Великий военный синдикат

           Whennightcameon,RepellerNo.11andthecrabsdroppeddownwiththetide,andlaytosomemileswestofthesceneofbattle.Thefogshuttheminfairlywell,but,fearfulthattorpedoesmightbesentoutagainstthem,theyshowednolights.Therewaslittledangerofcollisionwithpassingmerchantmen,fortheEnglishChannel,atpresent,wasdesertedbythisclassofvessels.Thenextmorningtherepeller,precededbytwocrabs,bearingbetweenthemasubmergednetsimilartothatusedattheCanadianport,appearedofftheeasternendoftheIsleofWight.Theanchorsofthenetweredropped,andbehindittherepellertookherplace,andshortlyafterwardshesentaflag-of-truceboattoPortsmouthharbour.ThisboatcarriedanotefromtheAmericanWarSyndicatetotheBritishGovernment.InthisnoteitwasstatedthatitwasnowtheintentionoftheSyndicatetoutterlydestroy,bymeansoftheinstantaneousmotor,afortifiedpostupontheBritishcoast.Asthiswouldbedonesolelyforthepurposeofdemonstratingtheirresistibledestructivepowerofthemotor-bombs,itwasimmaterialtotheSyndicatewhatfortifiedpostshouldbedestroyed,provideditshouldanswertherequirementsoftheproposeddemonstration.ConsequentlytheBritishGovernmentwasofferedtheopportunityofnamingthefortifiedplacewhichshouldbedestroyed.IfsaidGovernmentshoulddeclinetodothis,ordelaytheselectionfortwenty-fourhours,theSyndicatewoulditselfdecideupontheplacetobeoperatedupon.