the great war syndicate-第15章

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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　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

li