the great war syndicate-第6部分

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On　shore；　in　the　forts；　and　in　the　city　no　one　for

an　instant　supposed　that　the　terrific　phenomenon　which

had　just　occurred　was　in　any　way　due　to　the　vessels　of

the　Syndicate。　　The　repellers　were　in　plain　view；　and

it　was　evident　that　neither　of　them　had　fired　a　gun。　

Besides；　the　firing　of　cannon　did　not　produce　such

effects。　　It　was　the　general　opinion　that　there　had

been　an　earthquake　shock；　accompanied　by　a　cloud…burst

and　extraordinary　convulsions　of　the　sea。　　Such　a

combination　of　elementary　disturbances　had　never　been

known　in　these　parts；　and　a　great　many　persons　were

much　more　frightened　than　if　they　had　understood　what

had　really　happened。

　　　

In　about　half　an　hour　after　the　discharge　of　the

motor…bomb；　when　the　sea　had　resumed　its　usual　quiet；　a

boat　carrying　a　white　flag　left　Repeller　No。　1；　rowed

directly　over　the　submerged　net；　and　made　for　the

harbour。　　When　the　approach　of　this　flag…of…truce　was

perceived　from　the　fort　nearest　the　mouth　of　the

harbour；　it　occasioned　much　surmise。　　Had　the

earthquake　brought　these　Syndicate　knaves　to　their

senses？　　Or　were　they　about　to　make　further　absurd　and

outrageous　demands？　　Some　irate　officers　were　of　the

opinion　that　enemies　like　these　should　be　considered　no

better　than　pirates；　and　that　their　flag…of…truce

should　be　fired　upon。　　But　the　commandant　of　the　fort

paid　no　attention　to　such　counsels；　and　sent　a

detachment　with　a　white　flag　down　to　the　beach　to　meet

the　approaching　boat　and　learn　its　errand。

　　　

The　men　in　the　boat　had　nothing　to　do　but　to

deliver　a　letter　from　the　Director…in…chief　to　the

commandant　of　the　fort；　and　then　row　back　again。　　No

answer　was　required。

　　　

When　the　commandant　read　the　brief　note；　he　made　no

remark。　　In　fact；　he　could　think　of　no　appropriate

remark　to　make。　　The　missive　simply　informed　him　that

at　ten　o'clock　and　eighteen　minutes　A。　M。；　of　that　day；

the　first　bomb　from　the　marine　forces　of　the　Syndicate

had　been　discharged　into　the　waters　of　the　harbour。　

At；　or　about；　two　o'clock　P。M。；　the　second　bomb　would

be　discharged　at　Fort　Pilcher。　　That　was　all。

　　　

What　this　extraordinary　message　meant　could　not　be

imagined　by　any　officer　of　the　garrison。　　If　the　people

on　board　the　ships　were　taking　advantage　of　the

earthquake；　and　supposed　that　they　could　induce　British

soldiers　to　believe　that　it　had　been　caused　by　one　of

their　bombs；　then　were　they　idiots　indeed。　　They　would

fire　their　second　shot　at　Fort　Pilcher！　　This　was

impossible；　for　they　had　not　yet　fired　their　first

shot。　　These　Syndicate　people　were　evidently　very

tricky；　and　the　defenders　of　the　port　must　therefore　be

very　cautious。

　　　

Fort　Pilcher　was　a　very　large　and　unfinished

fortification；　on　a　bluff　on　the　opposite　side　of　the

harbour。　　Work　had　been　discontinued　on　it　as　soon　as

the　Syndicate's　vessels　had　appeared　off　the　port；　for

it　was　not　desired　to　expose　the　builders　and　workmen

to　a　possible　bombardment。　　The　place　was　now；

therefore；　almost　deserted；　but　after　the　receipt　of

the　Syndicate's　message；　the　commandant　feared　that　the

enemy　might　throw　an　ordinary　shell　into　the

unfinished　works；　and　he　sent　a　boat　across　the　bay　to

order　away　any　workmen　or　others　who　might　be　lingering

about　the　place。

　　　

