The Stolen Sabmarine

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 202, 24 August 1904, Page 11

The Stolen Sabmarine

By GEOEGE GRIFFITH. Author of "The. Ai.cc! of tlte R-olutloo .. nrothers of tho ( bain." -The Whi Witch of Mayfnlr, rue Worm Mn.-ters

et<\ hook in. CHAPTER V. A BOLT FROM THE ULtTTS. Fifteen hour* after the arrival oftfae Manila at Nagasaki Sir Victor fiwknifc ,vho had jusc pot to his office and was jppning the letters marked >' U ,nd "perswwV , which my on I.ho tab]-. ,e«de his dosed roll-top desk, received t somewhat lenpthy cable, which, some*hat to h« surprise, was written in the iame code that he had used m his messaare to Leone. Hβ bad expected nothing but a brief rire announcing her return in obedience do his summons; but this was a very different communication indeed, and as lie translated it into plain English his la ndsomc face became uglier and uglier with every sentence, and when he had finished it he threw his pencil down leant back in his chair, and whispered so the pigeon-holes of his desk: "Heavens! rf that's true there's about an end of everything! Still, there's one eonrfort, I shan't go down alone ' At thai moment his confidential clerk tapped at the door and opened it. ''Well, Hawkins," said Sir Victor, "what is rtf "Aekermsme have just telephoned. Sir Victor, to knew rf they can see yon at wee on a matter of importance.'^ "Oh, yes. I remember, , " said Sir \ ictor. taking up the telegram and the translation, and putting them into the breast pocket of his frock coat. •'•That 7 * all right, Hawkins, tell them that 111 he there* and get mc a barr-om." WH-hin 15 mnvutce he wn 3 in the ronm in which had talcen place the already recorded interview, whicb would have been historic if it had only been made public. Both the Ackerroans were there and Sir Victor could sre at a "lance that something had bnppened to then: as well as to himself. "G-ond-nsonring, gentlemen!" he saic *c the Awafele doors closed beJuTtd him "Tins seems ra*ber likdy to be a bus? day for ail of us. and so I think if wetdc save time if we play the rest ol fix

game v,-ith the cards fare •nn^vards." "Exactly my opinion, Frr Victor, and my brother's." replied Srr -Tulius, with a geniality ■wbirh rnntrr..sted strangely with manner at the last interview. '"It's all very well talking about playing the game with the cards face up, my dear Julius," said Randal, getting tip from his chair and thrusting his hands deep into his trouser pockets, ""but, 10 make the matter shorter still. I may renirnd you that tliis is something very like a four-handed game at poker, with t Lie other fellow, -vrho is possibly blufFirg us. 12 000 miles awny playing behind the -fapanese censorship. That's the : trcir.blo, r,s far as I can see." ! "There is a good deal in what you ! "ay. Mr Aekerman," said Sir Victor, taking the cablegram and the Iramlai tion out of his pocket, '"'and perhaps wit may ;u \\e{\ start from that point. As I a matter of fact, that seems to mc to nhnw (hat the other follow holds a better liand than any of U3.' , ■■I am afraid 1 don't quite lake your I meaning," said Sir Julius, a little sulily. iUp had never b"cn beaten in a before, aad the bare mention of such i± pos-

