Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1908 — THE VANISHING FLEETS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE VANISHING FLEETS

By ROY NORTON

ILLUSTBATED BY A. WEIL

CHAPTER 11. Tha Bword of the Bamural. The nation was In a turmoil. ■ Throughout the night and the following day the newspapers of the country sent forth a more or less trustworthy recountal of the opening of hostilities. It had been known for weeks that the transports of Japan guarded by her entire navy had assembled off Nagasaki. It bad even been reported that they had sailed away for southern waters; but this had met with later denial. The blow had fallen as swiftly as would that of a rattlesnake which for weeks had been coiled and sinuously moving Its head In preparation for attack. Strangely enough the first reports of war came from foreign sources; but they were undoubtedly official, having been Imparted by Japan to her ally, Great Britain. The bulletins issued by the London papers bore the undoubted ring of semi-official utterances. That of the Daily Mail, cabled in full to the American press, read: “Japan, reluctantly abandoning bops of peace by ordinary methods, has been driven to the extreme recourse and has officially declared war against the United States of America.” Within half an hour after the issuance of this bulletin a second announcement was made, which took no cognlzanoe of the fact that the official declaration must have been preceded by decisive action: "The Japanese war office has been advised that on the 27th instant at noqn the Philippine islands were compelled to surrender to the Japanese fleet, which appeared off Manila. Not only did the city itself capitulate, but possession of the entire islands has been given over. The Japanese government announces with due modesty that it has gained a complete and unqualified victory without the loss of a man, "Later. —It Is announced by the Japanese government that the parole of all officers and men of the United States army In the Philippines has been accepted, and the men of the vanquished army have been allowed to sail for San Francisco on board foreign ships, which were lying in the harbor at the time of surrender.” From every quarter of the land came Insistent demands for official news from tho government, coupled with requests for detailed accounts of the defeat The administration replied with the brief statement that no verified report of the action In the Philippines could be given out at that time. It did state, however, that the official declaration of war had been duly received, that the Japanese ambassador bad been withdrawn, the legation closed and that the officials would leave New York for their own country that evening, sailing by way of Liverpool. Public clamor gave way to popular indignation. The country was aflame with war spirit Guardsmen gathered in their armories, awaiting official bulletins and the expected call to arms; and yet no orders came. The governors of several states telegraphed to the war department for advloe; but their only satisfaction was in the following message sent broadcast by the secretary of state: “The government, recognizing the patriotism and readiness of the National Guard of the United States, does not at this Immediate moment desire its services. It Is well to bear fn mind, however, that a sudden call may be Issued at a later date and to be prepared for emergencies. It wishes to announce further that la its

Judgment there will be no necessity for fighting on land, and that the situation Is completely under control. So far there have bees no casualties reported from the Philippines." Whatever may have been the state of the public mind before the Issuance of this declaration, the country now gasped with amazement Some of the more violent and outspoken journals demanded of the men at Washington a statement of what they purposed to do In this emergency, and the most radical Intimated In no uncertain terms that Incompetent administrations were subject to Impeachment But to all of this outburst the government officials most directly Interested presented only the same calm, placid and Indifferent front There was nothing to be detected In their demeanor to Indicate that any action whatever had been taken. The various members of the diplomatic corps, even to the highest of the foreign ambassadors, gathered no new Information. They were invariably told, first, that the United States knew there had been a declaration of w kri second, that the United States knew that tbs Philippines had been third, that no orders had been Issued up to that hour for the sailing of any fleet, but that it w4s expected orders would be given before the day was over. The men of the

foreign representation one anil all fait a gentle rebuff tantamount to being told that the United States was attending strictly to Its own business and desired neither to be advised nor to be compelled to answer questions. None felt this more keenly than the members of the British legation, and Guy Hlllier In particular. His meeting of the night. before with Miss Roberts had not terminated satisfactorily, but had come to an abrupt close when he bade her good night at the door of her home, and with all his questions unanswered. Since that moment there had been little time for him either to brobd over the situation or to cpnjecture over her strange attitude. .

Throughout the early morning he hurried this way and .that, receiving visitors and answering requests for information from Great Britain. His superior, heated and exasperated, broke in upon him almost as he was starting to call up Miss Roberts' residence. “Guy,” the ambassador said, “we are in a country of lunatics. There is something in this government's attitude that is inexplicable. It can’t be that they are all cowards, and yet I have something to show you.” The ambassador drew a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped the perspiration from his forehead, after which he reached a large pudgy finger over to the secretary’s desk, pressing there on a pearl-topped electric button. "Walters,” he said to the usher who came Into the room In answer to the summons, “neither Mr. Hilller nor myself is here, and we Son't be back for an hour; that Is what you are to say without exception.” Then as the attendant bowed himself out he beckoned the secretary to follow him into the seclusion of his private office. "Hilller,-” he began, throwing a paper on the desk before the secretary, who had seated himself on the opposite side, “read that” The secretary saw before him a code telegram neatly Interpreted between the lines. It was evidently an official order addressed to a fleet commander at Callao, Peru. “What do you make of that” he asked in a tone of great disgust And then, as Hilller started to question him, put up his hand for silence. “No, it doesn’t matter where I got It or how I had It decoded; it is genuine, all right.” The secretary stared at him with a look of blank interrogation on bis face, while the ambassador rose from the seat Into which he had thrown himself only a moment before, leaned over his desk, resting himself on the knuckles of hli clenched hands, and said: "That is an order from the secretary of the navy positively commanding all the vessels owned by the United States in Pacific waters to return without delay to Baltimore. It's a shame, that's what it is! The other nations of the world should intervene and prevent this country from committing suicide. Conditions are so extraordinary that I don’t dare intrust anyone but you to make a report of the situation, and you have got to do that in person.” He walked up and down the room excitedly for a few moments, freely expressing his perplexity over the turn of events, and ended by abruptly ringing for a timetable and a sailing list, which he consulted before again addressing himself to his secretary. “Get out of here as quickly as you can!” he ordered. "Go to your rooms, throw what stuff you need Into a bag, and take the first train* you can get for New York! I shall meet yon at the station here and give you such reports of conditions as I can write in the meantime. When you get to New York, go as quickly as you can to the Cunard dock, from which the Lucanla is due to sail early in the morning. I shall hold her up until you arrive. Deliver my letters In person to the foreign secretary's office in London, and answer such questions as you can regarding this remarkable situation and this, incomprehensible .government. These matters are too important to admit of delay and ordinary official reports. Go quickly!” he concluded, almost shoving Hlllier through tho door.

