the great war syndicate-第27章

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A　British　artillery　officer　conversing　with　a

member　of　the　American　Syndicate　at　a　London　club；　said

to　him：

　　　

〃Do　you　know　that　you　made　a　great　mistake　in　the

beginning　of　your　operations　with　the　motor…guns？　　If

you　had　contrived　an　attachment　to　the　motor　which

should　have　made　an　infernal　thunder…clap　and　a　storm

of　smoke　at　the　moment　of　discharge　it　would　have　saved

you　a　lot　of　money　and　time　and　trouble。　　The　work　of

the　motor　on　the　Canadian　coast　was　terrible　enough；

but　people　could　see　no　connection　between　that

and　the　guns　on　your　vessels。　　If　you　could　have　sooner

shown　that　connection　you　might　have　saved　yourselves

the　trouble　of　crossing　the　Atlantic。　　And；　to　prove

this；　one　of　the　most　satisfactory　points　connected

with　your　work　on　the　Welsh　coast　was　the　jet　of　smoke

which　came　from　the　repeller　every　time　she　discharged

a　motor。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　those　jets；　I　believe

there　would　be　people　now　in　the　opposition　who　would

swear　that　Caerdaff　had　been　mined；　and　that　the

Ministry　were　a　party　to　it。〃

　　　

〃Your　point　is　well　taken；〃　said　the　American；　〃and

should　it　ever　be　necessary　to　discharge　any　more

bombs；which　I　hope　it　may　not　be；we　shall　take　care

to　show　a　visible　and　audible　connection　between　cause

and　effect。〃

　　　

〃The　devil　take　it；　sir！〃　cried　an　old　captain　of

an　English　ship…of…the…line；　who　was　sitting　near　by。　

〃What　you　are　talking　about　is　not　　war！　　We　might　as

well　send　out　a　Codfish　Trust　to　settle　national

disputes。　　In　the　next　sea…fight　we'll　save　ourselves

the　trouble　of　gnawing　and　crunching　at　the　sterns　of

the　enemy。　　We'll　simply　send　a　note　aboard

requesting　the　foreigner　to　be　so　good　as　to　send

us　his　rudder　by　bearer；　which；　if　properly　marked　and

numbered；　will　be　returned　to　him　on　the　conclusion　of

peace。　　This　would　do　just　as　well　as　twisting　it　off；

and　save　expense。　　No；　sir；　I　will　not　join　you　in　a

julep！　　_I_　have　made　no　alliance　over　new…fangled

inventions！　　Waiter；　fetch　me　some　rum　and　hot　water！〃

　　　

In　the　midst　of　the　profound　satisfaction　with

which　the　members　of　the　American　War　Syndicate

regarded　the　success　of　their　labours；labours　alike

profitable　to　themselves　and　to　the　recently　contending

nations；and　in　the　gratified　pride　with　which　they

received　the　popular　and　official　congratulations　which

were　showered　upon　them；　there　was　but　one　little

cloud；　one　regret。

　　　

In　the　course　of　the　great　Syndicate　War　a　life　had

been　lost。　　Thomas　Hutchins；　while　assisting　in　the

loading　of　coal　on　one　of　the　repellers；　was

accidentally　killed　by　the　falling　of　a　derrick。

　　　

The　Syndicate　gave　a　generous　sum　to　the　family　of

the　unfortunate　man；　and　throughout　the　United　States

the　occurrence　occasioned　a　deep　feeling　of　sympathetic　

regret。　　A　popular　subscription　was　started　to　build　a　monument

to　the　memory　of　Hutchins；　and　contributions　came；　not　only

from　all　parts　of　the　United　States；　but　from　many

persons　in　Great　Britain　who　wished　to　assist　in　the

erection　of　this　tribute　to　the　man　who　had　fallen

in　the　contest　which　had　been　of　as　much　benefit　to

their　country　as　to　his　own。

　　　

Some　weeks　after　the　conclusion　of　the　treaty；　a

public　question　was　raised；　which　at　first　threatened

to　annoy　the　American　Government；　but　it　proved　to　be

of　little　moment。　　An　anti…Administration　paper　in

Peakville；　Arkansas；　asserted　that　in　the　whole　of　the

published　treaty　there　was　not　one　word　in　regard　to

the　fisheries　question；　the　complications　arising　from

which　had　been　the　cause　of　the　war。　　Other　papers　took

up　the　matter；　and　the　Government　then　discovered　that

in　drawing　up　the　treaty　the　fisheries　business　had

been　entirely　overlooked。　　There　was　a　good　deal　of

surprise　in　official　circles　when　this　discovery　was

announced；　but　as　it　was　considered　that　the　fisheries

question　was　one　which　would　take　care　of　itself；　or　be

readily　disposed　of　in　connection　with　a　number　of

other　minor　points　which　remained　to　be　settled　between

the　two　countries；　it　was　decided　to　take　no　notice　of

the　implied　charge　of　neglect；　and　to　let　the　matter

drop。　　And　as　the　opposition　party　took　no　real

interest　in　the　question；　but　little　more　was　said

about　it。

　　　

Both　countries　were　too　well　satisfied　with　the

general　result　to　waste　time　or　discussion　over　small

matters。　　Great　Britain　had　lost　some　forts　and　some

ships；　but　these　would　have　been　comparatively　useless

in　the　new　system　of　warfare。　　On　the　other　hand；　she

had　gained；　not　only　the　incalculable　advantage　of　the

alliance；　but　a　magnificent　and　unsurpassed　landlocked

basin　on　the　coast　of　Wales。

　　　

The　United　States　had　been　obliged　to　pay　an

immense　sum　on　account　of　the　contract　with　the　War

Syndicate；　but　this　was　considered　money　so　well　spent；

and　so　much　less　than　an　ordinary　war　would　have　cost；

that　only　the　most　violent　anti…Administration　journals

ever　alluded　to　it。

　　　

Reduction　of　military　and　naval　forces；　and　gradual

disarmament；　was　now　the　policy　of　the　allied　nations。　

Such　forces　and　such　vessels　as　might　be　demanded　for

the　future　operations　of　the　War　Syndicate　were

retained。　　A　few　field　batteries　of　motor…guns　were　all

that　would　be　needed　on　land；　and　a　comparatively　small

number　of　armoured　ships　would　suffice　to　carry

the　motor…guns　that　would　be　required　at　sea。

　　　

Now　there　would　be　no　more　mere　exhibitions　of　the

powers　of　the　instantaneous　motor…bomb。　　Hereafter；　if

battles　must　be　fought；　they　would　be　battles　of

annihilation。

　　　

This　is　the　history　of　the　Great　Syndicate　War。　

Whether　or　not　the　Anglo…American　Syndicate　was　ever

called　upon　to　make　war；　it　is　not　to　be　stated　here。　

But　certain　it　is　that　after　the　formation　of　this

Syndicate　all　the　nations　of　the　world　began　to　teach

English　in　their　schools；　and　the　Spirit　of

Civilization　raised　her　head　with　a　confident　smile。











End