the great war syndicate-第13章

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American　Syndicate；　in　the　shape　of　the　Adamant；　the

largest　and　finest　ironclad　which　had　ever　crossed　the

Atlantic；　and　which　had　been　sent　to　raise　the　blockade

of　the　Canadian　port　by　the　Syndicate's　vessels。

　　　

This　great　ship　had　been　especially　fitted　out　to

engage　in　combat　with　repellers　and　crabs。　　As　far　as

was　possible　the　peculiar　construction　of　the

Syndicate's　vessels　had　been　carefully　studied；　and

English　specialists　in　the　line　of　naval　construction

and　ordnance　had　given　most　earnest　consideration　to

methods　of　attack　and　defence　most　likely　to　succeed

with　these　novel　ships　of　war。　　The　Adamant　was

the　only　vessel　which　it　had　been　possible　to　send　out

in　so　short　a　time；　and　her　cruise　was　somewhat　of　an

experiment。　　If　she　should　be　successful　in　raising　the

blockade　of　the　Canadian　port；　the　British　Admiralty

would　have　but　little　difficulty　in　dealing　with　the

American　Syndicate。

　　　

The　most　important　object　was　to　provide　a　defence

against　the　screw…extracting　and　rudder…breaking　crabs；

and　to　this　end　the　Adamant　had　been　fitted　with　what

was　termed　a　〃stern…jacket。〃　　This　was　a　great　cage　of

heavy　steel　bars；　which　was　attached　to　the　stern　of

the　vessel　in　such　a　way　that　it　could　be　raised　high

above　the　water；　so　as　to　offer　no　impediment　while

under　way；　and　which；　in　time　of　action；　could　be　let

down　so　as　to　surround　and　protect　the　rudder　and

screw…propellers；　of　which　the　Adamant　had　two。

　　　

This　was　considered　an　adequate　defence　against　the

nippers　of　a　Syndicate　crab；　but　as　a　means　of　offence

against　these　almost　submerged　vessels　a　novel

contrivance　had　been　adopted。　　From　a　great　boom

projecting　over　the　stern；　a　large　ship's　cannon　was

suspended　perpendicularly；　muzzle　downward。　　This

gun　could　be　swung　around　to　the　deck；　hoisted　into　a

horizontal　position；　loaded　with　a　heavy　charge；　a

wooden　plug　keeping　the　load　in　position　when　the　gun

hung　perpendicularly。

　　　

If　the　crab　should　come　under　the　stern；　this

cannon　could　be　fired　directly　downward　upon　her　back；

and　it　was　not　believed　that　any　vessel　of　the　kind

could　stand　many　such　tremendous　shocks。　　It　was　not

known　exactly　how　ventilation　was　supplied　to　the

submarine　vessels　of　the　Syndicate；　nor　how　the

occupants　were　enabled　to　make　the　necessary

observations　during　action。　　When　under　way　the　crabs

sailed　somewhat　elevated　above　the　water；　but　when

engaged　with　an　enemy　only　a　small　portion　of　their

covering　armour　could　be　seen。

　　　

It　was　surmised　that　under　and　between　some　of　the

scales　of　this　armour　there　was　some　arrangement　of

thick　glasses；　through　which　the　necessary　observation

could　be　made；　and　it　was　believed　that；　even　if　the

heavy　perpendicular　shots　did　not　crush　in　the　roof　of

a　crab；　these　glasses　would　be　shattered　by　concussion。　

Although　this　might　appear　a　matter　of　slight

importance；　it　was　thought　among　naval　officers　it

would　necessitate　the　withdrawal　of　a　crab　from　action。

　　　

In　consequence　of　the　idea　that　the　crabs　were

vulnerable　between　their　overlapping　plates；　some　of

the　Adamant's　boats　were　fitted　out　with　Gatling　and

machine　guns；　by　which　a　shower　of　balls　might　be　sent

under　the　scales；　through　the　glasses；　and　into　the

body　of　the　crab。　　In　addition　to　their　guns；　these

boats　would　be　supplied　with　other　means　of　attack　upon

the　crab。

　　　

Of　course　it　would　be　impossible　to　destroy　these

submerged　enemies　by　means　of　dynamite　or　torpedoes；

for　with　two　vessels　in　close　proximity；　the　explosion

of　a　torpedo　would　be　as　dangerous　to　the　hull　of　one

as　to　the　other。　　The　British　Admiralty　would　not　allow

even　the　Adamant　to　explode　torpedoes　or　dynamite

under　her　own　stern。

　　　

