Originally published in 1889, this is one of the very early adaptations of an imaginary war to science fiction. The war over fishing rights in the Atlantic Ocean, is given to a syndicate -a giant cartel of capitalists and industrialists- to fight. The Americans win and an Anglo-American Syndicate established as part of the peace treaty.
The syndicate has super weapons, including a matter annihilating explosive! The Syndicate by destructive examples arranged for observers from both sides shows that future wars are futile, when the Syndicate holds the cards. The Syndicate operates for peace, not world control.
Frank R. Stockton (1834-1902) was an American popular novelist and short-story writer of mainly humorous fiction, best known as the author of the title story of a collection called "The Lady, or the Tiger?" (1884).
