The Conquest of America Part 28

"He's more than a prince," I said, "he's brilliant, but--I don't know how open-minded he is."

Edison drummed nervously on the table.

"If we were only dealing with a Bismarck or a von Moltke! Anyhow, unless he's absolutely narrow and obstinate--"

"Oh, no."

"Good! Where are the Committee of Twenty-one? In Chicago?"

"Yes."

"And the Crown Prince too?"

"Yes."

"We'll be there to-morrow and--listen! We can destroy the German fleet.

Widding's invention will do it. Poor Widding! It broke his heart to see America conquered when he knew that he could save the nation if somebody would only listen to him. But n.o.body would." Edison's deep eyes burned with anger. "Thank G.o.d, I listened."

It seemed like presumption to question Mr. Edison's statement, yet I ventured to remind him that several distinguished scientists had declared that the airship _America_ could not fail to destroy the German fleet.

"Pooh!" he answered. "I said the _America_ expedition would fail. The radio-control of torpedoes is uncertain at the best because of difficulties in following the guide lights. They may be miles away, shut off by fog or waves; but this thing of Widding's is sure."

"Has it been tried?"

"Heavens! No! If it had been tried the whole world would be using it.

After we destroy the German fleet the whole world will use it."

"Is it some new principle? Some unknown agency?"

He shook his head. "There's nothing new about it. It's just a sure way to make an ordinary Whitehead torpedo hit a battleship."

Although I was consumed with curiosity I did not press for details at this time and my companion presently relapsed into one of his long silences.

We reached Chicago the next afternoon and, as the great inventor left me to lay his plans before the Committee of Twenty-one, he thanked me earnestly for what I had done and asked if he could serve me in any way.

"I suppose you know what I would like?" I laughed.

He smiled encouragingly.

"Still game? Well, Mr. Langston, if the Committee approves my plan, and I think they will, you can get ready for another big experience. Take a comfortable room at the University Club and wait."

CHAPTER XXVII

DECISIVE BATTLE BETWEEN GERMAN FLEET AND AMERICAN SEAPLANES CARRYING TORPEDOES

I did as he bade me and was rewarded a week later for my faith and patience. I subsequently learned that this week (the time of my wonderful experience with Mary Ryerson) was spent by the Committee of Twenty-one in explaining to the Crown Prince exactly what the Widding-Edison invention was. Models and blue prints were shown and American and German experts were called in to explain and discuss all debatable points. And the conclusion, established beyond reasonable doubt, was that German warships could not hope to defend themselves against the Widding-Edison method of torpedo attack. This was admitted by Field Marshal von Hindenburg and by Professor Hugo Munsterberg, who were allowed to bring scientists of their own choosing for an absolutely impartial opinion. Unless terms were made the German fleet faced almost certain destruction.

The Crown Prince was torn by the hazards of this emergency. He could not disregard such a weight of evidence. He knew that, without the support of her fleet, Germany must abandon her whole campaign in the United States and withdraw her forces from the soil of America. This meant failure and humiliation, perhaps revolution at home. The fate of the Hohenzollern dynasty might hang upon his decision.

"Gentlemen," he concluded haughtily, "I refuse to yield. If I cable the Imperial Government in Berlin it will be a strong expression of my wish that our new army of invasion, under convoy of the German fleet, sail from Kiel, as arranged, and join in the invasion of America at the earliest possible moment."

And so it befell. On January 24th a first section of the new German expedition, numbering 150,000 men, sailed for America. On January 29th our advance fleet of swift scouting aeroplanes, equipped with wireless and provisioned for a three days' cruise, flew forth from Grand Island in the Niagara River, and, following the St. Lawrence, swept out over the Atlantic in search of the advancing Teutons.

Two days later wireless messages received in Buffalo informed us that German transports, with accompanying battleships, had been located off the banks of Newfoundland and on February 1st our main fleet of aeroboats, a hundred huge seaplanes, equipped with Widding-Edison torpedoes, sailed away over Lake Erie in line of battle, flying towards the northeast at the height of half a mile, ready for the struggle that was to settle the fate of the United States. The prayers of a hundred million Americans went with them.

And now Mr. Edison kept his promise generously by securing for me the privilege of accompanying him in a great 900-horse-power seaplane from which, with General Wood, he proposed to witness our attack upon the enemy.

"We may have another pa.s.senger," said the General mysteriously as we stamped about in our heavy coats on the departure field, for it was a cold morning.

"All aboard," called out the pilot presently from his gla.s.s-sheltered seat and I had just taken my place in the right hand cabin when the sound of several swiftly arriving motors drew my attention and, looking out, I was surprised to see the Crown Prince alighting from a yellow car about which stood a formal military escort. General Wood stepped forward quickly to receive His Imperial Highness, who was clad in aviator costume.

"Our fourth pa.s.senger!" whispered Edison.

"You don't mean that the Crown Prince is going with us?"

The inventor nodded.

I learned afterwards that only at the eleventh hour did the imperial prisoner decide to accept General Wood's invitation to join this memorable expedition.

"I have come, General," said the Prince, saluting gravely, "because I feel that my presence here with you may enable me to serve my country."

"I am convinced Your Imperial Highness has decided wisely," answered the commander-in-chief, returning the salute.

An hour later, at the head of one of the aerial squadrons that stretched behind us in a great V, we were flying over snow-covered fields at eighty miles an hour, headed for the Atlantic and the German fleet. Our seaplanes, the most powerful yet built of the Curtiss-Wright 1922 model, carried eight men, including three that I have not mentioned, a wireless operator, an a.s.sistant pilot and a general utility man who also served as cook. Two cabins offered surprisingly comfortable accommodations, considering the limited s.p.a.ce, and we ate our first meal with keen relish.

"We have provisions for how many days?" asked the Crown Prince.

"For six days," said General Wood.

"But, surely not oil for six days!"

"We have oil for only forty-eight hours of continuous flying, but Your Imperial Highness must understand that our seaplanes float perfectly on the ocean, so we can wait for the German fleet as long as is necessary and then rise again."

The Prince frowned at this and twisted his sandy moustache into sharper upright points.

"When do you expect to sight the German fleet?"

"About noon the day after to-morrow. We shall go out to sea sometime in the night and most of to-morrow we will spend in ocean manoeuvres. Your Imperial Highness will be interested."

In spite of roaring propellers and my cramped bunk I slept excellently that night and did not waken until a sudden stopping of the two engines and a new motion of the seaplane brought me to consciousness. The day was breaking over a waste of white-capped ocean and we learned that Commodore Tower, who was in command of our main air squadron, fearing a storm, had ordered manoeuvres to begin at once so as to antic.i.p.ate the gale. We were planing down in great circles, preparing to rest on the water, and, as I looked to right and left, I saw the sea strangely covered with the great winged creatures of our fleet, mottle-coloured, that rose and fell as the green waves tossed them.

I should explain that these seaplanes were constructed like catamarans with twin bodies, enabling them to ride on any sea, and between these bodies the torpedoes were swung, one for each seaplane, with a simple lowering and releasing device that could be made to function by the touch of a lever. The torpedo could be fired from the seaplane either as it rested on the water or as it skimmed over the water, say at a height of ten feet, and the released projectile darted straight ahead in the line of the seaplane's flight.

With great interest we watched the manoeuvres which consisted chiefly in the practice of signals, in rising from the ocean and alighting again and in flying in various formations.

"From how great a distance do you propose to fire your torpedoes?" the Crown Prince asked Mr. Edison, speaking through a head-piece to overcome the noise.