Til attend to everything here. Don’t let there be any delay on your part!" The secretary hurried away to make preparation! for his departure, leaving the perturbed ambassador to prepare bis reports. He called a cab and drove to his apartment, Intent on first telephoning to Miss Roberta. His man met him at the door and handed him a letter addressed la a familiar hand, which he hastily tore open and read as ha stood in the eg» fleerway; Tear <kri I have haem called

away very suddenly, and am going to ' my father. He needs me now more than ever. I cannot alter anything which i told you last night, nor can I add anything, save to say that sometime, somehow, God willing, we shall be together again, under circumstances where I can tell you all the truth, It will do no good to write to the old address; for I shall not be there. There will be no ineans 0 f our communicating, I fear, for an indefinite time. It Is always within the realms of possibility, when war is on a land, that friends may never meet pray that you will remember this even up to the last—l loved you. Good-by. NORMA.” Stunned by this unexpected missive, he hurried to the telephone, and in a fever of haste and anxiety called up her home, only to be told that she had departed in the earlier hours of the morning after receiving a message presumably from her father. He could learn nothing further of her. He was stopped as if by an Insurmountable wall. He cursed the fate which separated them and the order which sent him away without giving time to see her, and almost in open rebellion thought for a moment of refusing to act as. king’s courier, resolving rather to resign from his position and abandon his post; but he was bound by the training of years and the demands of duty, and at the last moment boarded the train which was to take him from the country and the woman he loved.

And even as he went the objGGt of his solicitude was speeding away into the south on a special train. The train consisted of only two Pullmans and a dining car. Before It In Its southern flight the way seemed always open, and hour after hour it rushed onward, drawn by the most powerful locomotives that could be obtained. Norma was the only woman passenger aboard; all the others were grim-faced, sun-tanned yaen of the sea, who had been summoned to Washington from various navy yards and ships within the month. Of all on board she was the only civilian, and yet the one whom the government seemed most anxious to transport. The officers themselves gathered into little groups, discussing the war which had opened so abruptly, and speculating as to why in such an Important crisis they had been ordered from their posts of duty to report for further advices and sealed instructions at so unimportant and Isolated a seaport as tho small one on the coast of Florid* to, which they were heading. * *

Another singular feature of this Journey was that all aboard, from the distinguished admiral to the. Junior lieutenant commander, were, by order, In the plainest of civilian dress. That It had been the Intention of the war department to maintain their identity secret was proved by the comments of a railway official who stood near one of the coaches while waiting for a change of locomotives. “You understand, don’t you,” he said to a man apparently a train dispatcher, standing beside him, “that this train has the right of way over everything? Sidetrack the flyer if necessary to get this through. There can’t be anything In front of her, and the only limit to her time is the speed of the engine that pulls her. I understand It’s a party of secret service people the government is sending to Cuba. That’s all I know about it, and It’s In line with everything else you naturally can expect from such a lot of insane men as they seem to have In Washington." They whirled away from the station, looking at each other blankly, and wondering what the outcome of all this mystery could be* Every action so ( far was without precedent. There* 5 was a disposition on the part of some of them to bemoan the fate which had detached them from their ships at a time when the country was to be defended and glory won; but this was brought to a sudden end by grim old “Fighting Bob" Bevins, the admiral, who reprimanded them for daring to criticise their superiors or their orders."

"I don't know what it’s all about, boys,” he said, relenting. "I wish I did; but I have no more knowledge of it than you have. 1 don’t even know j why Miss Is aboard; but this I much I am certain of: That the men In Washington know what they are doing, and all the rest of the world can just keep on criticising and guessing. As far as we are concerned, we are officers who have sworn to and will obey orders, even If they tell ua to go to the outer edge of the flat earth." Darkness came on them before their next stop was made, and they slowed down as they passed through the yards of a large city, felt their puffing locomotive being uncoupled, and beard the slow resonant snorta of a fresh one being driven into place. They were tired of the day's traveling, and sat in listless silence, looking through the open windows at the half deserted platforms. Nswsboys were running hers and there offering the latest editions, and they called them to the aide of the coach and bought newspapers from them. The silence In the car was broken by tbe admiral, who bad been the first purchaser. "Well, I'll be blanked I" be said, angrily crumpling his paper into a ball which he threw ou the floor at hla feet, before he began striding up and down the aisle. What he had read beneath flaring headlines was this: "Washington, May 18. —Tbs Japanese have taken the Hawaiian Islands, together with the gunboats Marietta and Corbett, and ate new landing troops from a large truasport The incredible and disgraceful feature of the affair is that not a aua was feed hr

either side, oar officers contenting themselves by running np the white flag whan the enemy approached. The cable operator sending the message said that ho did so under the surveillance of two Japanese officers, who at the conclusion of the message would disconnect the cable, thus putting tho Islands out of communication." (To be continued.)

The Ambassador Rose from His Seat.