"Yule Logs: Longmans' Christmas Annual for 1898" by G. A. Henty is a collection of stories and articles compiled for the Christmas season, written during the late 19th century. This anthology features tales of adventure and imaginative exploits, capturing the spirit of the holiday while providing entertainment for readers of all ages. The opening story, "A Fighting Mermaid," sets the stage for thrilling narratives around themes of innovation and daring adventures, particularly focusing on a submarine named the "Mermaid" and its hopeful potential to change the tide of maritime warfare. The beginning of the collection introduces readers to Professor Rivers, who has developed a new submarine, the "Mermaid", promising to revolutionize naval warfare. We meet his young assistants, Carlos Moranza and Carl Baldwin, who are particularly enthusiastic about the submarine's potential, especially in light of the struggles for Cuban independence. As they celebrate the successful trial of the "Mermaid", Carlos expresses a heartfelt desire to use it to aid his father's fight against Spanish oppression in Cuba. However, a telegram brings alarming news of his father's capture, setting the stage for a daring rescue mission that intertwines personal stakes with larger geopolitical conflicts. (This is an automatically generated summary.)