sihiijty v\as exceedingly distasteful to | him. , ''What I mean is this,' , replied Sir Vie-! tor. "As everyone knows, the Japajiese i censorship is more rigid than any censorship has ever been before. ;md yet here i ii.iv.- , ii long cable in a code of my ! own v.hich has been allowed to come ihrougk from Nagasaki. 1 think you will agree with im- that that can only mean one thing. Tlie sender of it mud be iii tlie confidence of the Japanese j Government, and has been allowed 1o I ai-nd it in code for a given purpose" i "The dcv.cc be hao!" exclaimed Sir Julius '"That docs look a bit se.riou.;, \ L (.onfe.-s. We have had a short wiro j also from Nagasaki, but that's in plain ; Krigiish. and il. simply asks us to meet • you as r.oon as possible tn discuss a ] '•prtain financial operation, of which you i nave already b«?en informed.' , i ''And may I a-k whether your cable j wa> signed 'llillycr'?" ! "Yes," replied Kir Julius, "and we ' were just wondering if it was the Hill- i y«r." 9 i "It is," said Sir Victor, "and if you'll; just let mc read this cable I think ym i will agree with mc that Mr Mark llill- ' yer, by some mysterious means, ha? ■ managed to get his linger pretly deeply ! into that little pie which we were going: l-o cook together." i ''Certainly," said Randal: "I don't' fnippose. we shall be very glad to hear 1 it. as I was going to say. but wf'vc goi. J ro hear it, and so sit down and mak" venrsr-lf ecrmfoTtable, and let us have if." " Th-anlcs." said Sir Victor, with a cer- ' -sin half-sense of satisfaction, takiut;! \ihfi same armchair in which he haul f-pont such an uncomfortable haJf-ho::: ciuring the last iniervicw. j '" To bc'.rin with," , he continued, " J J enrriod o".t :is far as I con id my pare! jnf the bargain which you and T made. I : 'lr Julius, during our last meeting, i, i j>lll the sit-u:-it:on as plainly and a-' ' r-.tronglr as language permi'.red mc to i do, and T mu.-t confess that I expected nothing less than inuncdia-te compliance irito my request. ]nyt-ead of ihat 1 ha-T? rpceired what- I am going to re-ad to you.'' ■"That doesn't, sound like a very • !iealt.hy introduction, 17 said Sir Julius I''l suppose your cable in from Mr. Murk ; Hillyer?" I "If is," said Sir Victor, "'and flii.s \? what h<» say?."' j Then ho boga.n to fart in a 'jnin. ■nattp.r-of-t'act. tone tlirti was. pf-rhaps-. hiip most nionient.ous ever ' I r.eni over thr wires from one private inriiridniij to anothoT: '"'Prom Mark IliUypr. to . Victor Erskine, London. Logins. Your I ■ me-ssagp wnsj duly by V.v ' A-thtir Krskine. who nt o;n-e cr-mnmv.i- , cr>ii'i! \vi!h mo. j prossod to Shanghai, road your messa^L , and discur-scl the matter fully wirli her. Her liusband was absent at the time doing some of your business up ihp Yang-Tse.. 1 arl- , \ iscd absolute refusal, which Eas- • . kirip CTidor.-es. This \nu may take a- , tinal. and act us you think lit." "' I ' "Wplj, that's fairly straight, anyhow.'' j exclaimed Randal. ''Do as we. think • : fit ! 1 think you were a bom. right whon j yon compared this to four-bandorl pokei ! with the oilier fellow }"2,000 miles away ■To use the of the immortal i tjame, I should say that that looks yen I like four aces." J , "If we suppose that ivp are playin.'j i tritli the Joker. I'm afraid he has rive," i replied Sir Victor, looking up with r, smile which he was unabi-e to repress. and. in fact, did no' vra.nl to. for the of Ih'* two chiefs of the grcal firm of Ackerman wore q\:it.e an in teresting study just at this momeni 1 may lie ha.-j got (.he Jokor. , . ' '"The deuce he has." muttered Si , Juliiiß. "Then I think I could nanu

