CAPTAIN ALTEN'S Torpedo Expedition.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2543, 27 October 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

CAPTAIN ALTEN'S Torpedo Expedition.

AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR IN 1891

CHAPTER 11. (continued).

In about half-an-hour ho returned breathless, aud a most anxious expression on his face. "Sir,'' he gasped out, "as ill-luck will have it, the three gentleman are at this moment away from Auckland !" "Where?" demanded tho Colonel sternly. " Mr Brown is ill in Napier ; Mr Jones is up ths country on a special survey, and Mr Robinson is at Te Awamutu attending his son's wedding. Wo have sent off at once for him, but meantime, and before we can get the torpedoes ready, the enemy may be upon us !" " Too true !" muttered the Colonel.

" But how do you suppose they have managed it all so quietly ? tho Russians I mean ; how did they spring a mine on us this way ?" asked Captain Alten. "Just the way I have always said," answered the old Colonel, a note of triumph in his tone. Precious time may be being wasted; valuable lives may be sacrificed as a consequence ; but oh ! the glory iu that supreme moment of being able to say, '•I told you so," and the Colonel went on. " I always said Russia would have everything ready before she declared war at all. A few innocent-looking men-of-war hanging about the most important colonial ports, only waiting a given signal to cut the cables; then war declared, and before we have even heard of it, the Are is on us!" " But how do you suppose the Russian vessels would hear, and we iu port not?" pursued Allen, " Simply enough," returned the older man. " A cypher is arranged in a mercantile sort of way, or anyway you like that will avert suspicion. Each vessel has to call at a telegraphic station at certain fixed times. At one of these calls, Government has arranged that tho message, "cut all cables five days from now, and attach your vessel iu a set port within eight days, or seven, or whatever number was necessary to ensure simultaneous action, from this date."

Then Russia waited the five days; declared war, and, of course, we were in ignorance." " That's not a bad idea, Colonel, but I do not suppose it was done as simply as that," said the captain, " but how about the Chinese ?" " Oh ! there is no doubt that for some time Russia has been quietly taking them in hand. She owes the colonies a grudge, and is glad to hear it and enrich herself with Chinese and our gold at the same time." "But who is this?" he broke off, as Ronayne entered with scant ceremony. He had heard about tho torpedoes, and a grand idea had come to him. Ho had been engaged as special artist (by his own request) in one or two African wars, where his wife had invariably been his companion, and, thoroughly tired of idleness, ho now promptly sought and found the representative of the daily " Waikato Times," and offered his services, which were at once accepted. Whilst thinking over a good place from which to view operations, the grand idea referred to dawned on him, and he proceeded to what was at once called the " War Office," to lay it before the military authorities. It was briefly this. There was one torpedo boat, and with this he proposed an effort should be made, somewhere near the Little Barrier, to disable tho Russian vessel e'er she should proceed further up the entrance to the harbour. The plan was quickly discussed, for there was, probably no time to spare, if it was to be carried into execution. Finally, it was decided to risk the attempt, and experienced volunteers were at once called for.

Captain Alten offered his services as leader. He knew all that coast perfectly well, and had as much knowledge as anyone present of torpedo theories. Of actual practice, who knows much ? They are uncanny creatures, these torpedos, and are apt to slip through the fingers, and run about the water at their own powdery will, re-appearing oft-times where they are not looked for, and very likely not wanted. A sufficient number of mhn was speedily obtained, and they received orders to embark as soon as ever the boat was ready. Captain Alten asked for half-an-hour's leave, and drove home at a rapid pace. . Clernence was there, walking up and down the pretty boudior which commanded a view of the sea, in a state of grea f . agitation. Five o'clock tea had just been brought in by the footman, but remained untouched. It was a cloudy evening, and darkness was fast gathering over the sea and land.

