the great war syndicate-第23章

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cessation　in　the　hitherto　constant　succession　of　water

avalanches；　and　during　this　lull　he　had　seen　two　puffs

from　the　repeller；　and　the　destruction；　at　the　same

moment；　of　the　deserted　torpedo…boat。　　It　was；

therefore；　plain　enough　to　him　that　if　a　motor…bomb

could　be　placed　so　accurately　upon　one　torpedo…boat；

and　with　such　terrible　result；　other　bombs　could　quite

as　easily　be　discharged　upon　the　other　torpedo…boats

which　formed　the　advanced　line　of　the　fleet。　　When　the

barrier　of　storm　and　cataract　again　began　to　stretch

itself　in　front　of　the　repeller；　he　knew　that　not　only


was　it　impossible　for　the　torpedo…boats　to　send　their

missives　through　this　raging　turmoil；　but　that　each　of

these　vessels　was　itself　in　danger　of　instantaneous

destruction。

　　　

Unwilling；　therefore；　to　expose　his　vessels　to

profitless　danger；　the　Vice…Admiral　ordered　the

torpedo…boats　to　retire　from　the　front；　and　the　whole

line　of　them　proceeded　to　a　point　north　of　the　fleet；

where　they　lay　to。

　　　

When　this　had　been　done；　the　repeller　ceased　the

discharge　of　bombs；　but　the　sea　was　still　heaving　and

tossing　after　the　storm；　when　a　despatch…boat

brought　orders　from　the　British　Admiralty　to　the

flagship。　　Communication　between　the　British　fleet　and

the　shore；　and　consequently　London；　had　been　constant；

and　all　that　had　occurred　had　been　quickly　made　known

to　the　Admiralty　and　the　Government。　　The　orders　now

received　by　the　Vice…Admiral　were　to　the　effect　that　it

was　considered　judicious　to　discontinue　the　conflict

for　the　day；　and　that　he　and　his　whole　fleet　should

return　to　Portsmouth　to　receive　further　orders。

　　　

In　issuing　these　commands　the　British　Government

was　actuated　simply　by　motives　of　humanity　and　common

sense。　　The　British　fleet　was　thoroughly　prepared　for

ordinary　naval　warfare；　but　an　enemy　had　inaugurated

another　kind　of　naval　warfare；　for　which　it　was　not

prepared。　　It　was；　therefore；　decided　to　withdraw　the

ships　until　they　should　be　prepared　for　the　new　kind　of

warfare。　　To　allow　ironclad　after　ironclad　to　be　

disabled　and　set　adrift；　to　subject　every　ship　in　the

fleet　to　the　danger　of　instantaneous　destruction；　and

all　this　without　the　possibility　of　inflicting　injury

upon　the　enemy；　would　not　be　bravery；　it　would　be　stupidity。　　

It　was　surely　possible　to　devise　a　means

for　destroying　the　seven　hostile　ships　now　in　British

waters。　　Until　action　for　this　end　could　be　taken；　it

was　the　part　of　wisdom　for　the　British　navy　to　confine

itself　to　the　protection　of　British　ports。

　　　

When　the　fleet　began　to　move　toward　the　Isle　of

Wight；　the　six　crabs；　which　had　been　lying　quietly

among　and　under　the　protection　of　their　enemies；

withdrew　southward；　and；　making　a　slight　circuit；

joined　the　repeller。

　　　

Each　of　the　disabled　ironclads　was　now　in　tow　of　a

sister　vessel；　or　of　tugs；　except　the　Llangaron。　

This　great　ship　had　been　disabled　so　early　in　the

contest；　and　her　broadside　had　presented　such　a　vast

surface　to　the　north…west　wind；　that　she　had　drifted

much　farther　to　the　south　than　any　other　vessel。　

Consequently；　before　the　arrival　of　the　tugs　which　had

been　sent　for　to　tow　her　into　harbour；　the　Llangaron

was　well　on　her　way　across　the　channel。　　A　foggy　night

came　on；　and　the　next　morning　she　was　ashore　on　the

coast　of　France；　with　a　mile　of　water　between　her　and

dry　land。　　Fast…rooted　in　a　great　sand…bank；　she　lay

week　after　week；　with　the　storms　that　came　in　from

the　Atlantic；　and　the　storms　that　came　in　from　the

German　Ocean；　beating　upon　her　tall　side　of　solid　iron；

with　no　more　effect　than　if　it　had　been　a　precipice　of

rock。　　Against　waves　and　winds　she　formed　a　massive

breakwater；　with　a　wide　stretch　of　smooth　sea　between

her　and　the　land。　　There　she　lay；　proof　against　all　the

artillery　of　Europe；　and　all　the　artillery　of　the　sea

and　the　storm；　until　a　fleet　of　small　vessels　had　taken

from　her　her　ponderous　armament；　her　coal　and　stores；

and　she　had　been　lightened　enough　to　float　upon　a　high

tide；　and　to　follow　three　tugs　to　Portsmouth。

　　　

