the great war syndicate-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



to　submit　a　plan　to　the　Government。

　　　

These　twenty…three　men　had　formed　themselves　into　a

Syndicate；　with　the　object　of　taking　entire　charge　of

the　war　between　the　United　States　and　Great　Britain。

　　　

This　proposition　was　an　astounding　one；　but　the

Government　was　obliged　to　treat　it　with　respectful

consideration。　　The　men　who　offered　it　were　a　power

in　the　land；a　power　which　no　government　could　afford

to　disregard。

　　　

The　plan　of　the　Syndicate　was　comprehensive；

direct；　and　simple。　　It　offered　to　assume　the　entire

control　and　expense　of　the　war；　and　to　effect　a

satisfactory　peace　within　one　year。　　As　a　guarantee

that　this　contract　would　be　properly　performed；　an

immense　sum　of　money　would　be　deposited　in　the　Treasury

at　Washington。　　Should　the　Syndicate　be　unsuccessful；

this　sum　would　be　forfeited；　and　it　would　receive　no

pay　for　anything　it　had　done。

　　　

The　sum　to　be　paid　by　the　Government　to　the

Syndicate；　should　it　bring　the　war　to　a　satisfactory

conclusion；　would　depend　upon　the　duration　of

hostilities。　　That　is　to　say；　that　as　the　shorter　the

duration　of　the　war；　the　greater　would　be　the　benefit

to　the　country；　therefore；　the　larger　must　be　the　pay

to　the　Syndicate。　　According　to　the　proposed　contract；

the　Syndicate　would　receive；　if　the　war　should　continue

for　a　year；　one…quarter　the　sum　stipulated　to　be　paid

if　peace　should　be　declared　in　three　months。

　　　

If　at　any　time　during　the　conduct　of　the　war　by　the

Syndicate　an　American　seaport　should　be　taken　by

the　enemy；　or　a　British　force　landed　on　any　point　of

the　seacoast；　the　contract　should　be　considered　at　an

end；　and　security　and　payment　forfeited。　　If　any　point

on　the　northern　boundary　of　the　United　States　should　be

taken　and　occupied　by　the　enemy；　one　million　dollars　of

the　deposited　security　should　be　forfeited　for　every

such　occupation；　but　the　contract　should　continue。

　　　

It　was　stipulated　that　the　land　and　naval　forces　of

the　United　States　should　remain　under　the　entire

control　of　the　Government；　but　should　be　maintained　as

a　defensive　force；　and　not　brought　into　action　unless

any　failure　on　the　part　of　the　Syndicate　should　render

such　action　necessary。

　　　

The　state　of　feeling　in　governmental　circles；　and

the　evidences　of　alarm　and　distrust　which　were　becoming

apparent　in　Congress　and　among　the　people；　exerted　an

important　influence　in　favour　of　the　Syndicate。　　The

Government　caught　at　its　proposition；　not　as　if　it　were

a　straw；　but　as　if　it　were　a　life…raft。　　The　men　who

offered　to　relieve　the　executive　departments　of　their

perilous　responsibilities　were　men　of　great　ability；

prominent　positions；　and　vast　resources；　whose

vast　enterprises　had　already　made　them　known　all　over

the　globe。　　Such　men　were　not　likely　to　jeopardize

their　reputations　and　fortunes　in　a　case　like　this；

unless　they　had　well…founded　reasons　for　believing　that

they　would　be　successful。　　Even　the　largest　amount

stipulated　to　be　paid　them　in　case　of　success　would　be

less　than　the　ordinary　estimates　for　the　military　and

naval　operations　which　had　been　anticipated；　and　in

case　of　failure；　the　amount　forfeited　would　go　far　to

repair　the　losses　which　might　be　sustained　by　the

citizens　of　the　various　States。

　　　

At　all　events；　should　the　Syndicate　be　allowed　to

take　immediate　control　of　the　war；　there　would　be　time

to　put　the　army　and　navy；　especially　the　latter；　in

better　condition　to　carry　on　the　contest　in　case　of　the

failure　of　the　Syndicate。　　Organization　and

construction　might　still　go　on；　and；　should　it　be

necessary；　the　army　and　navy　could　step　into　the

contest　fresh　and　well　prepared。

　　　