With　regard　to　a　repeller；　or　spring…armoured

vessel；　the　Adamant　would　rely　upon　her　exceptionally

powerful　armament；　and　upon　her　great　weight　and　speed。　

She　was　fitted　with　twin　screws　and　engines　of　the

highest　power；　and　it　was　believed　that　she　would　be

able　to　overhaul；　ram；　and　crush　the　largest　vessel

armoured　or　unarmoured　which　the　Syndicate　would　be

able　to　bring　against　her。　　Some　of　her　guns　were　of

immense　calibre；　firing　shot　weighing　nearly　two

thousand　pounds；　and　requiring　half　a　ton　of　powder　for

each　charge。　　Besides　these　she　carried　an　unusually

large　number　of　large　cannon　and　two　dynamite　guns。　

She　was　so　heavily　plated　and　armoured　as　to　be　proof

against　any　known　artillery　in　the　world。

　　　

She　was　a　floating　fortress；　with　men　enough　to

make　up　the　population　of　a　town；　and　with　stores；

ammunition；　and　coal　sufficient　to　last　for　a　long　term

of　active　service。　　Such　was　the　mighty　English　battle…

ship　which　had　come　forward　to　raise　the　siege　of　the

Canadian　port。

　　　

The　officers　of　the　Syndicate　were　well　aware　of

the　character　of　the　Adamant；　her　armament　and　her

defences；　and　had　been　informed　by　cable　of　her　time　of

sailing　and　probable　destination。　　They　sent　out

Repeller　No。　7；　with　Crabs　J　and　K；　to　meet　her　off　the

Banks　of　Newfoundland。

　　　

This　repeller　was　the　largest　and　strongest　vessel

that　the　Syndicate　had　ready　for　service。　　In　addition

to　the　spring　armour　with　which　these　vessels　were

supplied；　this　one　was　furnished　with　a　second　coat　of

armour　outside　the　first；　the　elastic　steel　ribs　of

which　ran　longitudinally　and　at　right　angles　to　those

of　the　inner　set。　　Both　coats　were　furnished　with　a

great　number　of　improved　air…buffers；　and　the

arrangement　of　spring　armour　extended　five　or　six　feet

beyond　the　massive　steel　plates　with　which　the　vessel

was　originally　armoured。　　She　carried　one　motor…cannon

of　large　size。

　　　

One　of　the　crabs　was　of　the　ordinary　pattern；　but

Crab　K　was　furnished　with　a　spring　armour　above　the

heavy　plates　of　her　roof。　　This　had　been　placed　upon

her　after　the　news　had　been　received　by　the　Syndicate

that　the　Adamant　would　carry　a　perpendicular　cannon

over　her　stern；　but　there　had　not　been　time　enough　to

fit　out　another　crab　in　the　same　way。

　　　

When　the　director　in　charge　of　Repeller　No。　7　first

caught　sight　of　the　Adamant；　and　scanned　through　his

glass　the　vast　proportions　of　the　mighty　ship　which　was

rapidly　steaming　towards　the　coast；　he　felt　that　a

responsibility　rested　upon　him　heavier　than　any　which

had　yet　been　borne　by　an　officer　of　the　Syndicate；　but

he　did　not　hesitate　in　the　duty　which　he　had　been

sent　to　perform；　and　immediately　ordered　the　two　crabs

to　advance　to　meet　the　Adamant；　and　to　proceed　to

action　according　to　the　instructions　which　they　had

previously　received。　　His　own　ship　was　kept；　in

pursuance　of　orders；　several　miles　distant　from　the

British　ship。

　　　

As　soon　as　the　repeller　had　been　sighted　from　the

Adamant；　a　strict　lookout　had　been　kept　for　the

approach　of　crabs；　and　when　the　small　exposed　portions

of　the　backs　of　two　of　these　were　perceived　glistening

in　the　sunlight；　the　speed　of　the　great　ship　slackened。　

The　ability　of　the　Syndicate's　submerged　vessels　to

move　suddenly　and　quickly　in　any　direction　had　been

clearly　demonstrated；　and　although　a　great　ironclad

with　a　ram　could　run　down　and　sink　a　crab　without

feeling　the　concussion；　it　was　known　that　it　would　be

perfectly　easy　for　the　smaller　craft　to　keep　out　of　the

way　of　its　bulky　antagonist。　　Therefore　the　Adamant

did　not　try　to　ram　the　crabs；　nor　to　get　away　from

them。　　Her　commander　intended；　if　possible；　to　run　down

one　or　both　of　them；　but　he　did　not　propose　to　do　this

in　the　usual　way。

　　　

As　the　crabs　approached；　the　stern…jacket　of

the　Adamant　was　let　down；　and　the　engines　were

slowed。　　This　stern…jacket；　when　protecting　the　rudder

and　propellers；　looked　very　much　like　the　cowcatcher　of

a　locomotive；　and　was　capable　of　being　put　to　a

somewhat　similar　use。　　It　was　the　intention　of　the

captain　of　the　Adamant；　should　the　crabs　attempt　to

attach　themselves　t