Within ten days of the sinking of the _Vlodoya_ Europe was electrified
by the news, published far and wide through the English and
Continental press, of what amounted to a pitched battle between two
armed private yachts in mid-Atlantic. As may well be imagined, the
strange narrative of the officers and sailors of the _Vlodoya_
lost nothing either in the telling to the interviewers or in the
reproduction in the newspapers.
The boats' crews had been picked up, about thirty-six hours after the
sinking of the Russian yacht, by a French liner, which took them to le
Havre. The officers had taken the greatest precautions to prevent the
men from speaking too freely, but it was no use. There were two
journalists, one an Englishman and the other an American, on board the
boat, and they agreed to divide the sensation between themselves and
their two countries. Both were in the service of wealthy journals, and
they bribed as freely as they did unscrupulously, with the result
that, in addition to the general gossip of the ship, which was more or
less accurate, they each possessed a fairly comprehensive narrative of
what had happened on the high seas between the _Nadine_ and the
_Vlodoya_, both of which were speeding over the wires to America and
Canada within half-an-hour of the liner's arrival at le Havre.
But the Englishman did even better than this, for he practically
kidnapped the third engineer of the _Vlodoya_, who could speak very
good French, chartered a special steamer to Southampton, pumped him
absolutely dry on the passage, and turned up at midnight at the office
of his paper with a column and a half of vividly-written description
of the most sensational event that had taken place on the high seas
since the affair of the _Trent_ during the American war.
The presses were stopped, the matter was set up with lightning speed,
and by the next morning that journalist had achieved the biggest scoop
of the twentieth century. The news agencies immediately wired extracts
all over the Continent, and meanwhile the news had been leaking out
through other sources in France, for passengers will talk, and the
captain was bound to make his formal report as to the picking up of
the castaways; wherefore, within twenty-four hours the whole
Continental press was teeming with interviews, more or less authentic,
leading articles, and notes on the subject of this astounding
occurrence. Two Russian newspapers published a few meagre details, and
were promptly suppressed.
The _Globe_, in a leader on what it termed the "astonishing
intelligence published by a morning contemporary," put the matter very
concisely, and with its usual clearness and insight into foreign
affairs.
"We have here," said the writer, "not only one of the most
astonishing, but one of the most significant incidents of modern
times--an incident which, almost incredible as it is, is nevertheless
the more significant when taken in conjunction with other contemporary
events, of which our readers have been kept constantly informed. It is
not customary for either Russian or English private yachts to carry
guns, and it is somewhat unusual for a Russian yacht, owned by a
well-known Russian ex-Minister of State, to start, as we know the
_Vlodoya_ did, from Southampton on a cruise to the Baltic, stop at
Cherbourg, and then turn up in the middle of the Atlantic. But what is
the world to think when this yacht, the property of a nobleman high in
favour at the Court of St Petersburg, deliberately opens fire on a
yacht owned by an English nobleman, whose guest the owner of the
_Vlodoya_ had been but a few days before? Perhaps even more amazing
is the fact that the English yacht replied in kind; crippled her
opponent, took the owner and his daughter prisoners, set the crew
adrift, sank her adversary, and vanished. Viscount Branston's yacht
was, we understand, bound for Halifax, with two distinguished French
ladies on board. A cable just to hand informs us that nothing has been
heard of her, although she should have arrived there nearly a week
ago. With some reluctance we feel compelled to ask whether there is
any connection between this extraordinary occurrence and the
mysterious electrical works which, as is well known, are being
constructed, at enormous expense, by a syndicate of which both
Viscount Branston and his father, the Earl of Orrel, are prominent
members. There have been many strange and wild rumours current about
this enterprise within the last few months, and we confess that this
almost incredible incident appears to lend some countenance to them.
"In the same connection, it is necessary to call attention to the fact
that, just as this enterprise was approaching completion, France and
Russia both equipped a so-called scientific expedition for the purpose
of once more attempting to force a passage to the North Pole. We do
not profess to have any inside knowledge as to these mysterious
proceedings, but we confess that we should not be greatly surprised if
it would not be more correct to read 'magnetic pole' for 'north pole'.
It is impossible to see anything other than an international
significance. Noblemen of different nationalities do not nowadays go
out on to the high seas to fight naval duels to arrange their private
differences; wherefore it appears that either the _Vlodoya_ was a
common pirate outside the law of nations, and yet owned by a Russian
ex-Minister, who was on board when the act of piracy was committed, or
she was a privateer acting under the licence of the Russian
Government. We, in common with the whole civilised world, shall await
with the utmost anxiety the immediate development of this wholly
unparalleled state of affairs."
The world waited for about a week, and heard nothing. The British
Foreign Office made its usual timid and tentative representation, and
received the usual snub, to the effect that the Russian Government was
investigating the matter as fully as possible, but had so far only
arrived at the fact that the English yacht fired first.
But the plots and counterplots and the steady preparations which had
been going on for the working out or the defeating of the great scheme
were now about to bear fruit, and the world was not to be lacking in
sensations such as it had never experienced before.
No sooner did the German Government learn the story of the duel
between the _Nadine_ and the _Vlodoya_ than its secret agents began to
put two and two together, and make their representations accordingly.
Ex-Captain Victor Fargeau was known to have been an intimate friend of
Adelaide de Conde, who was a guest on board the _Nadine_, and,
further, to have been in close communication with Count Valdemar, the
owner of the _Vlodoya_. He had left his country, taken up his
residence in Paris, and had been proved to be in close touch with
General Ducros. All this was significant enough, but when the
cleverest of all the German agents in Paris found out that ex-Captain
Victor Fargeau, late of the German Army, had been appointed to the
scientific command of the French Polar Expedition, darkness became
light, and a peremptory demand was sent from Berlin to Paris for his
immediate extradition on the previous charge of high treason.
