the great war syndicate-第17章

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bell。　　Its　point　then　turned　toward　the　mass　of　iron。

　　　

Soon　after　the　fog　came　on；　one　of　these

indicators；　properly　protected　from　the　attraction　of

the　metal　about　it；　was　put　into　position　on　Crab　C。

Before　very　long　it　indicated　the　proximity　of　the

Adamant；　and；　guided　by　its　steel　point；　the

Crab　moved　quietly　to　the　ironclad；　attached　itself　to

its　stern…post；　and　allowed　the　happy　crew　of　Crab　K　to

depart　coastward。

　　　

When　the　fog　rose　the　glasses　of　the　Adamant

showed　the　approach　of　no　crab；　but　it　was　observed；　in

looking　over　the　stern；　that　the　beggarly　devil…fish

which　had　the　ship　in　tow　appeared　to　have　made　some

change　in　its　back。

　　　

In　the　afternoon　of　that　day　a　truce　boat　was　sent

from　the　repeller　to　the　Adamant。　　It　was　allowed　to

come　alongside；　but　when　the　British　captain　found　that

the　Syndicate　merely　renewed　its　demand　for　his

surrender；　he　waxed　fiercely　angry；　and　sent　the　boat

back　with　the　word　that　no　further　message　need　be　sent

to　him　unless　it　should　be　one　complying　with　the

conditions　he　had　offered。

　　　

The　Syndicate　now　gave　up　the　task　of　inducing　the

captain　of　the　Adamant　to　surrender。　　Crab　C　was

commanded　to　continue　towing　the　great　ship　southward；

and　to　keep　her　well　away　from　the　coast；　in　order　to

avoid　danger　to　seaport　towns　and　coasting　vessels；

while　the　repeller　steamed　away。

　　　

Week　after　week　the　Adamant　moved　southward；

roaring　away　with　her　great　guns　whenever　an　American

sail　came　within　possible　range；　and　surrounding

herself　with　a　circle　of　bursting　bombs　to　let　any　crab

know　what　it　might　expect　if　it　attempted　to　come　near。　

Blazing　and　thundering；　stern　foremost；　but　stoutly；

she　rode　the　waves；　ready　to　show　the　world　that　she

was　an　impregnable　British　battle…ship；　from　which　no

enemy　could　snatch　the　royal　colours　which　floated　high

above　her。

　　　

It　was　during　the　first　week　of　the　involuntary

cruise　of　the　Adamant　that　the　Syndicate　finished　its

preparations　for　what　it　hoped　would　be　the　decisive

movement　of　its　campaign。　　To　do　this　a　repeller　and

six　crabs；　all　with　extraordinary　powers；　had　been

fitted　out　with　great　care；　and　also　with　great

rapidity；　for　the　British　Government　was　working　night

and　day　to　get　its　fleet　of　ironclads　in　readiness　for

a　descent　upon　the　American　coast。　　Many　of　the　British

vessels　were　already　well　prepared　for　ordinary　naval

warfare；　but　to　resist　crabs　additional　defences　were

necessary。　　It　was　known　that　the　Adamant　had　been

captured；　and　consequently　the　manufacture　of

stern…jackets　had　been　abandoned；　but　it　was　believed

that　protection　could　be　effectually　given　to　rudders

and　propeller…blades　by　a　new　method　which　the

Admiralty　had　adopted。

　　　

The　repeller　which　was　to　take　part　in　the

Syndicate's　proposed　movement　had　been　a　vessel　of　the

United　States　navy　which　for　a　long　time　had　been　out

of　commission；　and　undergoing　a　course　of　very　slow　and

desultory　repairs　in　a　dockyard。　　She　had　always　been

considered　the　most　unlucky　craft　in　the　service；　and

nearly　every　accident　that　could　happen　to　a　ship　had

happened　to　her。　　Years　and　years　before；　when　she

would　set　out　upon　a　cruise；　her　officers　and　crew

would　receive　the　humorous　sympathy　of　their　friends；

and　wagers　were　frequently　laid　in　regard　to　the

different　kinds　of　mishaps　which　might　befall　this

unlucky　vessel；　which　was　then　known　as　the

Tallapoosa。

　　　

The　Syndicate　did　not　particularly　desire　this

vessel；　but　there　was　no　other　that　could　readily　be

made　available　for　its　purposes；　and　accordingly　the

Tallapoosa　was　purchased　from　the　Government　and

work　immediately　begun　upon　her。　　Her　engines　and

hull　were　put　into　good　condition；　and　outside　of　her

was　built　another　hull；　composed　of　heavy　steel　armour…

plates；　and　strongly　braced　by　great　transverse　beams

running　through　the　ship。

　　　

