Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1908 — THE VANISHING FLEETS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE VANISHING FLEETS

By ROY NORTON

OAOSnATED BY A. WEIL

<>4 - ... . ■ -- - • Something In the words she had thoughtlessly used recalled her Own i heart longing. What were the ; achievements of war, the inspirations ; of conflict, or the glories of triumph, ; In comparison with peace, love and J home? With an indefinable senegwC great yearning she thought that Guy i was on the sea, going away from her | and her people, and even, in the heart ' of the radioplane which was canceling i space at the rate of COO miles an hour ; the distance between them seemed to- ! terminable. Life was made up of - good-byes! And so in a reverie of I bitterness she clung to the hood and ; fought against fatigue, until, as the : morning was upon them, she sent the j craft to rest in front of the shops where their return had been anxiously ! awaited. Overcome with weariness, i and feeling throughout every fiber of her body the snapped tension of sudden relaxation, she staggered through the port into the fresh air of the dawn. From every direction men were running madly to surround them, and even the Columbia was landing men upon the shores, who Joined in the rush. The limping old admiral stood in the door, when Roberts, supported jby two surgeons, appeared. Norma j clasped him In her arms and burst into noiseless, nervous sobs, which he mis- . Interpreted.

"Failed! You failed, my daughter?” he asked forlornly, while the men waiting for news crowded forward to hear the answer. It was given by Bevins. - -1' ' “Failed nothing! Wfe cleaned them out and landed them where we started to without the loss of a life!” Those still aboard the Columbia needed no messenger to bring the trews: ~TK<B workers of the plant burst into a frenzy of exultation. The admiral stilled them with an upraised hand. “Men,” he said, “I take no credit for the result, and I’m big enough so to report to Washington. This battle brought out three heroes. Brockton, Jenkins and above all this little girl, Nprpja Roberts.” His “God bless her!” was lost in the tumult. They were men Intoxicated with the wine of victory. They yelledrthemselves hoarse. They patted one another on the back, hnrled their caps into the air, and finally formed escorts of honor to conduct the men and officers of the fleet to their cabins, asking ovsr and over for details of the fight. ’And even as those tired fighters went to rest, in a city across the continent newsboys were crying their extras through the streets, aud the citizens of a great- city were asking one another how the night had worked its miracle. A lounging patrolman In Ravenna park, which bordered on Lake Washington, had sleepily rubbed his eyes as the sun was tinting the everlasting snows of the Olympics, and bad come to • sudden stop, leaning against a tree and wondering If he was still asleep; but with bis knuckles he could not obliterate the floating vision before him. He convinced himself by a lusty ball: "Hello, out there! What are you doing? Get off that lake!” and back to him there volleyed a storm of objurgations in an unknown tongue. Not until be had called a fellow officer and rowed a boat round those fallen monarchs of the deep did he learn that they were CBptlve to his country, end then, elated with the newe, he hastened to Impart it But this was not the only surprise tor Seattle. For some days preceding troops had been pouring into the port, aad ft had beea the general belief that they were belag mobilised preparatory to embarkation for the Philippines or Japan. On this morning, however, there was an eaedus. Nearly all the troops hud disappeared In the night. lAewtee there were strange bappea-

togs in the telegraph office*. When men went to consign messages they were met with the intelligence that tits wires were in charge of military operators, that nothing could be received far any point beyond the borders of the United States, and that all messages without exception woulU be censored before transmission. The newspapers fumed and roared, until they learned that all Incoming news would pass uninterruptedly; hot that for purposes known only to the government the story of the presence or the Japanese fleet would be closely guarded for the time being. For once the Post-Intelligence, the Times and Star united in attacking the administration. Polite officers forwarded appeals from the chamber of commerce to Washington; but the government answered that there was no alternative, because if the secret was known throughout the United States the chances for its leakage across the lines would be augmented. All Sound

traffic stopped, and from the great union depot no departing trains rumbled. Within an hour it was known that a cordon of soldiers surrounded the city, and that all traffic or communication with the outside world was Interdicted. Seattle had been Isolated. Thus it was that the presence of the captured fleet and the method of Its taking were unknown to the country at large. Seattle extended all consistent courtesies to the vanquished; but it afforded little balm. And thus It was that for many days, imprisoned, powerless, and lost, with crippled tops, crashed stacks and under the white flag of surrender, the flower of Japanese prowess floated on an inland sea In sullen mourning, while the gasping world shuddered in contemplation of its fate. -.

