THE RAID OF THE LE VENGEUR

THE RAID OF THE LE VENGEUR BY GEORGE GRIFFITH (published 1901)
William Wallace Tyrell, Captain Leon Flaubert, and Flaubert's submarine Le Vengeur, were first introduced in "The Raid of Le Vengeur," by George Griffith, which first appeared in Pearson's Magazine in its February 1901 issue. An interesting and well-paced story of dueling military scientists, with a love story subplot that is not out of place. "The Raid of Le Vengeur" is set at some undefined point in the late 19th century, when the tension between Britain and France has risen almost to the point of war. Flaubert, a Captain "of the Marine Experimental Department of the French Navy," is trying to figure out some way in which submarines could be made to navigate under water. The logical thing is head-lights, but when they are turned on their lights were reflected on the surface, which pinpointed them and made them easy targets. Flaubert cannot think of any other solution to the puzzle, and he is desperate to solve this problem. Being brilliant, he does. Illustrated.