Still　outside　of　this　was　placed　an　improved　system

of　spring　armour；　much　stronger　and　more　effective　than

any　which　had　yet　been　constructed。　　This；　with　the

armour…plate；　added　nearly　fifteen　feet　to　the　width　of

the　vessel　above　water。　　All　her　superstructures　were

removed　from　her　deck；　which　was　covered　by　a　curved

steel　roof；　and　under　a　bomb…proof　canopy　at　the　bow

were　placed　two　guns　capable　of　carrying　the　largest…

sized　motor…bombs。　　The　Tallapoosa；　thus　transformed；

was　called　Repeller　No。　11。

　　

　The　immense　addition　to　her　weight　would　of　course

interfere　very　much　with　the　speed　of　the　new　repeller；

but　this　was　considered　of　little　importance；　as　she

would　depend　on　her　own　engines　only　in　time　of　action。　

She　was　now　believed　to　possess　more　perfect　defences

than　any　battle…ship　in　the　world。

　　　

Early　on　a　misty　morning；　Repeller　No。　11；　towed　by

four　of　the　swiftest　and　most　powerful　crabs；　and

followed　by　two　others；　left　a　Northern　port　of　the

United　States；　bound　for　the　coast　of　Great　Britain。　

Her　course　was　a　very　northerly　one；　for　the　reason

that　the　Syndicate　had　planned　work　for　her　to　do　while

on　her　way　across　the　Atlantic。

　　　

The　Syndicate　had　now　determined；　without

unnecessarily　losing　an　hour；　to　plainly　demonstrate

the　power　of　the　instantaneous　motor…bomb。　　It　had　been

intended　to　do　this　upon　the　Adamant；　but　as　it　had

been　found　impossible　to　induce　the　captain　of　that

vessel　to　evacuate　his　ship；　the　Syndicate　had　declined

to　exhibit　the　efficiency　of　their　new　agent　of

destruction　upon　a　disabled　craft　crowded　with　human

beings。

　　

This　course　had　been　highly　prejudicial　to　the

claims　of　the　Syndicate；　for　as　Repeller　No。　7　had　made

no　use　in　the　contest　with　the　Adamant　of　the　motor…

bombs　with　which　she　was　said　to　be　supplied；　it　was

generally　believed　on　both　sides　of　the　Atlantic　that

she　carried　no　such　bombs；　and　the　conviction　that　the

destruction　at　the　Canadian　port　had　been　effected　by

means　of　mines　continued　as　strong　as　it　had　ever　been。　

To　correct　these　false　ideas　was；　now　the　duty　of

Repeller　No。　11。

　　　

For　some　time　Great　Britain　had　been　steadily

forwarding　troops　and　munitions　of　war　to　Canada；

without　interruption　from　her　enemy。　　Only　once　had　the

Syndicate's　vessels　appeared　above　the　Banks　of

Newfoundland；　and　as　the　number　of　these　peculiar　craft

must　necessarily　be　small；　it　was　not　supposed　that

their　line　of　operations　would　be　extended　very　far

north；　and　no　danger　from　them　was　apprehended；

provided　the　English　vessels　laid　their　courses　well　to

the　north。

　　　

Shortly　before　the　sailing　of　Repeller　No。　11；　the

Syndicate　had　received　news　that　one　of　the　largest

transatlantic　mail　steamers；　loaded　with　troops　and

with　heavy　cannon　for　Canadian　fortifications；　and

accompanied　by　the　Craglevin；　one　of　the　largest

ironclads　in　the　Royal　Navy；　had　started　across　the

Atlantic。　　The　first　business　of　the　repeller　and　her

attendant　crabs　concerned　these　two　vessels。

　　　

Owing　to　the　power　and　speed　of　the　crabs　which

towed　her；　Repeller　No。　11　made　excellent　time；　and　on

the　morning　of　the　third　day　out　the　two　British

vessels　were　sighted。　　Somewhat　altering　their

course　the　Syndicate's　vessels　were　soon　within　a　few

miles　of　the　enemy。

　　　

The　Craglevin　was　a　magnificent　warship。　　She　was

not　quite　so　large　as　the　Adamant；　and　she　was

unprovided　with　a　stern…jacket　or　other　defence　of　the

kind。　　In　sending　her　out　the　Admiralty　had　designed

her　to　defend　the　transport　against　the　regular　vessels

of　the　United　States　navy；　for　although　the　nature　of

the　contract　with　the　Syndicate　was　well　understood　in

England；　it　was　not　supposed　that　the　American

Government　would　long　consent　to　allow　their　war

vessels　to　remain　entirely　idle。

　　　

When　the　captain　of　the　Craglevin　perceived　the

approach　of　the　repeller　he　was　much　surprised；　but　he

did　not　hesitate　for　a　moment　as　to　his　course。