A　little　after　two　o'clock　P。M。；　an　instantaneous

motor…bomb　was　discharged　from　Repeller　No。　1　into　Fort

Pilcher。　　It　was　set　to　act　five　seconds　after　impact

with　the　object　aimed　at。　　It　struck　in　a　central

portion　of　the　unfinished　fort；　and　having　described　a

high　curve　in　the　air；　descended　not　only　with　its　own

motive　power；　but　with　the　force　of　gravitation；　and

penetrated　deep　into　the　earth。

　　　

Five　seconds　later　a　vast　brown　cloud　appeared　on

the　Fort　Pilcher　promontory。　　This　cloud　was　nearly

spherical　in　form；　with　an　apparent　diameter　of　about　a

thousand　yards。　　At　the　same　instant　a　shock　similar　to

that　accompanying　the　first　motor…bomb　was　felt　in　the

city　and　surrounding　country；　but　this　was　not　so

severe　as　the　other；　for　the　second　bomb　did　not　exert

its　force　upon　the　underlying　rocks　of　the　region　as

the　first　one　had　done。



The　great　brown　cloud　quickly　began　to　lose　its

spherical　form；　part　of　it　descending　heavily　to　the

earth；　and　part　floating　away　in　vast　dust…clouds　borne　

inland　by　the　breeze；　settling　downward　as　they　moved；　and

depositing　on　land；　water；　ships；　houses；　domes；　and

trees　an　almost　impalpable　powder。



When　the　cloud　had　cleared　away　there　were　no

fortifications；　and　the　bluff　on　which　they　had　stood

had　disappeared。　　Part　of　this　bluff　had　floated　away

on　the　wind；　and　part　of　it　lay　piled　in　great　heaps　of

sand　on　the　spot　where　its　rocks　were　to　have　upheld　a

fort。



The　effect　of　the　motor…bomb　was　fully　observed

with　glasses　from　the　various　fortifications　of　the

port；　and　from　many　points　of　the　city　and　harbour；　and

those　familiar　with　the　effects　of　explosives　were　not

long　in　making　up　their　minds　what　had　happened。　　They

felt　sure　that　a　mine　had　been　sprung　beneath　Fort

Pilcher；　and　they　were　now　equally　confident　that　in

the　morning　a　torpedo　of　novel　and　terrible　power　had

been　exploded　in　the　harbour。　　They　now　disbelieved　in

the　earthquake；　and　treated　with　contempt　the　pretence

that　shots　had　been　fired　from　the　Syndicate's　vessel。　

This　was　merely　a　trick　of　the　enemy。　　It　was　not　even

likely　that　the　mine　or　the　torpedo　had　been

operated　from　the　ship。　　These　were；　in　all

probability；　under　the　control　of　confederates　on

shore；　and　had　been　exploded　at　times　agreed　upon

beforehand。　　All　this　was　perfectly　plain　to　the

military　authorities。

　　　

But　the　people　of　the　city　derived　no　comfort　from

the　announcement　of　these　conclusions。　　For　all　that

anybody　knew　the　whole　city　might　be　undermined；　and　at

any　moment　might　ascend　in　a　cloud　of　minute　particles。　

They　felt　that　they　were　in　a　region　of　hidden　traitors

and　bombs；　and　in　consequence　of　this　belief　thousands

of　citizens　left　their　homes。

　　　

That　afternoon　a　truce…boat　again　went　out　from

Repeller　No。　1；　and　rowed　to　the　fort；　where　a　letter

to　the　commandant　was　delivered。　　This；　like　the　other；

demanded　no　answer；　and　the　boat　returned。　　Later　in

the　afternoon　the　two　repellers；　accompanied　by　the

crabs；　and　leaving　the　steel　net　still　anchored　in　its

place；　retired　a　few　miles　seaward；　where　they　prepared

to　lay　to　for　the　night。

　　　