"No donht," said Sir Victor, dryly. . Ami tli"n lie went or. tending: "'I learnt fiom Wt> KrsUinn thai siw !ip<l aireiuiy been visited by a eeilair Dr. Ghen-Yu ' " "That's ihe Joker!" paid llaud.i*. biting Hie m<l of his cigar oIT as he shut his tooth. "1 thought that halfbreed sweep would play us false souietiiiir." ■ Tsrdon mr," said Sir Victor, "when j-on'vo heard , the rost. I think you will <»o that it i.- not a question of playing fal-γ.. but simply of force ma-jcure." Ami il.rn V>e went on again: "'This gentlemau, u t *ri«w. no doubt, under your instroctions, or those of Messrs: Ackerman, was prepared to make all provisions for Mrs Erskine's immediate departure for Europe. Mrs Erskiiie, at my suggestion, asked him to dinner Ihat evening. In view of the crave necessities of the situation T took thp liberty of bringing both Mrs Er?kine and Dr. Oben-Yu in my ya<iif to Nagasaki. Th oil earned dno tor is bow under arrest n.-; a spy. and will probably bo scntencpd to death. Ho has. hotvevcr. Iwen ofTered thn opportiniity of purchasing his life upon certain ter:iTf;. to whiclt he >cems to agree. Mi*s Rrskine is at present the cups ; . of the admiral romraafldins: the port. Her hvishand has been wireri t.v: and will .join her in a few days. I am authorised 10 say that he no longer considers himself ertber in the service of your firm or under any obligation to it.'"' "Then I presume. Sir Victor, that you will keep the other part of our bargain and at once lake steps to procure the extradition of Mr Arthur Erskine on the charge of forgery?" , said Sir Julias anq-Hly. 'TerPOTiaTry. I am not po very sure about that. * But when you have heard the we enn consult about it." He went on: "•With regard to the threats contained in yoiir message to Mrs Krskinc. I have to inform yon. and reque>t, you to inform Messrrs Aekennan, that if arty attempt is made to carry them ent ike folkmrng poneeqaeaees will immediately rpsult. Thee Japrsaese Government will at once make public tie irbok story