All　branches　of　the　Government　united　in　accepting

the　offer　of　the　Syndicate。　　The　contract　was　signed；

and　the　world　waited　to　see　what　would　happen　next。



The　influence　which　for　years　had　been　exerted　by

the　interests　controlled　by　the　men　composing　the

Syndicate；　had　its　effect　in　producing　a　popular

confidence　in　the　power　of　the　members　of　the　Syndicate

to　conduct　a　war　as　successfully　as　they　had　conducted

other　gigantic　enterprises。　　Therefore；　although

predictions　of　disaster　came　from　many　quarters；　the

American　public　appeared　willing　to　wait　with　but

moderate　impatience　for　the　result　of　this　novel

undertaking。

　　　

The　Government　now　proceeded　to　mass　troops　at

important　points　on　the　northern　frontier；　forts　were

supplied　with　men　and　armaments；　all　coast　defences

were　put　in　the　best　possible　condition；　the　navy　was

stationed　at　important　ports；　and　work　at　the　ship…

yards　went　on。　　But　without　reference　to　all　this；　the

work　of　the　Syndicate　immediately　began。

　　　

This　body　of　men　were　of　various　politics　and　of

various　pursuits　in　life。　　But　politics　were　no　more

regarded　in　the　work　they　had　undertaken　than　they

would　have　been　in　the　purchase　of　land　or　of　railroad

iron。　　No　manifestoes　of　motives　and　intentions　were

issued　to　the　public。　　The　Syndicate　simply　went　to

work。　　There　could　be　no　doubt　that　early　success

would　be　a　direct　profit　to　it；　but　there　could　also　be

no　doubt　that　its　success　would　be　a　vast　benefit　and

profit；　not　only　to　the　business　enterprises　in　which

these　men　were　severally　engaged；　but　to　the　business

of　the　whole　country。　　To　save　the　United　States　from　a

dragging　war；　and　to　save　themselves　from　the　effects

of　it；　were　the　prompting　motives　for　the　formation　of

the　Syndicate。



Without　hesitation；　the　Syndicate　determined　that

the　war　in　which　it　was　about　to　engage　should　be　one

of　defence　by　means　of　offence。　　Such　a　war　must

necessarily　be　quick　and　effective；　and　with　all　the

force　of　their　fortunes；　their　minds；　and　their　bodies；

its　members　went　to　work　to　wage　this　war　quickly　and

effectively。



All　known　inventions　and　improvements　in　the　art　of

war　had　been　thoroughly　considered　by　the　Syndicate；

and　by　the　eminent　specialists　whom　it　had　enlisted　in

its　service。　　Certain　recently　perfected　engines　of

war；　novel　in　nature；　were　the　exclusive　property　of

the　Syndicate。　　It　was　known；　or　surmised；　in　certain

quarters　that　the　Syndicate　had　secured　possession　of

important　warlike　inventions；　but　what　they　were


and　how　they　acted　was　a　secret　carefully　guarded　and

protected。



The　first　step　of　the　Syndicate　was　to　purchase

from　the　United　States　Government　ten　war…vessels。　

These　were　of　medium　size　and　in　good　condition；　but

they　were　of　an　old…fashioned　type；　and　it　had　not　been

considered　expedient　to　put　them　in　commission。　　This

action　caused　surprise　and　disappointment　in　many

quarters。　　It　had　been　supposed　that　the　Syndicate；

through　its　agents　scattered　all　over　the　world；　would

immediately　acquire；　by　purchase　or　lease；　a　fleet　of

fine　ironclads　culled　from　various　maritime　powers。　

But　the　Syndicate　having　no　intention　of　involving；　or

attempting　to　involve；　other　countries　in　this　quarrel；

paid　no　attention　to　public　opinion；　and　went　to　work

in　its　own　way。



Its　vessels；　eight　of　which　were　on　the　Atlantic

coast　and　two　on　the　Pacific；　were　rapidly　prepared　for

the　peculiar　service　in　which　they　were　to　be　engaged。　

The　resources　of　the　Syndicate　were　great；　and　in　a

very　short　time　several　of　their　vessels；　already

