In the meantime the war had gone on and another naval battle had been fought in Cuban waters. Here an Italian cruiser had been sunk by the gunboat Yankee Doodle, but the Americans had lost four of their old-fashioned types of war vessel.
It was reported that a flotilla of sixteen foreign warships was in the vicinity of Cuba, and that soon there would be an active bombardment of the whole Cuban coast.
"If they capture Cuba they will use the island as a base of supplies," said the Secretary of the Navy, "and they will be able to land millions of soldiers there. We must stop this movement."
Ten first-class warships had been dispatched to the seat of trouble, and now the new Holland was ordered thither, after a trial off the New Jersey coast to see that the new vessel worked perfectly.
The crew of the new Holland, or Holland XI., as she was officially registered, consisted of ten all told. Oscar was placed in supreme command, with a rank in the navy as captain. Next to him came Andy Greggs, as first lieutenant. The head engineer was George Dross, the old shipbuilder, who had stood by Oscar when he was building his model at Bridgeport.
The Holland was stored with provisions and fresh air and a number of powerful torpedoes, along with a large amount of other explosives.
"Good-bye to land," said Oscar, as he stepped on board. "We are running a great risk, Andy. Perhaps we will never see home again."
"I don't care. Hurrah for Uncle Sam!" responded the first lieutenant, recklessly.
Soon the Holland—we shall at all times call her by her simple name—was moving southward at a lively rate of speed.
As there was no need to draw on the air in the reservoirs the boat was kept on the surface of the ocean, skimming along like some monster sea-fowl.