Великий военный синдикат

           1,aboatbearingawhiteflagwasloweredfromthatvesselandwasrapidlyrowedtowardtheBritishship.Whenthelattersawtheboatcomingshelayto,andwaiteditsarrival.AnotewasdeliveredtothecaptainoftheScarabaeus,inwhichitwasstatedthattheSyndicate,whichhadundertakenonthepartoftheUnitedStatestheconductofthewarbetweenthatcountryandGreatBritain,wasnowpreparedtodemandthesurrenderofthiscitywithitsfortsanddefencesandallvesselswithinitsharbour,and,asafirststep,theimmediatesurrenderofthevesseltothecommanderofwhichthisnotewasdelivered.TheoverwhelmingeffronteryofthisdemandcausedthecommanderoftheScarabaeustodoubtwhetherhehadtodealwitharavinglunaticorablusteringfool;butheinformedthepersoninchargeoftheflag-of-truceboat,thathewouldgivehimfifteenminutesinwhichtogetbacktohisvessel,andthathewouldthenopenfireuponthatcraft.Themenwhorowedthelittleboatwerenotmen-of-war’smen,andwereunaccustomedtodutiesofthiskind.Ineightminutestheyhadreachedtheirvessel,andweresafeonboard.JustsevenminutesafterwardthefirstshotcamefromtheScarabaeus.ItpassedoverRepellerNo.1,andthatvessel,insteadofreplying,immediatelysteamednearerheradversary.TheDirector-in-chiefdesiredtodeterminetheeffectofanactivecannonadeuponthenewarmour,andthereforeorderedthevesselplacedinsuchapositionthattheEnglishmanmighthavethebestopportunityforusingitasatarget.TheScarabaeuslostnotimeinavailingherselfofthefacilitiesoffered.