Howard Alten knew well, that it must not be long before he and his men were on their way to carry out their perilous undertaking; but his heart shrank at the task that lay before him first. The fact of running into danger was nothing at all to him ; but for his wife, he would rather have enjoyed the expedition. But what would she say ? How could he break the news to her loving heart? He had often read that it is far the harder part to sit at home and wait, and somehow, as his foot trod slowly and softly on the richlycarpeted stairs, he seemed for the first time to realize its truth. He felt he could not then, have borne to change places with Mrs Alten. But then women are more used to possessing their souls in patience, than are men. The brave captain opened the boudoir door, and in an instant his dearly-loved wife was in his arms. He kissed her fondly several times, and then said : "Darling, do you know that you are a soldier's wife, practically, I mean?"

She hid her face on his military coat for an answer. " Clemence," ho went on tenderly, " if our dear country was iti danger, and I could help her, would you not tell me to go?" Clemence raised her head and gazed into his grave face for a second ; then, flinging her arms round his neck, she cried, "No! never, never!" Gently ho tried to reason with her; but she would not listen to his platitudes about honour and patriotism. Tho weeping and wailing wives are always told that it is for their good the men kill each other; it is to preserve peace that nations go to war ; it is to keep half the world smiling, and rich and happy that the other half causes bitter lamentation, poverty and misery by fighting. Oh ! may the blood that has been caused to be shed by jealous monarchs, avaricious politicans, ambitious statesmen, or others of the self-seeking, ignoble, unpatriotic crowd, who cause wars, rise, one day in a gory, awful flood, which, unless they repent, shall overwhelm them.

But would that now, a little spirit could go and whisper in the ears of monarchs and statesmen throughout the world, "whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed." But what use is it to write about the evils of war! Men will fight, and if women were in command of affairs, they would also see the absolute necessity of having some one's gore ! Let ns back to action. But first the bitter parting must come ! that no fond looks can make sweet ! that no arguments can compel Clemence Alten to own right. " Howard," she murmured through her sobs, " Howard you promised sacredly to love and cherish me, and now, just when I need you most, you run away and leave me

"Clemence!" and our brave captain drew himself up for a second to his full height of six feet, then bent lovingly over the pure white face resting, as if exhausted with the struggle, on his shoulder ; "my own darling I must leave you. It is right I should go. How could I protect you if I stayed here, and the enemy advancing on the town? No, sweet one, if I can stop that advance at all, surely I shall be more truly cherishing you than by remaining mewed up in my lady's bower!" "You shall not go, Howard; you shall not leave me ! Oh ! it will kill me to think of you out there." She glanced with a shudder towards the sea, " nearly alone, in one of those dreadful little boats and Russians tiring at you, and, perhaps great Heavens! perhaps wounding you, or worse !' Her voice died away in a perfect agony of sobs, then went on : "Stay! darling Howard, if you love me, stay, will you ?" and the lovely pachetic eyes were raised to his, in passionate pleading. It was almost more than Ilowart Alten could endure. " I must go !" he repeated, "good-bye my own sweet wifie !" But Clemence seemed unable to speak. Her slender frame was shaken by her deep sorrow, and she had quite lost her self-command. Her husband fervently kissed her again, and murmured, "good-bye my precious Clemence," then gently disengaging himself from her clinging arms, turned to leave the room. Then it came home to the poor little bride that her husband was actually leaving her to encounter she knew not what peril. With one piercing shriek of "Howard! Howard!" she fell in a swoon on tho floor. Captain Alten rushed towards her, raised her head from the floor, and placed a cushion under it. " Better part so, my darling !" ho murmured, "I could not stand this scene again," and he stooped and printed many kisses on the beautiful unconscious face, then rose up, a deep despair in his heart, a look of intense sadness in his eyes. He rang the bell loudly, and going to the door desired the housekeeper and lady's maid should at once attend to their fainting mistress. Then he ordered the carriage to take her to her mother's, with a request that they would all drive to a relation of theirs living fourteeen miles from Auckland, Having done all lie could for his wife's safety and comfort, Captain Alten jumped into his cab, and was driven back to the depot, leaving on the boudoir carpet, happily unconscious of her loss, the being dearest to him on earth. Such is war. (To be Continued.)