the great war syndicate-第16章

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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　surrender　was　accepted；　and　the　captain　of　the

gun…boat　was　ordered　to　stop　his　engines　and　prepare　to

be　towed。　　When　this　order　had　been　given；　the　crab

moved　round　to　the　bow　of　the　gun…boat；　and　grasping

the　cut…water　with　its　forceps；　reversed　its　engines

and　began　to　back　rapidly　toward　the　British　fleet；

taking　with　it　the　captured　vessel　as　a　protection

against　torpedoes　while　in　transit。

　　　

The　crab　slowed　up　not　far　from　one　of　the　foremost

of　the　British　ships；　and　coming　round　to　the　quarter

of　the　gun…boat；　the　astonished　captain　of　that　vessel

was　informed；　through　the　speaking…tube；　that　if

he　would　give　his　parole　to　keep　out　of　this　fight；　he

would　be　allowed　to　proceed　to　his　anchorage　in

Portsmouth　harbour。　　The　parole　was　given；　and　the

dynamite　gun…boat；　after　reporting　to　the　flag…ship；

steamed　away　to　Portsmouth。

　　　

The　situation　now　became　one　which　was　unparalleled

in　the　history　of　naval　warfare。　　On　the　side　of　the

British；　seven　war…ships　were　disabled　and　drifting

slowly　to　the　south…east。　　For　half　an　hour　no　advance

had　been　made　by　the　British　fleet；　for　whenever　one　of

the　large　vessels　had　steamed　ahead；　such　vessel　had

become　the　victim　of　a　crab；　and　the　Vice…Admiral

commanding　the　fleet　had　signalled　not　to　advance　until

farther　orders。

　　　

The　crabs　were　also　lying…to；　each　to　the　windward

of；　and　not　far　from；　one　of　the　British　ships。　　They

had　ceased　to　make　any　attacks；　and　were　resting

quietly　under　protection　of　the　enemy。　　This；　with　the

fact　that　the　repeller　still　lay　four　miles　away；

without　any　apparent　intention　of　taking　part　in　the

battle；　gave　the　situation　its　peculiar　character。

　　　

The　British　Vice…Admiral　did　not　intend　to　remain

in　this　quiescent　condition。　　It　was；　of　course；

useless　to　order　forth　his　ironclads；　simply　to

see　them　disabled　and　set　adrift。　　There　was　another

arm　of　the　service　which　evidently　could　be　used　with

better　effect　upon　this　peculiar　foe　than　could　the

great　battle…ships。

　　

But　before　doing　anything　else；　he　must　provide　for

the　safety　of　those　of　his　vessels　which　had　been

rendered　helpless　by　the　crabs；　and　some　of　which　were

now　drifting　dangerously　near　to　each　other。　

Despatches　had　been　sent　to　Portsmouth　for　tugs；　but　it

would　not　do　to　wait　until　these　arrived；　and　a

sufficient　number　of　ironclads　were　detailed　to　tow

their　injured　consorts　into　port。

　　　

When　this　order　had　been　given；　the　Vice…Admiral

immediately　prepared　to　renew　the　fight；　and　this　time

his　efforts　were　to　be　directed　entirely　against　the

repeller。　　It　would　be　useless　to　devote　any　further

attention　to　the　crabs；　especially　in　their　present

positions。　　But　if　the　chief　vessel　of　the　Syndicate's

fleet；　with　its　spring　armour　and　its　terrible

earthquake　bombs；　could　be　destroyed；　it　was　quite

possible　that　those　sea…parasites；　the　crabs；　could

also　be　disposed　of。

　　　

Every　torpedo…boat　was　now　ordered　to　the　front；

and　in　a　long　line；　almost　abreast　of　each　other；

these　swift　vesselsthe　light…infantry　of　the　sea

advanced　upon　the　solitary　and　distant　foe。　　If　one

torpedo　could　but　reach　her　hull；　the　Vice…Admiral；　in

spite　of　seven　disabled　ironclads　and　a　captured　gun…

boat；　might　yet　gaze　proudly　at　his　floating　flag；　even

if　his　own　ship　should　be　drifting　broadside　to　the

sea。

　　　

The　line　of　torpedo…boats；　slightly　curving　inward；

had　advanced　about　a　mile；　when　Repeller　No。　11　awoke

from　her　seeming　sleep；　and　began　to　act。　　The　two

great　guns　at　her　bow　were　trained　upward；　so　that　a

bomb　discharged　from　them　would　fall　into　the　sea　a

mile　and　a　half　ahead。　　Slowly　turning　her　bow　from

side　to　side；　so　that　the　guns　would　cover　a　range　of

nearly　half　a　circle；　the　instantaneous　motor…bombs　of

the　repeller　were　discharged；　one　every　half　minute。

　　　

