CAPTAIN ALTEN'S Torpedo Expedition.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2549, 10 November 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

CAPTAIN ALTEN'S Torpedo Expedition.

AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR IN 1891

BY MRS W. RATTRAY. CHAPTER IV. Was it to be expected that tho war vessel should meekly receive a puny attempt to disable her ? She was well furnished with some of the latest improvements in the way of wholesale slaughter and total destruction, and could by a few shells containing charges of melinite have wrecked the city and suburbs of Auckland in an incredibly short space of time. Of the fearful loss of life that would have ensued, we will say nothing, seeing that, most fortunately, it did not take place. For the Voluski contented herself with directing one pneumatic gun at the impudent and puny-like fort; not so much with the intention of smashing it all to pieces, as to act as a salutary warning to any other guns that might feel inclined to follow her example, that they had better hold their peace.

But, though that most alarming explosion was merely intended as a pretaste of what would come of further resistance, terrible indeed was its effect. The hope of Auckland's military and naval sons— Fort Cautley—was laid low, and her guns silenced completely. Of the gallant men engaged in the defence works at the North Head not one escaped to toll the awful tale. Bits of arms, legs and heads were carried great distances. The beautiful mansions and villas, with which all that coast was well covered, were shattered, and most of them razed to the ground ! In Auckland windows were broken, tall chimney's fell, and a good deal of damage was done.

What wonder then that it dawned on even the most defence-gone-mad volunteer that resistance was utterly hopeless. Accordingly a steamer well-weighted, and bearing a most conspicuouslydisplayed white flag, shot out from the wharf, and interviewed the Russian commander. He was extremely courteous, regretted the painful necessity that he had been under of teaching their fair city a lesson of submission by demolishing the pretty peninsula, and he waved his hand towards the poor desolate North Shore, but he would anchor in the stream until daylight, an:l after breakfast would lie most happy to communicate with them. Meantime, a guard of Russian soldiers would take charge of their banks, and answer to 1 >iit* for the safe custody of whatever might be in them.

What could be dune ? Nothinir, of course, aud it was an cxtremi-ly pleasant sight for the merchants and trade.men, and gentlefolks of this rich city, to behold those soldit-rs in actual po.-session of the keys of their wealth. And, meantime, what of the Ronnynes ? " Its no use following where Alten has gone," said VVinthrop, " let us come over this way ; we shall get a view of till that is to be seen, anyway. Iftiuey that little cove and the torpedo boat will make rather a £ood sketch." The men followed them, and the party had not proceeded very far, before the thunder of the fort guna'shook the air. " That's the question !" said Ilonayne ; " But listen to the answer !" And iS- came, overthrowing the whole group, and bringing on their doomed heads a large building, near which they had halted. Being slightly iu advance, Mr and Mrs Ronayne were not so completely buried as the others. Some hours after daylight, a search-party was organised for the unfortunate torpedo enterprisers. They would have been looked after, sooner, only that it was nobody's business in particular, and the public and private mind was completely engrossed by the Russian-Chinese question. Mr Alten, senior, had first roused the enquiry. He had been early at the Waroffice, anxiously demanding his son, and would have taken a small boat and crossed

