the great war syndicate-第21章

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flashed　the　true　object　of　this　uprising；　which　to　the

crew　had　seemed　an　intention　on　the　part　of　the　sea…

devils　to　clamber　on　board。

　　　

If　the　cylinder　were　left　in　its　present　position

the　crab　might　seize　the　chains　by　which　it　was

suspended；　while　if　it　were　raised　it　would　cease　to　be

a　defence。　　Notwithstanding　this　latter　contingency；

the　order　was　quickly　given　to　raise　the　cylinder；　but

before　the　hoisting　engine　had　been　set　in　motion；

Crab　Q　thrust　forward　her　forceps　over　the　top　of　the

cylinder　and　held　it　down。　　Another　thrust；　and　the

iron　jaws　had　grasped　one　of　the　two　ponderous　chains

by　which　the　cylinder　was　suspended。

　　　The　other　end　of　the　cylinder　began　to　rise；　but　at

this　moment　Crab　R；　apparently　by　a　single　effort；

lifted　herself　a　foot　higher　out　of　the　sea；　her

pincers　flashed　forward；　and　the　other　chain　was

grasped。

　　　

The　two　crabs　were　now　placed　in　the　most

extraordinary　position。　　The　overhang　of　their　roofs

prevented　an　attack　on　their　hulls　by　the　Llangaron；

but　their　unmailed　hulls　were　so　greatly　exposed　that　a

few　shot　from　another　ship　could　easily　have　destroyed

them。　　But　as　any　ship　firing　at　them　would　be　very

likely　to　hit　the　Llangaron；　their　directors　felt

safe　on　this　point。

　　　

Three　of　the　foremost　ironclads；　less　than　two

miles　away；　were　heading　directly　for　them；　and　their

rams　might　be　used　with　but　little　danger　to　the

Llangaron；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　three　swift　crabs

were　heading　directly　for　these　ironclads。

　　　

It　was　impossible　for　Crabs　Q　and　R　to　operate

in　the　usual　way。　　Their　massive　forceps；　lying　flat

against　the　top　of　the　cylinder；　could　not　be　twisted。　

The　enormous　chains　they　held　could　not　be　severed　by

the　greatest　pressure；　and　if　both　crabs　backed　at　once

they　would　probably　do　no　more　than　tow　the　Llangaron

stern　foremost。　　There　was；　moreover；　no　time　to　waste

in　experiments；　for　other　rams　would　be　coming　on；　and

there　were　not　crabs　enough　to　attend　to　them　all。

　　　

No　time　was　wasted。　　Q　signalled　to　R；　and　R　back

again；　and　instantly　the　two　crabs；　each　still　grasping

a　chain　of　the　cylinder；　began　to　sink。　　On　board　the

Llangaron　an　order　was　shouted　to　let　out　the

cylinder　chains；　but　as　these　chains　had　only　been　made

long　enough　to　allow　the　top　of　the　cylinder　to　hang　at

or　a　little　below　the　surface　of　the　water；　a　foot　or

two　of　length　was　all　that　could　be　gained。

　　　

The　davits　from　which　the　cylinder　hung　were　thick

and　strong；　and　the　iron　windlasses　to　which　the　chains

were　attached　were　large　and　ponderous；　but　these　were

not　strong　enough　to　withstand　the　weight　of　two　crabs

with　steel…armoured　roofs；　enormous　engines；　and　iron

hull。　　In　less　than　a　minute　one　davit　snapped

like　a　pipe…stem　under　the　tremendous　strain；　and

immediately　afterward　the　windlass　to　which　the　chain

was　attached　was　torn　from　its　bolts；　and　went　crashing

overboard；　tearing　away　a　portion　of　the　stern…rail　in

its　descent。

　　　

Crab　Q　instantly　released　the　chain　it　had　held；

and　in　a　moment　the　great　cylinder　hung　almost

perpendicularly　from　one　chain。　　But　only　for　a　moment。　

The　nippers　of　Crab　R　still　firmly　held　the　chain；　and

the　tremendous　leverage　exerted　by　the　falling　of　one

end　of　the　cylinder　wrenched　it　from　the　rigidly　held

end　of　its　chain；　and；　in　a　flash；　the　enormous　stern…

guard　of　the　Llangaron　sunk；　end　foremost；　to　the

bottom　of　the　channel。

　　　

In　ten　minutes　afterward；　the　Llangaron；

rudderless；　and　with　the　blades　of　her　propellers

shivered　and　crushed；　was　slowly　turning　her　starboard

to　the　wind　and　the　sea；　and　beginning　to　roll　like　a

log　of　eight　thousand　tons。

　　　

Besides　the　Llangaron；　three　ironclads　were　now

drifting　broadside　to　the　sea。　　But　there　was　no　time

to　succour　disabled　vessels；　for　the　rest　of　the　fleet

was　coming　on；　and　there　was　great　work　for　the

crabs。

　　　

