the great war syndicate-第10节

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very　much　objected　to　undertaking　the　imprisonment　and

sustenance　of　a　large　body　of　soldiers。　　Orders　were

therefore　given　to　the　officer　in　charge　of　the

repeller　not　to　molest　the　two　transports；　but　to

remove　the　rudders　and　extract　the　screws　of　the　two

war…vessels；　leaving　them　to　be　towed　into　port　by　the

troop…ships。

　　　

This　duty　was　performed　by　the　crabs；　while　the

British　vessels；　both　rams；　were　preparing　to　make　a

united　and　vigorous　onset　on　the　repeller；　and　the　two

men…of…war　were　left　hopelessly　tossing　on　the　waves。　

One　of　the　transports；　a　very　fast　steamer；　had　already

entered　the　straits；　and　could　not　be　signalled；　but

the　other　one　returned　and　took　both　the　war…ships　in

tow；　proceeding　very　slowly　until；　after　entering　the

gulf；　she　was　relieved　by　tugboats。

　　　

Another　event　of　a　somewhat　different　character　was

the　occasion　of　much　excited　feeling　and　comment；

particularly　in　the　United　States。　　The　descent　and

attack　by　British　vessels　on　an　Atlantic　port　was　a

matter　of　popular　expectation。　　The　Syndicate　had

repellers　and　crabs　at　the　most　important　points；　but；

in　the　minds　of　naval　officers　and　a　large　portion　of

the　people；　little　dependence　for　defence　was　to　be

placed　upon　these。　　As　to　the　ability　of　the　War

Syndicate　to　prevent　invasion　or　attack　by　means　of

its　threats　to　bombard　the　blockaded　Canadian　port；

very　few　believed　in　it。　　Even　if　the　Syndicate　could

do　any　more　damage　in　that　quarter；　which　was

improbable；　what　was　to　prevent　the　British　navy　from

playing　the　same　game；　and　entering　an　American

seaport；　threaten　to　bombard　the　place　if　the　Syndicate

did　not　immediately　run　all　their　queer　vessels　high

and　dry　on　some　convenient　beach？

　　　

A　feeling　of　indignation　against　the　Syndicate　had

existed　in　the　navy　from　the　time　that　the　war　contract

had　been　made；　and　this　feeling　increased　daily。　　That

the　officers　and　men　of　the　United　States　navy　should

be　penned　up　in　harbours；　ports；　and　sounds；　while

British　ships　and　the　hulking　mine…springers　and

rudder…pinchers　of　the　Syndicate　were　allowed　to　roam

the　ocean　at　will；　was　a　very　hard　thing　for　brave

sailors　to　bear。　　Sometimes　the　resentment　against　this

state　of　affairs　rose　almost　to　revolt。

　　　

The　great　naval　preparations　of　England　were　not

yet　complete；　but　single　British　men…of…war　were　now

frequently　seen　off　the　Atlantic　coast　of　the　United

States。　　No　American　vessels　had　been　captured　by

these　since　the　message　of　the　Syndicate　to　the

Dominion　of　Canada　and　the　British　Government。　　But　one

good　reason　for　this　was　the　fact　that　it　was　very

difficult　now　to　find　upon　the　Atlantic　ocean　a　vessel

sailing　under　the　American　flag。　　As　far　as　possible

these　had　taken　refuge　in　their　own　ports　or　in　those

of　neutral　countries。

　　　

At　the　mouth　of　Delaware　Bay；　behind　the　great

Breakwater；　was　now　collected　a　number　of　coastwise

sailing…vessels　and　steamers　of　various　classes　and

sizes；　and　for　the　protection　of　these　maritime

refugees；　two　vessels　of　the　United　States　navy　were

stationed　at　this　point。　　These　were　the　Lenox　and

Stockbridge；　two　of　the　finest　cruisers　in　the

service；　and　commanded　by　two　of　the　most　restless　and

bravest　officers　of　the　American　navy。

　　　