heavily　plated　with　steel；　were　furnished　with　an

additional　outside　armour；　formed　of　strips　of　elastic

steel；　each　reaching　from　the　gunwales　nearly　to

the　surface　of　the　water。　　These　strips；　about　a　foot

wide；　and　placed　an　inch　or　two　apart；　were　each　backed

by　several　powerful　air…buffers；　so　that　a　ball

striking　one　or　more　of　them　would　be　deprived　of　much　of　its

momentum。　　The　experiments　upon　the　steel　spring　and

buffers　adopted　by　the　Syndicate　showed　that　the　force

of　the　heaviest　cannonading　was　almost　deadened　by　the

powerful　elasticity　of　this　armour。



The　armament　of　each　vessel　consisted　of　but　one

gun；　of　large　calibre；　placed　on　the　forward　deck；　and

protected　by　a　bomb…proof　covering。　　Each　vessel　was

manned　by　a　captain　and　crew　from　the　merchant　service；

from　whom　no　warlike　duties　were　expected。　　The

fighting　operations　were　in　charge　of　a　small　body　of

men；　composed　of　two　or　three　scientific　specialists；

and　some　practical　gunners　and　their　assistants。　　A　few

bomb…proof　canopies　and　a　curved　steel　deck　completed

the　defences　of　the　vessel。

　　　

Besides　equipping　this　little　navy；　the　Syndicate

set　about　the　construction　of　certain　sea…going　vessels

of　an　extraordinary　kind。　　So　great　were　the　facilities

at　its　command；　and　so　thorough　and　complete　its

methods；　that　ten　or　a　dozen　ship…yards　and　foundries

were　set　to　work　simultaneously　to　build　one　of　these

ships。　　In　a　marvellously　short　time　the　Syndicate

possessed　several　of　them　ready　for　action。



These　vessels　became　technically　known　as　〃crabs。〃　

They　were　not　large；　and　the　only　part　of　them　which

projected　above　the　water　was　the　middle　of　an

elliptical　deck；　slightly　convex；　and　heavily　mailed

with　ribs　of　steel。　　These　vessels　were　fitted　with

electric　engines　of　extraordinary　power；　and　were

capable　of　great　speed。　　At　their　bows；　fully　protected

by　the　overhanging　deck；　was　the　machinery　by　which

their　peculiar　work　was　to　be　accomplished。　　The

Syndicate　intended　to　confine　itself　to　marine

operations；　and　for　the　present　it　was　contented　with

these　two　classes　of　vessels。

　

The　armament　for　each　of　the　large　vessels；　as　has

been　said　before；　consisted　of　a　single　gun　of　long

range；　and　the　ammunition　was　confined　entirely　to　a

new　style　of　projectile；　which　had　never　yet　been　used

in　warfare。　　The　material　and　construction　of　this

projectile　were　known　only　to　three　members　of　the

Syndicate；　who　had　invented　and　perfected　it；　and　it

was　on　account　of　their　possession　of　this　secret

that　they　had　been　invited　to　join　that　body。



This　projectile　was　not；　in　the　ordinary　sense　of

the　word；　an　explosive；　and　was　named　by　its　inventors；

〃The　Instantaneous　Motor。〃　　It　was　discharged　from　an

ordinary　cannon；　but　no　gunpowder　or　other　explosive

compound　was　used　to　propel　it。　　The　bomb　possessed；　in

itself　the　necessary　power　of　propulsion；　and　the　gun

was　used　merely　to　give　it　the　proper　direction。



These　bombs　were　cylindrical　in　form；　and　pointed

at　the　outer　end。　　They　were　filled　with　hundreds　of

small　tubes；　each　radiating　outward　from　a　central

line。　　Those　in　the　middle　third　of　the　bomb　pointed

directly　outward；　while　those　in　its　front　portion　were

inclined　forward　at　a　slight　angle；　and　those　in　the

rear　portion　backward　at　the　same　angle。　　One　tube　at

the　end　of　the　bomb；　and　pointing　directly　backward；

furnished　the　motive　power。



Each　of　these　tubes　could　exert　a　force　sufficient

to　move　an　ordinary　train　of　passenger　cars　one　mile；

and　this　power　could　be　e