All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

7$ All About Inventions conspiracy, who were not au courant with the inner- most workings of the organisation, commenced to ask inquisitive questions concerning the condition and use of the secret financial fund. Disintegration set in, opposing factions springing up and fighting one another with all the grim determination and hatred with which they had been attacking England. Even the “ Fenian Ram ” did not escape the ven- geance of one faction. One night a small party of malcontents stealthily made their way to the spot where the little submarine was moored. They cut the ropes and towed the capture to a prearranged point elsewhere. What the idea governing this action was no one appears to have known. Possibly the malcontents intended to run the submarine cam- paign by themselves and unaided. In some quarters it is asserted that Holland was a party' to this sur- reptitious capture of his boat; but, on the other hand, Holland, who had grown disgusted with the unexpected turn of events, vehemently declared that the boat was taken without his knowledge or authority. Indeed, he went so far as to accuse the malcontents of stealing his vessel. The latter assertion is un- doubtedly the truth, because the new owners never sought Holland’s assistance in their subsequent opera- tions. They endeavoured to master the handling of the submarine themselves, but as no one knew the slightest thing about the little boat and her control, they cut a sorry exhibition, as may be supposed. At last, disgusted and piqued at their failure, the mal- contents hauled the boat out of the water, ran it into a shed, and covered it up. And there the first successful Holland submarine has rested ever since.