over to search for his boy himself, had not a Russian sentinel informed him that he believed till all was arrauged, no one would be permitted to leave the city on any account. So poor Mr Alten had to curb his paternal anxiety as best lie could, and when at length permission was given to go uud search for the missing , , quite a little crowd of sorrowing relatives had assembled on the wharf to go over and look for 'my Bill,' or ' my Jack,' or whatever the name might bo, amongst the ruins on the North Shoie. But ono of the authorities, who had seen something of the horrors of a battlefield, stepped forward and said he had orders from the Mayor that only a few male relations should bo allowed to go in the steamer. A medical man had at once volunteered his services. " Not that I think I can bo of the slightest use to those poor fellows yonder, but it is right to give them every chance." His words were heard by a pale, tadfaced woman near him, and she at once broke out into bitter lamentation and sobbing, which was joined in by most of the others whose husbands, fathers or brothers had spent that fatal eveuing at Fort Cautley. Arrived at the other side, the scene of destruction and desolation was heartrending. A prolonged search for bodies at length revealed, one arm protruding from under a mass of debris. A closer examination showed that there was also a human body, but whether dead or alive, it was impossible to say. An hour's hard work, and the stones and wood were sufficiently removed to enable them to drag out the unfortunate volunteer. It was Captain Alteu. The surgeon used his utmost efforts to restore animation, and was rewarded by a faint groan from the white, parched lips. His escape had been most miraculous. As soon as he had told the officer at the fort of his failure, and notified him of the enemy's presence, he had turned his horse and galloped rapidly down the hill, meaning to make his way to the wharf, and, if possible, get a boat to row him to Auckland. But at the first sound of the guns, his horse had suddenly reared, and then plunged forward in wild alarm. Captain Alten was thrown against a massive stone wall at the side of the road. Behind it was a tall wooden building. Some of those large beams fell over the stone work, breaking iD down in places, but, fortunately for the captain forming a shelter over him, so that, though buried under the debris, he escaped with no worse injury tlian a broken leg and a few severe cuts, lie was probably rendered unconscious by the fall from his horse, as he knew nothing of the Russian shell. The surgeon skilfully bandaged his broken limb with the appliances aX his disposal, and very carefully he was carried to the steamer. The wharf was completely wrecked, and it was a matter of no slight difficulty to get him on board. He was at once taken on to Auckland, and the search-party pursued their way. Presently they came upon the two Ronaynes. They were terribly disfigured, and quite dead. It was conoluded that Winthrop had lived a

minute or so longer than his wife, an liis hand was stretched out as though trying to grasp hers, which lay, crushed and mangled, within a couple of inches of his fingers. Death had been kind, and had not parted those two loving hearts. Further on, they found what, after some discussion, they decided was the head of anothor journaliHt, and at some distance, the bjjj? waa diecovered. Othors had taken refuge when the firet shots were fired, in some of the houses, and were, consequently crushed to death. Nearer tho fort, some blackened remains of what had ouce been, brave men, but were now totally mi-recognizable object greeted tho searchers. But why dwell on these necessary resuits of war ? Lee us cross over to Auckland again, and see how she likes her present submissive position, The indemnity demanded by the Russian commander was sufficiently heavy to cause a good many people to declare they would lather take their domestic pokers, (other weapons were terribly scarce), and make an attack themselves on the armed guard at the Banks themselves, than submit to such exorbitant and infamous proposals ! Said one pompous old merchant prince, Mr Peterkin by name. " Why didn't we let the Russians have the benefit of our torpedoes, and sink them before they came up to the wharf?" "My dear sir," returned ths Mayor, "you know as well as I do, that the absence of certaiu gentlemen prevented our getting the torpedo service ready in time. And I am informed that those torpedoes we have are no use against the modern man-of-war." " Well," persued the irate old gentleman, " why did they fire from Fort Cantley ; why didn't we give up at once ? She mightn't have made such unreasonable demands," and the rich man groaned deeply.

"It was a mistake," said the Major, briefly, " but never mind now, we must consider our present position.

They did consider, aud they sat up all niglit, talking, but there was no way of escape, accept by acceding to the foe's demands. ISo, sullenly, reluctantly, and under senseless protest, the money whs paid, and the Chinese were allowed to take possession of the North Shore, to be a perpetual thorn in the flesh to the poor Auck landers.

JS'ici; for us, wasn't it?

Anil so, tne brave ship, " Voluski" steamed away, leaving the Chinese junk behind, just in ease the poor M ngoliarid should ever get liome-siek. B.it they seemed very happy and contented on tlieir little peninsula ; and being acoompaniid, in soni , .' cites, liy their wives,and in a few others, marrying white women, tln-y increased and multiplied in a way that was extremely annoying to their neighbours across the water. I'or poor Auckland the. times were indeed li.ird just llion, groaning under tlia heaviest taxation ever imposed it seenn-.d almost impossible at liri-t, that they could ever pay oil' the debts caused by Hu.-'rtia's voiip-dc-yrnco. But better days returned once more, and by the. time that C.iptain Alteu, after a very tedious painful illness, could walk into the city—almost all private carriages had to be put aside for the time at least —some hopeful peopie were beginning to see a golden light at the further end of the long tunnel of debt, darkness and coinmerical depression, into which the energetic Russians had driven the unfortunate New Zealanders. [The End.]