handed occupation of an
insignificant island off the Venezuelan coast. The Venezuelans had been
amazed by the proceeding, but the Marquis of Wintergreen, the Foreign
Secretary, had at once declared that the island had been conquered and
attached to England by Sir Francis Drake in the course of his first
voyage to the West Indies. As Mr. Froude and other English historians
had proved that Drake was little better than a pirate, this made every
one laugh, except the Venezuelans, who said they were going to fight;
and they did. As soon as war was declared, President Roosevelt, of the
United States, on the advice of Secretary of State George B. McClellan,
Jun., called an extra session of Congress, and the legislative halls at
Washington so rang with patriotic speeches about the Monroe Doctrine
that the New York _Sun_ got out extras every two hours, day and night,
and had illuminated bulletins covering the entire front of the building.
Congress at length declared that the United States must act as an ally
of Venezuela, whereupon the _Sun_ printed itself in red, white, and
blue, and the _World_ despatched correspondents by special balloon to
South America. The President ordered the entire National Guard into the
service of the United States, and the various regiments at once repaired
to their camps of instruction and began field drills. It was expected
that they would be fully equipped and prepared for service at the front
in about two months. The naval militia was also ordered out, and
immediately began a series of cruises alongshore in open boats, landing
and sending signals in every direction every four hours. The officers
clamored for coast-defense vessels to man, but there were only four such
ships, and they were all in dry docks undergoing repairs that would take
three months to complete. The Secretary of the Navy issued orders to
Rear-Admiral Ward to get the North and South Atlantic squadrons to the
Venezuelan coast as quickly as possible, and the Rear-Admiral answered
that he would be ready to sail by the end of August.

As soon as the action of Congress had been taken, Harry Borden, of
Tickle River, went by express train to Washington. In the obscure
sea-coast village of Tickle River Harry was called a genius, and it was
said that he had invented things which would be worth millions to the
government in such an emergency as that which had now arisen. It was to
lay before the Secretary of War one of these inventions tha