked over the sea at the
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Craglevin； which had settled a little at the stern； and was rolling heavily；
but she was still a magnificent battleship； with the red cross of England
floating over her。 He could not help the thought that if this motor mystery
should amount to nothing； there was no reason why the Craglevin should
not be towed into port； and be made again the grand warship that she had
been。 Now the director gave the signal； and the captain； with his eyes fixed
upon his ship； touched the button。 A quick shock ran through the repeller；
and a black… gray cloud； half a mile high； occupied the place of the British
ship。 The cloud rapidly settled down； covering the water with a glittering
scum which spread far and wide； and which had been the Craglevin。 The
British captain stood for a moment motionless； and then he picked up a
rammer and ran it into the muzzle of the cannon which had been
discharged。 The great gun was empty。 The instantaneous motor…bomb was
not there。 Now he was convinced that the Syndicate had not mined the
fortresses which they had destroyed。 In twenty minutes the two British
officers were on board the transport； which then steamed rapidly westward。
The crabs again took the repeller in tow； and the Syndicate's fleet
continued its eastward course； passing through the wide expanse of
glittering scum which had spread itself upon the sea。 They were not two…
thirds of their way across the Atlantic when the transport reached St。
John's； and the cable told the world that the Craglevin had been
annihilated。 The news was received with amazement； and even
consternation。 It came from an officer in the Royal Navy； and how could it
be doubted that a great man…of… war had been destroyed in a moment by
one shot from the Syndicate's vessel！ And yet； even now； there were
persons who did doubt； and who asserted that the crabs might have placed
a great torpedo under the Craglevin； that a wire attached to this torpedo
ran out from the repeller； and that the British captain had merely fired the
torpedo。 But hour by hour； as fuller news came across the ocean； the
number of these doubters became smaller and smaller。 In the midst of the
great public excitement which now existed on both sides of the Atlantic；
in the midst of all the conflicting opinions； fears； and hopes；the dominant
sentiment seemed to be； in America as well as in Europe； one of curiosity。
Were these six crabs and one repeller bound to the British Isles？ And if so；
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what did they intend to do when they got there？ It was now generally
admitted that one of the Syndicate's crabs could disable a man…of…war； that
one of the Syndicate's repellers could withstand the heaviest artillery fire；
and that one of the Syndicate's motor…bombs could destroy a vessel or a
fort。 But these things had been proved in isolated combats； where the new
methods of attack and defence had had almost undisturbed opportunity for
exhibiting their efficiency。 But what could a repeller and half a dozen
crabs do against the combined force of the Royal Navy；a navy which had
in the last few years regained its supremacy among the nations； and which
had made Great Britain once more the first maritime power in the world？
The crabs might disable some men…of…war； the repeller might make her
calculations and discharge her bomb at a ship or a fort； but what would the
main body of the navy be doing meanwhile？ Overwhelming； crushing； and
sinking to the bottom crabs； repeller； motor guns； and everything that
belonged to them。 In England there was a feeling of strong resentment that
such a little fleet should be allowed to sail with such intent into British
waters。 This resentment extended itself； not only to the impudent
Syndicate； but toward the Government； and the opposition party gained
daily in strength。 The opposition papers had been loud and reckless in
their denunciations of the slowness and inadequacy of the naval
preparations； and loaded the Government with the entire responsibility； not
only of the damage which had already been done to the forts； the ships；
and the prestige of Great Britain； but also for the threatened danger of a
sudden descent of the Syndicate's fleet upon some unprotected point upon
the coast。 This fleet should never have been allowed to approach within a
thousand miles of England。 It should have been sunk in mid…ocean； if its
sinking had involved the loss of a dozen men…of…war。 In America a very
strong feeling of dissatisfaction showed itself。 From the first； the
Syndicate contract had not been popular； but the quick； effective； and
business…like action of that body of men； and the marked success up to this
time of their inventions and their operations； had caused a great reaction in
their favour。 They had； so far； successfully defended the American coast；
and when they had increased the number of their vessels； they would have
been relied upon to continue that defence。 Even if a British armada had set
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out to cross the Atlantic； its movements must have been slow and
cumbrous； and the swift and sudden strokes with which the Syndicate
waged war could have been given by night and by day over thousands of
miles of ocean。 Whether or not these strokes would have been quick
enough or hard enough to turn back an armada might be a question； but
there could be no question of the suicidal policy of sending seven ships
and two cannon to conquer England。 It seemed as if the success of the
Syndicate had so puffed up its members with pride and confidence in their
powers that they had come to believe that they had only to show
themselves to conquer； whatever might