AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.
"Andy, I am going to see the Secretary of the Navy, and at once."
"About your submarine boat, Oscar?"
"Yes."
"I thought you had written to him about it."
"So I have, but the Old Harry knows what has become of the letter."
"More than likely they thought your scheme that of a wild-brained
inventor and cast the letter aside."
"So I've been thinking. I start for Washington to-morrow."
"Want me to go along?"
"No, I want you to remain here and take charge of that model, which is
in the storeroom at my boarding-house. If I telegraph to you, you come
on with the model, at once."
So it was agreed, and that night saw Oscar Pelham whirling toward the
capital at the rate of eighty-five miles an hour, on what was known as
the Congressional Limited.
This train was a great favorite with politicians and on the cars Oscar
met many men who had known his father.
One in particular, Senator Forbish, from New York, became interested in
the young inventor, and asked him why he was making the trip.
"Going to try for a position in the navy, to follow in the footsteps of
your father?" he questioned.
"Yes and no," answered Oscar. "I will enter the navy if they will allow
me to do so in my own way."
"Then you are particular. Perhaps you wish the command of a ship." And
the senator smiled pleasantly.
"I do wish the command of a ship--but the ship must be of my own
designing."
Senator Forbish could readily see that Oscar was not joking, and he
asked the young man to explain himself, which Oscar did readily, for he
knew the senator was a power, both in military and in naval circles.
"And you say this boat will really work?" he questioned.
"Yes. The model worked perfectly when we tried her in Long Island
Sound."
"Such a submarine boat would be far in advance of the others which we
have lost."
"She would be, and that would mean that she would also be superior to
the submarine boats owned by our foreign foes."
"Then you must press this matter upon Secretary Short by all means."
"I shall do my best. But he may not be willing to listen to me. I
understand he is very busy."
"He is busy, but I will give you a letter to him which will insure you
an audience."
The senator was as good as his word. There was a stenographer and
typewriter on the train and he dictated a letter and signed it without
delay.
When Oscar reached Washington he found the entire city in a state of
suppressed excitement. The destruction of the American warships off New
York Harbor was on everybody's lips, and many predicted that the United
States would soon be at the mercy of her foreign foes.
"And they will show us no mercy," they declared. "They are too anxious
to see us broken to pieces. England will retake Canada, Mexico will go
to Spain, Russia will cry for Alaska, with its gold, while France and
Germany will want a slice of the Eastern coast and China and Japan a
slice of the Western."
When Oscar arrived at the office of the Secretary of the Navy he found
the cabinet officials busy in the extreme. Naval officers, politicians
and citizens looking after contracts filled the rooms and corridors,
and clerks and messengers were coming and going constantly.
"What is it you want?" demanded a clerk, as he met the young inventor
at the inquiry desk.
"I wish to see Secretary Short," was the answer.
"On what business?"
"That is a private matter."
"The secretary is very busy to-day; better call to-morrow."
"I think he will see me." And Oscar handed out his card.
"Hum! Does he know you?"
"No."
"Then I think you are mistaken. Nearly all strangers must first go and
see one or the other of his assistants."
"Here is a letter of introduction from Senator Forbish," continued
Oscar, with a quiet smile.
The face of the clerk immediately changed color.
"Oh--er--of course that makes a difference, Mr. Pelham. I will take
your card and the letter to the secretary at once."
The clerk dove through a swinging door and was gone the best part of
ten minutes.
"Secretary Short will see you at half-past three," he announced. "Be on
time if you want to make sure of your interview, and boil your business
down."
"I'll be on time, never fear."
Promptly at half-past three Oscar was admitted to the private office
of the Secretary of the United States navy.
It was a large apartment, handsomely fitted up, and on the walls hung
numerous charts of our coast defenses and pictures of war vessels.
In one corner rested several models of ships, including one of the
ill-fated Holland X.
"Well, young man, what can I do for you?" asked the secretary, as he
motioned the young inventor to a chair.
"Secretary Short, you can give me the opportunity to destroy some of
the foreign warships which are battling against us," answered Oscar.
"Eh? Er--what's that?" said the secretary, who feared he had not heard
aright.
"To be brief, sir, I am the son of the late Commodore David Pelham,
whom you, I think, knew fairly well. I am a practical electrician and
inventor. I have worked around shipyards for a number of years. I have
invented a submarine torpedo-boat, somewhat on the lines of the late
Holland, but with numerous changes, which I know will be beneficial. I
want to build this ship for the government and I want to be placed in
command of her when she is built."
The Secretary of the Navy stared at Oscar in amazement. "What, you!
Why, really you are--a very young man to talk in this fashion."
"That is true, sir. But if I prove that I have a boat superior to any
of the Hollands, will you take me up?"
"Certainly; we want the best ships, submarine and otherwise, that money
can buy. Expense is no object. But I have no time to waste now on
experiments. The war is on; we have already suffered a tremendous loss,
as you must know."
"I have a working model. At this time to-morrow, if you'll say the
word, I'll have that model at the government experimental station and I
will show you how perfectly it works."
"You are positive you have a good thing?" And the secretary looked
sharply at the young inventor, as if to read his innermost thoughts.
"I am, sir."
"Then I will be at the station to see your model work, at five o'clock,
to-morrow."