Against　these　enemies；　swift　of　motion　and　sudden

in　action；　the　torpedo…boats　found　it　almost　impossible

to　operate；　for　the　British　ships　and　the　crabs　were　so

rapidly　nearing　each　other　that　a　torpedo　sent　out

against　an　enemy　was　more　than　likely　to　run　against

the　hull　of　a　friend。　　Each　crab　sped　at　the　top　of　its

speed　for　a　ship；　not　only　to　attack；　but　also　to

protect　itself。

　　　

Once　only　did　the　crabs　give　the　torpedo…boats　a

chance。　　A　mile　or　two　north　of　the　scene　of　action；　a

large　cruiser　was　making　her　way　rapidly　toward　the

repeller；　which　was　still　lying　almost　motionless；　four

miles　to　the　westward。　　As　it　was　highly　probable　that

this　vessel　carried　dynamite　guns；　Crab　Q；　which　was

the　fastest　of　her　class；　was　signalled　to　go　after

her。　　She　had　scarcely　begun　her　course　across　the　open

space　of　sea　before　a　torpedo…boat　was　in　pursuit。　

Fast　as　was　the　latter；　the　crab　was　faster；　and　quite

as　easily　managed。　　She　was　in　a　position　of　great

danger；　and　her　only　safety　lay　in　keeping　herself　on　a

line　between　the　torpedo…boat　and　the　gun…boat；

and　to　shorten　as　quickly　as　possible　the　distance

between　herself　and　that　vessel。

　　　

If　the　torpedo…boat　shot　to　one　side　in　order　to

get　the　crab　out　of　line；　the　crab；　its　back　sometimes

hidden　by　the　tossing　waves；　sped　also　to　the　same

side。　　When　the　torpedo…boat　could　aim　a　gun　at　the

crab　and　not　at　the　gun…boat；　a　deadly　torpedo　flew

into　the　sea；　but　a　tossing　sea　and　a　shifting　target

were　unfavourable　to　the　gunner's　aim。　　It　was　not

long；　however；　before　the　crab　had　run　the　chase　which

might　so　readily　have　been　fatal　to　it；　and　was　so　near

the　gun…boat　that　no　more　torpedoes　could　be　fired　at

it。

　　　

Of　course　the　officers　and　crew　of　the　gun…boat　had

watched　with　most　anxious　interest　the　chase　of　the

crab。　　The　vessel　was　one　which　had　been　fitted　out　for

service　with　dynamite　guns；　of　which　she　carried　some

of　very　long　range　for　this　class　of　artillery；　and　she

had　been　ordered　to　get　astern　of　the　repeller　and　to

do　her　best　to　put　a　few　dynamite　bombs　on　board　of

her。

　　　

The　dynamite　gun…boat　therefore　had　kept　ahead　at

full　speed；　determined　to　carry　out　her　instructions　if

she　should　be　allowed　to　do　so；　but　her　speed　was　not

as　great　as　that　of　a　crab；　and　when　the　torpedo…

boat　had　given　up　the　chase；　and　the　dreaded　crab　was

drawing　swiftly　near；　the　captain　thought　it　time　for

bravery　to　give　place　to　prudence。　　With　the　large

amount　of　explosive　material　of　the　most　tremendous　and

terrific　character　which　he　had　on　board；　it　would　be

the　insanity　of　courage　for　him　to　allow　his

comparatively　small　vessel　to　be　racked；　shaken；　and

partially　shivered　by　the　powerful　jaws　of　the　on…

coming　foe。　　As　he　could　neither　fly　nor　fight；　he

hauled　down　his　flag　in　token　of　surrender；　the　first

instance　of　the　kind　which　had　occurred　in　this　war。

　　　

When　the　director　of　Crab　Q；　through　his　lookout…

glass；　beheld　this　action　on　the　part　of　the　gun…boat；

he　was　a　little　perplexed　as　to　what　he　should　next　do。　

To　accept　the　surrender　of　the　British　vessel；　and　to

assume　control　of　her；　it　was　necessary　to　communicate

with　her。　　The　communications　of　the　crabs　were　made

entirely　by　black…smoke　signals；　and　these　the　captain

of　the　gun…boat　could　not　understand。　　The　heavy

hatches　in　the　mailed　roof　which　could　be　put　in　use

when　the　crab　was　cruising；　could　not　be　opened　when

she　was　at　her　fighting　depth；　and　in　a　tossing　sea。

　　　

A　means　was　soon　devised　of　communicating　with　the

gun…boat。　　A　speaking…tube　was　run　up　through　one　of

the　air…pipes　of　the　crab；　which　pipe　was　then　elevated

some　distance　above　the　surface。　　Through　this　the

director　hailed　the　other　vessel；　and　as　the　air…pipe

was　near　the　stern　of　the　crab；　and　therefore　at　a

distance　from　the　only　visible　portion　of　the　turtle…

back　roof；　his　voice　seemed　to　come　out　of　the　depths

of　the　ocean。

　　　

The　su