of your connection with ihe. stealing e\ the Frrarh «übaiftrin« L'Anotrrra-.' which fs> afterwards stolen from vov. >iy thfi-Prinef=s Zaida Dorosma. and i» now p.T the disposition of the Russian authorities at Port Artlinr. At the s-arnp timr. t!ic connection existing between Messrs Aekpnnaa r.nd Dr. ChenYu. who acted as ihrir =py in Port Arthur, and ' o:r:ir;T.ies*?d the tart of the presence o"f the submarine to Sir Julius Ackerman, will 5.1.-"> be made public. As both Sir Juliu* and Mr Randal AcVer- , man ar< , na;unli*-"d British subjects. I need not >pe:-ify the punishment which I the British < Jov.-rr.nient would be im- : pei' -d to ir.ri: ■ frr Mt:h a flagrant I breach of jii+.-niai ionsil !?.\r. Comj nnink-.uions will al.-n be mad? to the : Fvrr.h. nnmia'i. :>iu! Russian Governjni':::.- , whjeli w',',l rnynpel them to ta!; 0 j f!i r M-v--rc-l mo-i'iirf- to pui ar. end to Ij( r-onspirycy wl, 1- !: I:.;- tor its object the i impHcafion of ' l-.r- I'owevs named in i» j var v.-'iicii wir.dd !■• nothing le.-w tha:; ;j t-atiistrnpli! , ' ' iii human race. .1 I !>i;:y r\(J'! ihr.t '. i ;:. tin , inoar.s at my ■ (';. ;x>>ni to make -•■'': a war impOTPible: I : T v.- : -h tn \...;- : \ou that if any z- r- ' ■■ ■• wh.iTOTi'r is I;.':en by yourself or i --: villicr in this mattpr \ • with repaid in Mr and Mrs Arthur i'r-kij;." , . you will he h"ld personally res -i"n.--tblp. and v.lirn tho It-rm? of imj iM'isonnn'nl tn which ynu will certainly In- sciHpm-cd = tl f.ich an event have expired, you will be deal; with as t*neraies of the human race and abolished. End?. 1 Mark HiJlycT." "' "7Tnit. orentlrmen. i« the rommunioation.'" sail! Sir \"ictor. orettinp; up ami putting the cable , and th. n 1 r.mslation on t b> , table, "and now. 1 suppose, the next (;ue=;!inn i> what are we troinjr to do about it ?" CHAPTER VI. KXTLANATORY. In order to fully unders'ts.nd ti)o developments which followed the delivery of .Uark Hillyer's ultimatum to Fir \"i( , for and the .-\i"k;rman?. it will b< , mvessary to make a brief review of the .sccr.o of aei ion. As pvoryone knows, the Japanese flee.t. in consequence of its readiness to strike the iirst blow and hit hard, had practically paralysed the Russian nova! lorn* in the I'nr Kas!. As appearr-d a'lcnvards, tlie Port Arthur fleot hn-l bfPii pu; out of yft ion with tho exeepii<in ot three rrui.-er« and some 12 or 1.1 torpedo boats anil d".-troyers. and the forts had not only been very seriously ditma.t'fd, but had boon compelled by the constantly repeated bombardments to ■■■- p<>nd in \ery little advantage Ihe everdiminishing supply of hea\y ammunition ,i.-h could noi be renewed save from ...■ Lius.sjan arsenals onoo mile?: away. <>n the other ha mi. by a curious irony f>i' ni(e, the .la;iane*c ilcff did most of its with liussian ammunition, of which .WOO (-.us had been captured during the lirp! week of The war. 'Die mines a. fie southern entrance of f.i" hafboi! l;:(il ii"ru countermined hv 1 lie .lapa i.->.ss\ wifn rlir rp-uli that a ■■•■"■'"i cicr*".v v -v roinr: oui to nr.it-.rr, had zr>'. t:\o\-v. our of thf wrtfpr. :sf .er which fS> n";ii!niMe erujsors had -n-en practiraj; ioc..-.- d up. »incp it would hrcp he-'n m.-i ;■:"-,. ;n attempt to take ihem cy.'.t until fro ::i;nc; were destroyed. I At Vl.idivosiok tb-"re werp four pow ,".rful rniipor..-, n d •./,.-, tr-rpo'lo boats, an' \ five destroyer-;. Th;s .squadron had ! m.'idf two cxf-ursinris to sea and r , ■ tamed without doing any damag-e to the enemy beyond ihc capinrr of a merchant stpaaior and the .sinking of ano;Vr. The ic.--brpflkprs had to bo constaTn.l;.--cnployi'i Li k'pp .", course open to Ihe f-a.. and ihi.-i me.nvt a vrr fcriortf; oxn:r>ditmr oi coal which could bi illar r ord e-.-l. !' will lv reniK'i! jer,-4 vhai. ditring iht i ehelTnvt f>' '»'ladivopsf,V< by a portion ot the dspaaesr fleet, the Mermaid went ' uTider the ico. blr\-- up halT a down "borbrtatfi and destroyer*, citi t-he mines sdH ex-.;;:niir,i the <o jdrtirm of thp bot- , tr.m-K of the crtii.iprs. which were found :ro be ?o foul with bamacies and sea- | weed f'iint it was pririent that, their ] -ipr'f'd voulii he yen- ninoh reduced. For open s.-a figlitiny. trherefore. tbey eoulj not be ciTiPiderod a match for even !cs., powerful ,1 ipniiFsr s-hips. wbich , could In , put into dock in rotation and 1 kept in thorontrh -c-.icroing trim. ; 1 r must bo remembered f'hat in Ruro- ! pp.a-7i waters il i=. calcubi t-cd that a . month a 1 sea v.akes a knot off tho speed iof a ship. In Eastern waters, owing to ! tho greater rapidity of the fouling-, this ! lo?.- is almost trebled, and therefore, .is the riUHrdar.> ham only one dock at Vladivostok capable of t-aking a largo '•warship and one .=inall floatinrr flock SOO ffict long, ;inrl only one <ifx-k at Port Aγ- ! tbur. which \ra.s oc.i-upipd by the crip- : pled cmi.ser Pnilada. thi« meant- <vi enor- ■ mous disadvantage, since •lapa.n pos- ' s<-.5,-;ps eijrhl rlockyarris in which almost ;my -!iip a.fioat on be cleaned and re-