The　letter　brought　by　the　truce…boat　was　read　by

the　commandant；　surrounded　by　his　officers。　　It　stated

that　in　twenty…four　hours　from　time　of　writing　it；

which　would　be　at　or　about　four　o'clock　on　the　next

afternoon；　a　bomb　would　be　thrown　into　the　garrisoned

fort；　under　the　command　of　the　officer　addressed。　　As

this　would　result　in　the　entire　destruction　of　the

fortification；　the　commandant　was　earnestly　counselled

to　evacuate　the　fort　before　the　hour　specified。

　　　

Ordinarily　the　commandant　of　the　fort　was　of　a　calm

and　unexcitable　temperament。　　During　the　astounding

events　of　that　day　and　the　day　before　he　had　kept　his

head　cool；　his　judgment；　if　not　correct；　was　the　result

of　sober　and　earnest　consideration。　　But　now　he　lost

his　temper。　　The　unparalleled　effrontery　and　impertinence　

of　this　demand　of　the　American　Syndicate　was　too　much　for　

his　self…possession。　　He　stormed　in　anger。

　　　

Here　was　the　culmination　of　the　knavish　trickery　of

these　conscienceless　pirates　who　had　attacked　the　port。　

A　torpedo　had　been　exploded　in　the　harbour；　an

unfinished　fort　had　been　mined　and　blown　up；　and　all

this　had　been　done　to　frighten　hima　British　soldier

in　command　of　a　strong　fort　well　garrisoned　and　fully

supplied　with　all　the　munitions　of　war。　　In　the　fear

that　his　fort　would　be　destroyed　by　a　mystical

bomb；　he　was　expected　to　march　to　a　place　of　safety

with　all　his　forces。　　If　this　should　be　done　it　would

not　be　long　before　these　crafty　fellows　would　occupy

the　fort；　and　with　its　great　guns　turned　inland；　would

hold　the　city　at　their　mercy。　　There　could　be　no

greater　insult　to　a　soldier　than　to　suppose　that　he

could　be　gulled　by　a　trick　like　this。

　　　

No　thought　of　actual　danger　entered　the　mind　of　the

commandant。　　It　had　been　easy　enough　to　sink　a　great

torpedo　in　the　harbour；　and　the　unguarded　bluffs　of

Fort　Pilcher　offered　every　opportunity　to　the

scoundrels　who　may　have　worked　at　their　mines　through

the　nights　of　several　months。　　But　a　mine　under　the

fort　which　he　commanded　was　an　impossibility；　its

guarded　outposts　prevented　any　such　method　of　attack。　

At　a　bomb；　or　a　dozen；　or　a　hundred　of　the　Syndicate's

bombs　he　snapped　his　fingers。　　He　could　throw　bombs　as

well。

　　　

Nothing　would　please　him　better　than　that　those

ark…like　ships　in　the　offing　should　come　near　enough

for　an　artillery　fight。　　A　few　tons　of　solid　shot　and

shell　dropped　on　top　of　them　might　be　a　very

conclusive　answer　to　their　impudent　demands。

　　　

The　letter　from　the　Syndicate；　together　with　his

own　convictions　on　the　subject；　were　communicated　by

the　commandant　to　the　military　authorities　of　the　port；

and　to　the　War　Office　of　the　Dominion。　　The　news　of

what　had　happened　that　day　had　already　been　cabled

across　the　Atlantic　back　to　the　United　States；　and　all

over　the　world；　and　the　profound　impression　created　by

it　was　intensified　when　it　became　known　what　the

Syndicate　proposed　to　do　the　next　day。　　Orders　and

advices　from　the　British　Admiralty　and　War　Office　sped

across　the　ocean；　and　that　night　few　of　the　leaders　in

government　circles　in　England　or　Canada　closed　their

eyes。

　　　

The　opinions　of　the　commandant　of　the　fort　were

received　with　but　little　favour　by　the　military　and

naval　authorities。　　Great　preparations　were　already

ordered　to　repel　and　crush　this　most　audacious　attack

upon　the　port；　but　in　the　mean　time　it　was　highly