To this Paris returned a polite but uncompromising refusal, and Berlin
promptly said that if the expedition sailed with ex-Captain Fargeau on
board, a German squadron would stop it and take him off. To this
France replied by mobilising the Northern Squadron and ordering the
Admiral in command to escort the expedition to sea and protect it
against assault at all hazards. Paris also sent Berlin a curt Note
intimating that if the threat were carried out it would be taken as a
declaration of war.
Another Note arrived at Berlin about the same time from Petersburg,
informing the German Kaiser that these French and Russian Polar
Expeditions formed a joint enterprise on the part of the two
countries, and that any act hostile to the one would be considered
hostile to the other. The Note also plainly hinted that, considering
the tremendous nature of the issues involved by a breach of the
international peace, such a trivial matter as the extradition of a
person accused of treason could not possibly under the circumstances
afford a valid reason for what would be to all intents and purposes an
act of war.
Within twenty-four hours a powerful French squadron was manoeuvring
off the mouth of the Kiel Canal, just out of range of the forts; the
French Polar Expedition, with Victor Fargeau on board, was making its
way at full speed down the English Channel; the Russian expedition,
headed by the _Ivan the Terrible_, passed the North Cape on its
way to the coast of Greenland; and four millions of Russians and
Frenchmen of all arms were massed on the eastern and western frontier
of Germany. At the same moment Kaiser Wilhelm called upon his brother
sovereigns of Austria and Italy, and the Triple Alliance stood to arms
by land and sea. In a word, the European powder-magazine was lying
wide open, and the firing of a single shot would have turned it into a
volcano.
Still the weeks dragged on, till the tension became almost
unendurable. According to an old North of England saying, "One was
afraid and t'other daren't start," the risks were so colossal.
Great Britain meanwhile kept her own counsel, and went on sweeping up
the remnant of the rebel Boers in South Africa. The only precaution
she had taken was to place every effective ship in the Navy in
commission.
It was at this juncture that Europe experienced a new sensation. In
one memorable week English, American, French, German, Austrian, and
Italian liners from American ports brought packages of the strangest
proclamation that ever was issued, and in the mail-bags of the same
boats there were similar communications addressed to all the
Chancelleries of Europe, and these were of a character to shake the
official mind to its very foundations, as in fact they ultimately did.
The communications, both public and private, took the form of a modest
circular dated from the offices of the International Electrical Power
and Storage Trust, Buffalo, N.Y. Those which were addressed to the
crowned heads of Europe were accompanied by autograph letters
respectfully requesting the personal attention of the monarch to the
contents of the circular. The circular ran as follows:--
The Secretary of the International Electrical Power and Storage
Trust is directed by his Board of Managers to inform the ruling
sovereigns and peoples of Europe of the following facts, and to
request their most serious attention to the same:--
_A._ The Directors of the Trust view with great concern the
formidable military and naval preparations which have lately been
made by the Powers of Europe. In their opinion, these preparations
point to a near outbreak of hostilities on such an immense scale
that not only must a vast expenditure of blood and money be
inevitable, but the commerce of the world will be most injuriously
affected.
_B._ This Trust is a business concern. Its Directors have no
international sympathies whatever, and they don't want war. At the
same time, if the Powers of Europe are determined to fight, the
Trust will permit them to do so on payment of a capitation fee of
the equivalent in the money of each respective country of one
dollar per head of effective fighting men in the field per
week--fees to be paid into the Bank of England within seven days
after the commencement of hostilities. A liberal allowance will be
made for killed and wounded if official returns are promptly sent
to the London office of the Trust, 56_b_ Old Broad Street, London,
E.C.
_C._ Prompt attention to the foregoing paragraphs is earnestly
requested for the following reasons:--(1) The Trust has acquired
control of the electrical forces of the Northern Hemisphere, and
is, therefore, in a position to make all the operations of
civilised life, including warfare, possible or impossible, as its
commercial arrangements may demand. (2) One week from the date
above will be given for the Powers of Europe to settle their
differences without fighting or to accede to the terms offered by
the Trust. Failing this, the Northern Hemisphere, with certain
exceptions, will be deprived of its electrical force. The
consequences of this will be that cables and telegraphs will cease
to work, and all machinery constructed of iron or steel will break
down if operated. Railroads will become useless, and bridges of
metallic construction will collapse as soon as any considerable
weight is placed upon them.
_D._ Finally, I am directed to state that, in addition to these
results, it is unhappily probable that the withdrawal of
electrical force will very seriously affect the health of the
populations of the Northern Hemisphere. Death-rates will very
largely increase, and it is probable that a new disease unknown to
medical science will make its appearance. It is expected to be
fatal in every case, if the terms of the Trust are not complied
with, but it will first affect the young and the weakly. It is,
therefore, to be hoped that considerations of humanity, if not of
policy, will induce the peoples and the Governments of Europe to
accede without delay to the conditions which I have the honour to
submit.
As may well be imagined, this seemingly preposterous circular was
received either with derision or contemptuous silence in every capital
of Europe save Paris. There its import was only too well-known, but at
the same time it was impossible for France alone among the nations to
acknowledge herself the vassal of the Trust. In Petersburg something
of the truth was known; but the Government, confident of the success
of the two expeditions, just dropped the communication into the
official waste-paper basket and went on with its naval and military
preparations.
Everything depended upon the six vessels which were steaming towards
Boothia Land reaching their goal and accomplishing their mission. If
they succeeded, Europe would be plunged into the bloodiest war that
had been fought since the days of Napoleon. If they failed, the war
would be stopped by an invisible, but irresistible, force, and
humanity would be astounded by the accomplishment of such a miracle of
science as it had never seen before.