The　appearance；　early　on　a　summer　morning；　of　a

large　British　cruiser　off　the　mouth　of　the　harbour；

filled　those　two　commanders　with　uncontrollable

belligerency。　　That　in　time　of　war　a　vessel　of　the

enemy　should　be　allowed；　undisturbed；　to　sail　up　and

down　before　an　American　harbour；　while　an　American

vessel　filled　with　brave　American　sailors　lay　inside

like　a　cowed　dog；　was　a　thought　which　goaded　the

soul　of　each　of　these　commanders。　　There　was　a　certain

rivalry　between　the　two　ships；　and；　considering　the

insult　offered　by　the　flaunting　red　cross　in　the

offing；　and　the　humiliating　restrictions　imposed　by　the

Naval　Department；　each　commander　thought　only　of　his

own　ship；　and　not　at　all　of　the　other。

　　　

It　was　almost　at　the　same　time　that　the　commanders

of　the　two　ships　separately　came　to　the　conclusion　that

the　proper　way　to　protect　the　fleet　behind　the

Breakwater　was　for　his　vessel　to　boldly　steam　out　to

sea　and　attack　the　British　cruiser。　　If　this　vessel

carried　a　long…range　gun；　what　was　to　hinder　her　from

suddenly　running　in　closer　and　sending　a　few　shells

into　the　midst　of　the　defenceless　merchantmen？　　In

fact；　to　go　out　and　fight　her　was　the　only　way　to

protect　the　lives　and　property　in　the　harbour。

　　　

It　was　true　that　one　of　those　beastly　repellers　was

sneaking　about　off　the　cape；　accompanied；　probably；　by

an　underwater　tongs…boat。　　But　as　neither　of　these　had

done　anything；　or　seemed　likely　to　do　anything；　the

British　cruiser　should　be　attacked　without　loss　of

time。

　　　

When　the　commander　of　the　Lenox　came　to　this

decision；　his　ship　was　well　abreast　of　Cape　Henlopen；

and　he　therefore　proceeded　directly　out　to　sea。　　There

was　a　little　fear　in　his　mind　that　the　English　cruiser；

which　was　now　bearing　to　the　south…east；　might　sail　off

and　get　away　from　him。　　The　Stockbridge　was　detained

by　the　arrival　of　a　despatch　boat　from　the　shore　with　a

message　from　the　Naval　Department。　　But　as　this　message

related　only　to　the　measurements　of　a　certain　deck　gun；

her　commander　intended；　as　soon　as　an　answer　could　be

sent　off；　to　sail　out　and　give　battle　to　the　British

vessel。

　　　

Every　soul　on　board　the　Lenox　was　now　filled　with

fiery　ardour。　　The　ship　was　already　in　good　fighting

trim；　but　every　possible　preparation　was　made　for　a

contest　which　should　show　their　country　and　the　world

what　American　sailors　were　made　of。

　　　

The　Lenox　had　not　proceeded　more　than　a　mile　out

to　sea；　when　she　perceived　Repeller　No。　6　coming　toward

her　from　seaward；　and　in　a　direction　which　indicated

that　it　intended　to　run　across　her　course。　　The

Lenox；　however；　went　straight　on；　and　in　a　short　time

the　two　vessels　were　quite　near　each　other。　　Upon

the　deck　of　the　repeller　now　appeared　the　director　in

charge；　who；　with　a　speaking…trumpet；　hailed　the

Lenox　and　requested　her　to　lay　to；　as　he　had

something　to　communicate。　　The　commander　of　the

Lenox；　through　his　trumpet；　answered　that　he　wanted

no　communications；　and　advised　the　other　vessel　to　keep

out　of　his　way。

　　　

The　Lenox　now　put　on　a　greater　head　of　steam；　and

as　she　was　in　any　case　a　much　faster　vessel　than　the

repeller；　she　rapidly　increased　the　distance　between

herself　and　the　Syndicate's　vessel；　so　that　in　a　few

moments　hailing　was　impossible。　　Quick　signals　now　shot

up　in　jets　of　black　smoke　from　the　repeller；　and　in　a

very　short　time　afterward　the　speed　of　the　Lenox

slackened　so　much　that　the　repeller　was　able　to　come　up

with　her。

　　　

When　the　two　vessels　were　abreast　of　each　other；

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