Великий военный синдикат

           FromtheinteriortherewereclamoursfortroopstobemassedontheNorthernfrontier,andfromtheseaboardcitiestherecameacryforshipsthatwereworthytobecalledmen-of-war,—shipstodefendtheharboursandbays,shipstorepelaninvasionbysea.Suggestionswereinnumerable.Therewasnotimetobuild,itwasurged;theGovernmentcouldcalluponfriendlynations.Butwisemensmiledsadlyatthesesuggestions;itwasdifficulttofindanationdesirousofawarwithEngland.Inthemidstoftheenthusiasms,thefears,andthesuggestions,camereportsofthecaptureofAmericanmerchantmenbyfastBritishcruisers.ThesereportsmadetheAmericanpeoplemorefurious,theAmericanGovernmentmoreanxious.Almostfromthebeginningofthisperiodofnationalturmoil,apartyofgentlemenmetdailyinoneofthelargeroomsinahotelinNewYork.Atfirsttherewereelevenofthesemen,allfromthegreatAtlanticcities,buttheirnumberincreasedbyarrivalsfromotherpartsofthecountry,untilatlastthey,numberedtwenty-three.Thesegentlemenwereallgreatcapitalists,andaccustomedtooccupyingthemselveswithgreatenterprises.Bydayandbynighttheymettogetherwithcloseddoors,untiltheyhadmaturedtheschemewhichtheyhadbeenconsidering.Assoonasthisworkwasdone,acommitteewassenttoWashington,tosubmitaplantotheGovernment.Thesetwenty-threemenhadformedthemselvesintoaSyndicate,withtheobjectoftakingentirechargeofthewarbetweentheUnitedStatesandGreatBritain.