the great war syndicate-第20章

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the　propeller　or　the　rudder　to　do　any　damage。　　It

could　not　be　torn　away　as　the　stern…jacket　had　been；

for　the　rounded　and　smooth　sides　and　ends　of　the

massive　cylinder　would　offer　no　hold　to　the　forceps　of

the　crabs；　and；　approaching　from　any　quarter；　it　would

be　impossible　for　these　forceps　to　reach　rudder　or

screw。

　　　

The　Syndicate's　little　fleet　arrived　in　British

waters　late　in　the　day；　and　early　the　next　morning　it

appeared　about　twenty　miles　to　the　south　of　the　Isle　of

Wight；　and　headed　to　the　north…east；　as　if　it　were

making　for　Portsmouth。　　The　course　of　these　vessels

greatly　surprised　the　English　Government　and　naval

authorities。　　It　was　expected　that　an　attack　would

probably　be　made　upon　some　comparatively　unprotected

spot　on　the　British　seaboard；　and　therefore　on　the　west

coast　of　Ireland　and　in　St。　George's　Channel

preparations　of　the　most　formidable　character　had　been

made　to　defend　British　ports　against　Repeller　No。　11

and　her　attendant　crabs。　　Particularly　was　this　the

case　in　Bristol　Channel；　where　a　large　number　of

ironclads　were　stationed；　and　which　was　to　have　been

the　destination　of　the　Llangaron　if　the　Syndicate's

vessels　had　delayed　their　coming　long　enough　to　allow

her　to　get　around　there。　　That　this　little　fleet

should　have　sailed　straight　for　England's　great　naval

stronghold　was　something　that　the　British　Admiralty

could　not　understand。　　The　fact　was　not　appreciated

that　it　was　the　object　of　the　Syndicate　to　measure　its

strength　with　the　greatest　strength　of　the　enemy。　

Anything　less　than　this　would　not　avail　its　purpose。

　　　

Notwithstanding　that　so　many　vessels　had　been　sent

to　different　parts　of　the　coast；　there　was　still　in

Portsmouth　harbour　a　large　number　of　war　vessels　of

various　classes；　all　in　commission　and　ready　for

action。　　The　greater　part　of　these　had　received　orders

to　cruise　that　day　in　the　channel。　　Consequently；　it

was　still　early　in　the　morning　when；　around　the　eastern

end　of　the　Isle　of　Wight；　there　appeared　a　British　fleet　

composed　of　fifteen　of　the　finest　ironclads；　with　several

gunboats　and　cruisers；　and　a　number　of　torpedo…boats。

　　　

It　was　a　noble　sight；　for　besides　the　warships

there　was　another　fleet　hanging　upon　the　outskirts　of

the　first；　and　composed　of　craft；　large　and　small；　and

from　both　sides　of　the　channel；　filled　with　those　who

were　anxious　to　witness　from　afar　the　sea…fight　which

was　to　take　place　under　such　novel　conditions。　　Many　of

these　observers　were　reporters　and　special

correspondents　for　great　newspapers。　　On　some　of　the

vessels　which　came　up　from　the　French　coast　were　men

with　marine　glasses　of　extraordinary　power；　whose

business　it　was　to　send　an　early　and　accurate　report　of

the　affair　to　the　office　of　the　War　Syndicate　in　New　York。

　　　

As　soon　as　the　British　ships　came　in　sight；　the

four　crabs　cast　off　from　Repeller　No。　11。　　Then　with

the　other　two　they　prepared　for　action；　moving

considerably　in　advance　of　the　repeller；　which　now

steamed　forward　very　slowly。　　The　wind　was　strong　from

the　north…west；　and　the　sea　high；　the　shining　tops　of

the　crabs　frequently　disappearing　under　the　waves。

　　　

The　British　fleet　came　steadily　on；　headed　by　the

great　Llangaron。　　This　vessel　was　very　much　in

advance　of　the　others；　for　knowing　that　when　she　was

really　in　action　and　the　great　cylinder　which　formed

her　stern…guard　was　lowered　into　the　water　her　speed

would　be　much　retarded；　she　had　put　on　all　steam；　and

being　the　swiftest　war…ship　of　her　class；　she　had

distanced　all　her　consorts。　　It　was　highly　important

that　she　should　begin　the　fight；　and　engage　the

attention　of　as　many　crabs　as　possible；　while

certain　of　the　other　ships　attacked　the　repeller　with

their　rams。　　Although　it　was　now　generally　believed

that　motor…bombs　from　a　repeller　might　destroy　a　man…

of…war；　it　was　also　considered　probable　that　the

accurate　calculations　which　appeared　to　be　necessary　to

precision　of　aim　could　not　be　made　when　the　object　of

the　aim　was　in　rapid　motion。

　　　

