the great war syndicate-第9章

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and　at　a　safe　hailing　distance　apart；　another　signal

went　up　from　the　repeller；　and　then　both　vessels　almost

ceased　to　move　through　the　water；　although　the　engines

of　the　Lenox　were　working　at　high　speed；　with　her

propeller…blades　stirring　up　a　whirlpool　at　her　stern。

　　　

For　a　minute　or　two　the　officers　of　the　Lenox

could　not　comprehend　what　had　happened。　　It　was　first

supposed　that　by　mistake　the　engines　had　been

slackened；　but　almost　at　the　same　moment　that　it　was

found　that　this　was　not　the　case；　the　discovery　was

made　that　the　crab　accompanying　the　repeller　had　laid

hold　of　the　stern…post　of　the　Lenox；　and　with　all　the

strength　of　her　powerful　engines　was　holding　her　back。

　　　

Now　burst　forth　in　the　Lenox　a　storm　of　frenzied

rage；　such　as　was　never　seen　perhaps　upon　any　vessel

since　vessels　were　first　built。　　From　the　commander　to

the　stokers　every　heart　was　filled　with　fury　at　the

insult　which　was　put　upon　them。　　The　commander　roared

through　his　trumpet　that　if　that　infernal　sea…beetle

were　not　immediately　loosed　from　his　ship　he　would

first　sink　her　and　then　the　repeller。

　　　

To　these　remarks　the　director　of　the　Syndicate's

vessels　paid　no　attention；　but　proceeded　to　state　as

briefly　and　forcibly　as　possible　that　the　Lenox　had

been　detained　in　order　that　he　might　have　an

opportunity　of　speaking　with　her　commander；　and　of

informing　him　that　his　action　in　coming　out　of　the

harbour　for　the　purpose　of　attacking　a　British

vessel　was　in　direct　violation　of　the　contract　between

the　United　States　and　the　Syndicate　having　charge　of

the　war；　and　that　such　action　could　not　be　allowed。

　　　

The　commander　of　the　Lenox　paid　no　more　attention

to　these　words　than　the　Syndicate's　director　had　given

to　those　he　had　spoken；　but　immediately　commenced　a

violent　attack　upon　the　crab。　　It　was　impossible　to

bring　any　of　the　large　guns　to　bear　upon　her；　for　she

was　almost　under　the　stern　of　the　Lenox；　but　every

means　of　offence　which　infuriated　ingenuity　could

suggest　was　used　against　it。　　Machine　guns　were　trained

to　fire　almost　perpendicularly；　and　shot　after　shot　was

poured　upon　that　portion　of　its　glistening　back　which

appeared　above　the　water。

　　　

But　as　these　projectiles　seemed　to　have　no　effect

upon　the　solid　back　of　Crab　H；　two　great　anvils　were

hoisted　at　the　end　of　the　spanker…boom；　and　dropped；

one　after　the　other；　upon　it。　　The　shocks　were

tremendous；　but　the　internal　construction　of　the　crabs

provided；　by　means　of　upright　beams；　against　injury

from　attacks　of　this　kind；　and　the　great　masses　of　iron

slid　off　into　the　sea　without　doing　any　damage。

　　　

Finding　it　impossible　to　make　any　impression　upon

the　mailed　monster　at　his　stern；　the　commander　of　the

Lenox　hailed　the　director　of　the　repeller；　and　swore

to　him　through　his　trumpet　that　if　he　did　not

immediately　order　the　Lenox　to　be　set　free；　her

heaviest　guns　should　be　brought　to　bear　upon　his

floating　counting…house；　and　that　it　should　be　sunk；　if

it　took　all　day　to　do　it。

　　　

It　would　have　been　a　grim　satisfaction　to　the

commander　of　the　Lenox　to　sink　Repeller　No。　6；　for　he

knew　the　vessel　when　she　had　belonged　to　the　United

States　navy。　　Before　she　had　been　bought　by　the

Syndicate；　and　fitted　out　with　spring　armour；　he　had

made　two　long　cruises　in　her；　and　he　bitterly　hated

her；　from　her　keel　up。

　　　