CHAPTffR XX. What Befell the Emperor. Like a lonely rock that has withstood the fury of a storm and the battering of the seas to emerge again into sunlight, the president felt his time of justification approaching. His hour of triumph was at hand, and his prayers were being answered; but the task was not yet done. The unqualified victory over the Japanese fleet made the outcome of the war a certainty; hence it was with patience that the administration waited for the next move In the far east, which must of necessity come China. There was no doubt that she would askist her ally. At first this seemed an imminent action; but several days passed bringing tbrough the secret service ho news save that her fleet, huge and well manned, was making preparations to sail. The president, knowing that fog the accomplishment of his purpose oriental power must be broken, Indulged in the fervent hope that the attack might come soon. 'There was less trouble Internally, as the people were beginning to have faith in the administration, though they were speculating das to what course of procedure was being followed. It was while affairs were In this condition that the sailing of the British fleet was dnly announced through secret channels of information. The coterie saw before It .the necessity of either abandoning the hope of teaching China a drastic lesson and announcing its secret to the world or meeting the British squadrons and holding them hostage in the Interest of peace. They chose the latter alternative, and thereby was caused the strangest chapter in the history of war. Like that other tally outward to the western seas, this one was timely. It was made when the British fleet might be met beyond tbe reach of wireless telegraph communication, and the peparture from the key was also under cover of darkness. Again there was a resemblance to the Japanese affair, In that the appearance of the radioplanes created surprise and consternation on the warships. Here, however, the similarity ended. Tbe AngloSaxon mind knows no such thing as surrender when once it is stirred to the depths of its stubbornness. It can read only two answers to the riddle of conflict—victory or death—as has been attested by many a hard-fought battle on land and sea. Tbe armada of Great Britain had sailed with apprehensions, being fully cognisant that it was invading a territory of mystery and danger, and the vigilance of Its watch, therefore, was never relaxed, j The consternation caused by the first sight of the aerial fleet was immediately followed by a harried clearing of the decks for notion, although defeat in a battle agalaat such overpowering odds was a

foregone conclusion. No gun was fired, however, and all stood expectantly awaiting a declaration of intent from the monsters of the air which had come upon them in the fall glare of the afternoon sun. With slow and stately majesty the radlopleneß approached, each flying the flag of the United States and beneath It the emblem of trace. The Dreadnought, answering sluggishly to the swell and hurling great cascades of water from its bow, was to the. heart erf the formation, and in its ponderous might seemed fearless of anything afloat Toward it the foremost radioplane directed Its course, dropping steadily down until full abreast and on a level with the great fighting tops, while the officers of the battle ship watched with amazement its splendid control. Not till then was there a visible display of Use aboard it A port opened and into the blackness of Its frame Bevins emerged, while directly behind him stood the scientist, who had recovered, and was to witness the first full demonstration of the power he* had evolved. On the bridge of the battle ship the British admiral stood, surrounded by staff officers. “Good afternoon, admiral,” the American hailed. “Glad to see yon. How do you like the looks of us?” Across Fields’ face flitted a half smile. “We are very well indeed, Admiral Bevins; but can’t say we are particularly glad to see you, or sure that we like you until if* know more. Clever Invention that. Must have been conceived by an Englishman.” Behind the United States officer a withered little figure became imbued with a sudden frenzy of passion ■tiUit threatened to Interject an unpleasant remark; but Bevins checked him with a laugh and grew serious again. *; - “Admiral,” he said, “my country isn’t at war with yours. You understand that.” Fields looked relieved, and lost somewhat of hlB air of set defiance. At the head of his men he crossed to the end of the bridge where he might be nearer the one addressing him. The nervous strain of the situation was being rapidly diminished. "Frankly, I’m glad to be reassured,” he replied. “There are a lot of things we’d rather know.” "And which I shall be glad to explain If you and a dozen of your immediate subordinates will come aboard «s my guests.” The Invitation was Immediately accepted? but it was a trying interview for the Britons. The machine on which they were received was the Roberts, which was the latest production of the plant on the key. It was larger than Its predecessors, and had been made the most pretentious. It was elegantly appointed. Amidships it contained a drawing room on which the most careful workmanship had been lavished. The guests gathered round a huge mahogany table, whose polished top reflected the light from the colored ports of the dome, and were served with refreshments before Bevins recurred to the object of his visit. He drew from his pocket an official packet and laid it open befor him. “Gentlemen,” he began, “of course you are interested in fell tflat you have eeen, and in the attitude of the United States. What I shall read to you are my orders. I have come out here to meet you for the purpose, first of all, that you may hear them.” (To he continued.)

The Wires Were In Charge of Military Operators.