fifefpd. I r>n land the situation preppnted sonif- ■ what. similar fixtures. .!;»p,m. having .>; iined r-.-mrmuid <m t-he sen., had been 'i.i'ifi.lv i-.ont'pnuatinjr her troops in all f ■-..■• lie=f strati-gii.- positions in Korea,! bi"to iii the ordinary course f>f fvcnt.i tlie final i--u<'s of the war would have bfen decided. She was also prepared with a suttieienry of transports and fcroops to make an efficient landing on thr two side.* of the , peninsula of Port Arbhur, and at The head of the Gulf of Liao-fong to isohut-p tup ferferotss, an-1 hud already lanck'd a eonsi'iierable foT( % » in Possip-t Bay To litr«i<en ihe j ir.Tid commimirariocs of Tladivo-itok. | On the ofiCT hand, Cli p concen-tration j of the Russian t.roop.-t had ht-p.n proceed- ', iiitC ttt slowly, and most .>f the raili- ' ta.rr camp.-; were in a doplorable con- I dirion in oonsecjuencv of official eoiTuption and rncapacity. For y«ii"S tJie Russian CTOvprnment : had been aeriunnlaiiDg stores of food : and fodder i-i view of the inevitable invasion of Korea and the hoped-for con- | qisesl of -lap:in. Hi!!, when war ao-tually crime, the food store- and granaries and ■ j the ajnnitinirion depots had beeu forird | j eitiiPi" empty <n - snppliiMi. | [ Tlinuvands of ir.en were brhig carried j ; eastward a~ possibilities of ■ I V.it< railway permitted. and froni Moscow to Mukden they found ihemI s-e.lves fared hy th' , mo-i ferrVbk? enemy I thai the soldier has in right — General j j Famine.. ! llt the old -lory over again. A= i Napoleon sail v.hh all the truth, of his vast experience. "An army fights on its stomach!' , A starving m<.»i is of no i more use on the field of bat-ftie than he is ' el»e. nnd unless full proTL=io:i for food and sunitatinn have be;n made I before band, every rejriment that is put i into the -Immilv moan.- more.men to die befwe rhey h?vo had r, chance of 'firing a t\ir>l of ~tr.'.:iif- ft blow." j Added to t'li?. -I,ipanese agents, dis- | cruised -= rhi-.nrhn=f.=. K;:lkas. Tsit.^ihar? ianl Chinese poolie*. h.id b«-»en working ! <iy man"-' months s'.anj the raihvay. and had Lakpn the precaiJtiorj to insert dy- : ns.TTsih« cartridges among fch« brides and stoßos of *he aod &« ac- ■ ddent affcer acrid*rrt, resper*ed in I th-e papers, had taken place to the disastroas hindrance $i transport.

Bui both on sea and land, the nr- I -an p: em puts of the Japane-r , had been ; *hH">?i perfect as regards supplies an.l i equipment. In short, everything point- \ ed to th-e .speedf victory of the well- i •rated, well-fed small man. who was prp- ! ■pared to hit out hard and straight at i I close quarters, over the big man, srarv;r\rr [ 'and i!l-armed, whn could only strike ; slowly and from a distance, when tht , . appearance of tuc Pea-Snake on the , scer.e of r.cti-n completely changed the i ! conditions of the war. ; I hi a couple of hours Japan lo~t thp ! command of the seas. The unseen b!o"v ■which sank the ("-hin_'-Van p.iral\ *c<l the navai poorer of the Island Kmpire at a stroke. Neither warship nor transport cc-uld approach Fort Arthur no; , Vladi-ivo*'-"k witho-Jt the riJk >.vift- and LiUcr dpstrac'.ion. The her«elt was a- helpless as the Uim.-iest torpedo-' loat—and tiys i;r.<; n terror of the i si«as i-ould jro on s::!';"rag ship after ship ias inrAr a* her torpedoes hold out. ani I then jr'o away to sonic -.mknown deetina- ! tion to refill her rragazines and then I come back to work the same ruin over again. T'is was it he reason why wariiko operations seemed to come to a dead stop about the end of March. The world looked on, thinking that the two cornb^i :\nts were pimply preparing for the tinal movements wiicli would brinif J them into death-jrrips: and this, jn ■ piitc anotbpr pen.so. %va.s perfect.'y t.rue. ■. What the world did no! know was the nature of the- commission which the ' Mikado's Government had given to Mark Hillypr, and the means which h: , was iroiiig t" make u*c of to carry it ' out. (To be continued )