The　director　of　the　repeller　agreed　to　release　the

Lenox　the　instant　her　commander　would　consent　to

return　to　port。　　No　answer　was　made　to　this

proposition；　but　a　dynamite　gun　on　the　Lenox　was

brought　to　bear　upon　the　Syndicate's　vessel。　　Desiring

to　avoid　any　complications　which　might　ensue　from

actions　of　this　sort；　the　repeller　steamed　ahead；　while

the　director　signalled　Crab　H　to　move　the　stern　of

the　Lenox　to　the　windward；　which；　being　quickly　done；

the　gun　of　the　latter　bore　upon　the　distant　coast。

　　　

It　was　now　very　plain　to　the　Syndicate　director

that　his　words　could　have　no　effect　upon　the　commander

of　the　Lenox；　and　he　therefore　signalled　Crab　H　to

tow　the　United　States　vessel　into　port。　　When　the

commander　of　the　Lenox　saw　that　his　vessel　was

beginning　to　move　backward；　he　gave　instant　orders　to

put　on　all　steam。　　But　this　was　found　to　be　useless；

for　when　the　dynamite　gun　was　about　to　be　fired；　the

engines　had　been　ordered　stopped；　and　the　moment　that

the　propeller…blades　ceased　moving　the　nippers　of　the

crab　had　been　released　from　their　hold　upon　the　stern…

post；　and　the　propeller…blades　of　the　Lenox　were

gently　but　firmly　seized　in　a　grasp　which　included　the

rudder。　　It　was　therefore　impossible　for　the　engines　of

the　vessel　to　revolve　the　propeller；　and；

unresistingly；　the　Lenox　was　towed；　stern　foremost；

to　the　Breakwater。

　　　

The　news　of　this　incident　created　the　wildest

indignation　in　the　United　States　navy；　and　throughout

the　country　the　condemnation　of　what　was　considered　the

insulting　action　of　the　Syndicate　was　general。　In

foreign　countries　the　affair　was　the　subject　of　a　good

deal　of　comment；　but　it　was　also　the　occasion　of　much

serious　consideration；　for　it　proved　that　one　of　the

Syndicate's　submerged　vessels　could；　without　firing　a

gun；　and　without　fear　of　injury　to　itself；　capture　a

man…of…war　and　tow　it　whither　it　pleased。

　　　

The　authorities　at　Washington　took　instant　action

on　the　affair；　and　as　it　was　quite　evident　that　the

contract　between　the　United　States　and　the　Syndicate

had　been　violated　by　the　Lenox；　the　commander　of　that

vessel　was　reprimanded　by　the　Secretary　of　the　Navy；

and　enjoined　that　there　should　be　no　repetitions　of　his

offence。　　But　as　the　commander　of　the　Lenox　knew　that

the　Secretary　of　the　Navy　was　as　angry　as　he　was　at

what　had　happened；　he　did　not　feel　his　reprimand　to　be

in　any　way　a　disgrace。

　　　

It　may　be　stated　that　the　Stockbridge；　which　had

steamed　for　the　open　sea　as　soon　as　the　business　which

had　detained　her　was　completed；　did　not　go　outside　the

Cape。　　When　her　officers　perceived　with　their　glasses

that　the　Lenox　was　returning　to　port　stern　foremost；

they　opined　what　had　happened；　and　desiring　that

their　ship　should　do　all　her　sailing　in　the　natural

way；　the　Stockbridge　was　put　about　and　steamed；　bow

foremost；　to　her　anchorage　behind　the　Breakwater；　the

commander　thanking　his　stars　that　for　once　the　Lenox

had　got　ahead　of　him。

　　　

The　members　of　the　Syndicate　were　very　anxious　to

remove　the　unfavorable　impression　regarding　what　was

called　in　many　quarters　their　attack　upon　a　United

States　vessel；　and　a　circular　to　the　public　was　issued；

in　which　they　expressed　their　deep　regret　at　being

obliged　to　interfere　with　so　many　brave　officers　and

men　in　a　moment　of　patriotic　enthusiasm；　and　explaining

how　absolutely　necessary　it　was　that　the　Lenox　should

be　removed　from　a　position　where　a　conflict　with

English　line…of…battle　ships　would　be　probable。　　There

were　many　thinking　persons　who　saw　the　weight　of　the

Syndicate's　statements；　but　the　effect　of　the　circular

upon　the　popular　mind　was　not　great。

　　　