But　whether　or　not　one　or　more　motor…bombs　did

strike　the　mark；　or　whether　or　not　one　or　more　vessels

were　blown　into　fine　particles；　there　were　a　dozen

ironclads　in　that　fleet；　each　of　whose　commanders　and

officers　were　determined　to　run　into　that　repeller　and

crush　her；　if　so　be　they　held　together　long　enough　to

reach　her。

　　　

The　commanders　of　the　torpedo…boats　had　orders　to

direct　their　swift　messengers　of　destruction　first

against　the　crabs；　for　these　vessels　were　far　in

advance　of　the　repeller；　and　coming　on　with　a　rapidity

which　showed　that　they　were　determined　upon　mischief。　

If　a　torpedo；　shot　from　a　torpedo…boat；　and　speeding

swiftly　by　its　own　powers　beneath　the　waves；　should

strike　the　submerged　hull　of　a　crab；　there　would　be　one

crab　the　less　in　the　English　Channel。

　　　

As　has　been　said；　the　Llangaron　came　rushing　on；

distancing　everything；　even　the　torpedo…boats。　　If；

before　she　was　obliged　to　lower　her　cylinder；　she　could

get　near　enough　to　the　almost　stationary　repeller　to

take　part　in　the　attack　on　her；　she　would　then　be

content　to　slacken　speed　and　let　the　crabs　nibble

awhile　at　her　stern。

　　　

Two　of　the　latest　constructed　and　largest　crabs；　Q

and　R；　headed　at　full　speed　to　meet　the　Llangaron；

who；　as　she　came　on；　opened　the　ball　by　sending　a

〃rattler〃　in　the　shape　of　a　five…hundred…pound　shot

into　the　ribs　of　the　repeller；　then　at　least　four　miles

distant；　and　immediately　after　began　firing　her

dynamite　guns；　which　were　of　limited　range　at　the　roofs

of　the　advancing　crabs。

　　　

There　were　some　on　board　the　repeller　who；　at　the

moment　the　great　shot　struck　her；　with　a　ringing　and

clangour　of　steel　springs；　such　as　never　was　heard

before；　wished　that　in　her　former　state　of　existence

she　had　been　some　other　vessel　than　the　Tallapoosa。

　　　

But　every　spring　sprang　back　to　its　place　as　the

great　mass　of　iron　glanced　off　into　the　sea。　　The

dynamite　bombs　flew　over　the　tops　of　the　crabs；

whose　rapid　motions　and　slightly　exposed　surfaces　gave

little　chance　for　accurate　aim；　and　in　a　short　time

they　were　too　close　to　the　Llangaron　for　this　class

of　gun　to　be　used　upon　them。

　　　

As　the　crabs　came　nearer；　the　Llangaron　lowered

the　great　steel　cylinder　which　hung　across　her　stern；

until　it　lay　almost　entirely　under　water；　and　abaft　of

her　rudder　and　propeller…blades。　　She　now　moved　slowly

through　the　water；　and　her　men　greeted　the　advancing

crabs　with　yells　of　defiance；　and　a　shower　of　shot　from

machine　guns。

　　　

The　character　of　the　new　defence　which　had　been

fitted　to　the　Llangaron　was　known　to　the　Syndicate；

and　the　directors　of　the　two　new　crabs　understood　the

heavy　piece　of　work　which　lay　before　them。　　But　their

plans　of　action　had　been　well　considered；　and　they　made

straight　for　the　stern　of　the　British　ship。

　　　

It　was；　of　course；　impossible　to　endeavour　to　grasp

that　great　cylinder　with　its　rounded　ends；　their

forceps　would　slip　from　any　portion　of　its　smooth

surface　on　which　they　should　endeavour　to　lay　hold；　and

no　such　attempt　was　made。　　Keeping　near　the

cylinder；　one　at　each　end　of　it；　the　two　moved　slowly

after　the　Llangaron；　apparently　discouraged。

　　　

In　a　short　time；　however；　it　was　perceived　by　those

on　board　the　ship　that　a　change　had　taken　place　in　the

appearance　of　the　crabs；　the　visible　portion　of　their

backs　was　growing　larger　and　larger；　they　were　rising

in　the　water。　　Their　mailed　roofs　became　visible　from

end　to　end；　and　the　crowd　of　observers　looking　down

from　the　ship　were　amazed　to　see　what　large　vessels

they　were。

　　　

Higher　and　higher　the　crabs　arose；　their　powerful

air…pumps　working　at　their　greatest　capacity；　until

their　ponderous　pincers　became　visible　above　the　water。　

Then　into　the　minds　of　the　officers　of　the　Llangaron

flashed　the　true　object　of　this　uprising；　which　to　the

crew　had　seemed　an