One　of　the　most　appalling　characteristics　of　the

motor…bombs　was　the　silence　which　accompanied　their

discharge　and　action。　　No　noise　was　heard；　except　the

flash　of　sound　occasioned　by　the　removal　of　the

particles　of　the　object　aimed　at；　and　the　subsequent

roar　of　wind　or　fall　of　water。

　　　

As　each　motor…bomb　dropped　into　the　channel；　a

dense　cloud　appeared　high　in　the　air；　above　a　roaring；

seething　cauldron；　hollowed　out　of　the　waters　and　out

of　the　very　bottom　of　the　channel。　　Into　this　chasm　the

cloud　quickly　came　down；　condensed　into　a　vast　body　of

water；　which　fell；　with　the　roar　of　a　cyclone；　into　the

dreadful　abyss　from　which　it　had　been　torn；　before　the

hissing　walls　of　the　great　hollow　had　half　filled　it

with　their　sweeping　surges。　　The　piled…up　mass　of　the

redundant　water　was　still　sending　its　maddened　billows

tossing　and　writhing　in　every　direction　toward　their

normal　level；　when　another　bomb　was　discharged；　another

surging　abyss　appeared；　another　roar　of　wind　and　water

was　heard；　and　another　mountain　of　furious　billows

uplifted　itself　in　a　storm　of　spray　and　foam；　raging

that　it　had　found　its　place　usurped。

　　　

Slowly　turning；　the　repeller　discharged　bomb　after

bomb；　building　up　out　of　the　very　sea　itself　a　barrier

against　its　enemies。　　Under　these　thundering　cataracts；

born　in　an　instant；　and　coming　down　all　at　once　in　a

plunging　storm；　into　these　abysses；　with　walls　of　water

and　floors　of　cleft　and　shivered　rocks；　through　this

wide　belt　of　raging　turmoil；　thrown　into　new

frenzy　after　the　discharge　of　every　bomb；no　vessel；

no　torpedo；　could　pass。

　　　

The　air　driven　off　in　every　direction　by　tremendous

and　successive　concussions　came　rushing　back　in

shrieking　gales；　which　tore　up　the　waves　into　blinding

foam。　　For　miles　in　every　direction　the　sea　swelled　and

upheaved　into　great　peaked　waves；　the　repeller　rising

upon　these　almost　high　enough　to　look　down　into　the

awful　chasms　which　her　bombs　were　making。　　A　torpedo…

boat　caught　in　one　of　the　returning　gales　was　hurled

forward　almost　on　her　beam　ends　until　she　was　under　the

edge　of　one　of　the　vast　masses　of　descending　water。　

The　flood　which；　from　even　the　outer　limits　of　this

falling…sea；　poured　upon　and　into　the　unlucky　vessel

nearly　swamped　her；　and　when　she　was　swept　back　by　the

rushing　waves　into　less　stormy　waters；　her　officers　and

crew　leaped　into　their　boats　and　deserted　her。　　By　rare

good…fortune　their　boats　were　kept　afloat　in　the

turbulent　sea　until　they　reached　the　nearest　torpedo…

vessel。

　　

Five　minutes　afterward　a　small　but　carefully　aimed

motor…bomb　struck　the　nearly　swamped　vessel；　and　with

the　roar　of　all　her　own　torpedoes　she　passed　into

nothing。

　　　

The　British　Vice…Admiral　had　carefully　watched　the

repeller　through　his　glass；　and　he　noticed　that

simultaneously　with　the　appearance　of　the　cloud　in　the

air　produced　by　the　action　of　the　motor…bombs　there

were　two　puffs　of　black　smoke　from　the　repeller。　　These

were　signals　to　the　crabs　to　notify　them　that　a　motor…

gun　had　been　discharged；　and　thus　to　provide　against

accidents　in　case　a　bomb　should　fail　to　act。　　One　puff

signified　that　a　bomb　had　been　discharged　to　the　north；

two；　that　it　had　gone　eastward；　and　so　on。　if；

therefore；　a　crab　should　see　a　signal　of　this　kind；　and

perceive　no　signs　of　the　action　of　a　bomb；　it　would　be

careful　not　to　approach　the　repeller　from　the　quarter

indicated。　　It　is　true　that　in　case　of　the　failure　of　a

bomb　to　act；　another　bomb　would　be　dropped　upon　the

same　spot；　but　the　instructions　of　the　War　Syndicate

provided　that　every　possible　precaution　should　be　taken

against　accidents。

　　

Of　course　the　Vice…Admiral　did　not　understand　these

signals；　nor　did　he　know　that　they　were　signals；　but　he

knew　that　they　accompanied　the　discharge　of　a　motor…

gun。　　Once　he　noticed　that　there　was　a　short

cessation　in　the　hitherto　constant　succession　of　water

avalanches；　an