The　Syndicate　was　now　hard　at　work　making

preparations　for　the　grand　stroke　which　had　been

determined　upon。　　In　the　whole　country　there　was

scarcely　a　man　whose　ability　could　be　made　available　in

their　work；　who　was　not　engaged　in　their　service；

and　everywhere；　in　foundries；　workshops；　and　ship…

yards；　the　construction　of　their　engines　of　war　was

being　carried　on　by　day　and　by　night。　　No　contracts

were　made　for　the　delivery　of　work　at　certain　times；

everything　was　done　under　the　direct　supervision　of　the

Syndicate　and　its　subordinates；　and　the　work　went　on

with　a　definiteness　and　rapidity　hitherto　unknown　in

naval　construction。

　　　

In　the　midst　of　the　Syndicate's　labours　there

arrived　off　the　coast　of　Canada　the　first　result　of

Great　Britain's　preparations　for　her　war　with　the

American　Syndicate；　in　the　shape　of　the　Adamant；　the

largest　and　finest　ironclad　which　had　ever　crossed　the

Atlantic；　and　which　had　been　sent　to　raise　the　blockade

of　the　Canadian　port　by　the　Syndicate's　vessels。

　　　

This　great　ship　had　been　especially　fitted　out　to

engage　in　combat　with　repellers　and　crabs。　　As　far　as

was　possible　the　peculiar　construction　of　the

Syndicate's　vessels　had　been　carefully　studied；　and

English　specialists　in　the　line　of　naval　construction

and　ordnance　had　given　most　earnest　consideration　to

methods　of　attack　and　defence　most　likely　to　succeed

with　these　novel　ships　of　war。　　The　Adamant　was

the　only　vessel　which　it　had　been　possible　to　send　out

in　so　short　a　time；　and　her　cruise　was　somewhat　of　an

experiment。　　If　she　should　be　successful　in　raising　the

blockade　of　the　Canadian　port；　the　British　Admiralty

would　have　but　little　difficulty　in　dealing　with　the

American　Syndicate。

　　　

The　most　important　object　was　to　provide　a　defence

against　the　screw…extracting　and　rudder…breaking　crabs；

and　to　this　end　the　Adamant　had　been　fitted　with　what

was　termed　a　〃stern…jacket。〃　　This　was　a　great　cage　of

heavy　steel　bars；　which　was　attached　to　the　stern　of

the　vessel　in　such　a　way　that　it　could　be　raised　high

above　the　water；　so　as　to　offer　no　impediment　while

under　way；　and　which；　in　time　of　action；　could　be　let

down　so　as　to　surround　and　protect　the　rudder　and

screw…propellers；　of　which　the　Adamant　had　two。

　　　

This　was　considered　an　adequate　defence　against　the

nippers　of　a　Syndicate　crab；　but　as　a　means　of　offence

against　these　almost　submerged　vessels　a　novel

contrivance　had　been　adopted。　　From　a　great　boom

projecting　over　the　stern；　a　large　ship's　cannon　was

suspended　perpendicularly；　muzzle　downward。　　This

gun　could　be　swung　around　to　the　deck；　hoisted　into　a

horizontal　position；　loaded　with　a　heavy　charge；　a

wooden　plug　keeping　the　load　in　position　when　the　gun

hung　perpendicularly。

　　　

If　the　crab　should　come　under　the　stern；　this

cannon　could　be　fired　directly　downward　upon　her　back；

and　it　was　not　believed　that　any　vessel　of　the　kind

could　stand　many　such　tremendous　shocks。　　It　was　not

known　exactly　how　ventilation　was　supplied　to　the

submarine　vessels　of　the　Syndicate；　nor　how　the

occupants　were　enabled　to　make　the　necessary

observations　during　action。　　When　under　way　the　crabs

sailed　somewhat　elevated　above　the　water；　but　when

engaged　with　an　enemy　only　a　small　portion　of　their

covering　armour　could　be　seen。

　　　

It　was　surmised　that　under　and　between　some　of　the

scales　of　this　armour　there　was　some　arrangement　of

thick　glasses；　through　which　the　necessary　observation

could　be　made；　and　it　was　believed　that；　even　if　the

heavy　perpendicular　shots　did　not　crush　in　the　roof　of

a　crab；　these　glasses　would　be　shattered　by　concussion。　

Although　this　might　appear　a　matter　of　slight

importance；　it　was　thought　among　naval　officers　it

would　necessitate　the　withdrawal　of　a　crab　from　actio