When　night　came　on；　Repeller　No。　11　and　the　crabs

dropped　down　with　the　tide；　and　lay　to　some　miles　west

of　the　scene　of　battle。　　The　fog　shut　them　in　fairly

well；　but；　fearful　that　torpedoes　might　be　sent　out

against　them；　they　showed　no　lights。　　There　was　little

danger；　of　collision　with　passing　merchantmen；　for　the

English　Channel；　at　present；　was　deserted　by　this　class

of　vessels。

　　　

The　next　morning　the　repeller；　preceded　by　two

crabs；　bearing　between　them　a　submerged　net　similar　to

that　used　at　the　Canadian　port；　appeared　off　the

eastern　end　of　the　Isle　of　Wight。　　The　anchors　of　the

net　were　dropped；　and　behind　it　the　repeller　took　her

place；　and　shortly　afterward　she　sent　a　flag…of…truce

boat　to　Portsmouth　harbour。　　This　boat　carried　a　note

from　the　American　War　Syndicate　to　the　British　Government。

　　　

In　this　note　it　was　stated　that　it　was　now　the

intention　of　the　Syndicate　to　utterly　destroy；　by　means

of　the　instantaneous　motor；　a　fortified　post　upon　the

British　coast。　　As　this　would　be　done　solely　for　the

purpose　of　demonstrating　the　irresistible　destructive

power　of　the　motor…bombs；　it　was　immaterial　to　the

Syndicate　what　fortified　post　should　be　destroyed；

provided　it　should　answer　the　requirements　of　the

proposed　demonstration。　　Consequently　the　British

Government　was　offered　the　opportunity　of　naming　the

fortified　place　which　should　be　destroyed。　　If　said

Government　should　decline　to　do　this；　or　delay　the

selection　for　twenty…four　hours；　the　Syndicate　would

itself　decide　upon　the　place　to　be　operated　upon。

　　　

Every　one　in　every　branch　of　the　British

Government；　and；　in　fact；　nearly　every　thinking　person

in　the　British　islands；　had　been　racking　his

brains；　or　her　brains；　that　night；　over　the　astounding

situation；　and　the　note　of　the　Syndicate　only　added　to

the　perturbation　of　the　Government。　　There　was　a　strong

feeling　in　official　circles　that　the　insolent　little　enemy　

must　be　crushed；　if　the　whole　British　navy　should　have　

to　rush　upon　it；　and　all　sink　together　in　a　common　grave。

　　　

But　there　were　cooler　and　more　prudent　brains　at

the　head　of　affairs；　and　these　had　already　decided　that

the　contest　between　the　old　engines　of　war　and　the　new

ones　was　entirely　one…sided。　　The　instincts　of　good

government　dictated　to　them　that　they　should　be

extremely　wary　and　circumspect　during　the　further

continuance　of　this　unexampled　war。　　Therefore；　when

the　note　of　the　Syndicate　was　considered；　it　was　agreed

that　the　time　had　come　when　good　statesmanship　and　wise

diplomacy　would　be　more　valuable　to　the　nation　than

torpedoes；　armoured　ships；　or　heavy　guns。

　　　

There　was　not　the　slightest　doubt　that　the　country

would　disagree　with　the　Government；　but　on　the　latter

lay　the　responsibility　of　the　country's　safety。　

There　was　nothing；　in　the　opinion　of　the　ablest

naval　officers；　to　prevent　the　Syndicate's　fleet　from

coming　up　the　Thames。　　Instantaneous　motor…bombs　could

sweep　away　all　forts　and　citadels；　and　explode　and

destroy　all　torpedo　defences；　and　London　might　lie

under　the　guns　of　the　repeller。

　　　

In　consequence　of　this　view　of　the　state　of

affairs；　an　answer　was　sent　to　the　Syndicate's　note；

asking　that　further　time　be　given　for　the　consideration

of　the　situation；　and　suggesting　that　an　exhibition　of

the　power　of　the　motor…bomb　was　not　necessary；　as

sufficient　proof　of　this　had　been　given　in　the

destruction　of　the　Canadian　forts；　the　annihilation　of

the　Craglevin；　and　the　extraordinary　results　of　the

discharge　of　said　bombs　on　the　preceding　day。

　　　

To　this　a　reply　was　sent　from　the　office　of　the

Syndicate　in　New　York；　by　means　of　a　cable　boat　from

the　French　coast；　that　on　no　account　could　their

purpose　be　altered　or　their　propositions　modified。　

Although　the　British　Government　might　be　convinced　of

the　power