Великий военный синдикат

           TheEnglishvesselshadtakenahighnortherncourse,hopingtheymightentertheGulfofSt.Lawrencewithoutsubjectingthemselvestoinjuryfromtheenemy’scrabs,itnotbeingconsideredprobablethattherewereenoughofthesevesselstopatroltheentirecoast.Butalthoughthecrabswerefewinnumber,theSyndicatewasabletoplacethemwheretheywouldbeofmostuse;andwhentheEnglishvesselsarrivedoffthenorthernentrancetothegulf,theyfoundtheirenemiesthere.Howeverstrongmightbetheincredulityoftheenemyregardingthepowersofarepellertobombardacity,theSyndicatefeltsuretherewouldbenopresentinvasionoftheUnitedStatesfromCanada;butitwishedtoconvincetheBritishGovernmentthattroopsandmunitionsofwarcouldnotbesafelytransportedacrosstheAtlantic.Ontheotherhand,theSyndicateverymuchobjectedtoundertakingtheimprisonmentandsustenanceofalargebodyofsoldiers.Orderswerethereforegiventotheofficerinchargeoftherepellernottomolestthetwotransports,buttoremovetheruddersandextractthescrewsofthetwowar-vessels,leavingthemtobetowedintoportbythetroop-ships.Thisdutywasperformedbythecrabs,whiletheBritishvessels,bothrams,werepreparingtomakeaunitedandvigorousonsetontherepeller,andthetwomen-of-warwerelefthopelesslytossingonthewaves.Oneofthetransports,averyfaststeamer,hadalreadyenteredthestraits,andcouldnotbesignalled;buttheotheronereturnedandtookboththewar-shipsintow,proceedingveryslowlyuntil,afterenteringthegulf,shewasrelievedbytugboats.