the great war syndicate-第13节

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two；　and　the　upper　portion　dragged　from　its　fastenings

then　a　quick　backward　jerk　snapped　its　chains；　and　it

was　dropped　into　the　sea。

　　　

A　signal　was　now　sent　from　Crab　J　to　Repeller　No。

7；　to　the　effect　that　the　Adamant　had　been　rendered

incapable　of　steaming　or　sailing；　and　that　she　lay

subject　to　order。

　　　

Subject　to　order　or　not；　the　Adamant　did　not　lie

passive。　　Every　gun　on　board　which　could　be

sufficiently　depressed；　was　made　ready　to　fire　upon　the

crabs　should　they　attempt　to　get　away。　　Four　large

boats；　furnished　with　machine　guns；　grapnels；　and　with

various　appliances　which　might　be　brought　into　use　on　a

steel…plated　roof；　were　lowered　from　their　davits；　and

immediately　began　firing　upon　the　exposed　portions　of

the　crabs。　　Their　machine　guns　were　loaded　with　small

shells；　and　if　these　penetrated　under　the　horizontal

plates　of　a　crab；　and　through　the　heavy　glass　which　was

supposed　to　be　in　these　interstices；　the　crew　of　the

submerged　craft　would　be　soon　destroyed。

　　　

The　quick　eye　of　the　captain　of　the　Adamant　had

observed　through　his　glass；　while　the　crabs　were　still

at　a　considerable　distance；　their　protruding　air…pipes；

and　he　had　instructed　the　officers　in　charge　of　the

boats　to　make　an　especial　attack　upon　these。　　If　the

air…pipes　of　a　crab　could　be　rendered　useless；　the　crew

must　inevitably　be　smothered。

　　　

But　the　brave　captain　did　not　know　that　the

condensed…air　chambers　of　the　crabs　would　supply　their

inmates　for　an　hour　or　more　without　recourse　to　the

outer　air；　and　that　the　air…pipes；　furnished　with

valves　at　the　top；　were　always　withdrawn　under　water

during　action　with　an　enemy。　　Nor　did　he　know　that

the　glass　blocks　under　the　armour…plates　of　the　crabs；

which　were　placed　in　rubber　frames　to　protect　them　from

concussion　above；　were　also　guarded　by　steel　netting

from　injury　by　small　balls。

　　　

Valiantly　the　boats　beset　the　crabs；　keeping　up　a

constant　fusillade；　and　endeavouring　to　throw　grapnels

over　them。　　If　one　of　these　should　catch　under　an

overlapping　armour…plate　it　could　be　connected　with　the

steam　windlass　of　the　Adamant；　and　a　plate　might　be

ripped　off　or　a　crab　overturned。

　　　

But　the　crabs　proved　to　be　much　more　lively　fish

than　their　enemies　had　supposed。　　Turning；　as　if　on　a

pivot；　and　darting　from　side　to　side；　they　seemed　to　be

playing　with　the　boats；　and　not　trying　to　get　away　from

them。　　The　spring　armour　of　Crab　K　interfered　somewhat

with　its　movements；　and　also　put　it　in　danger　from

attacks　by　grapnels；　and　it　therefore　left　most　of　the

work　to　its　consort。

　　　

Crab　J；　after　darting　swiftly　in　and　out　among　her

antagonists　for　some　time；　suddenly　made　a　turn；　and

dashing　at　one　of　the　boats；　ran　under　it；　and　raising

it　on　its　glistening　back；　rolled　it；　bottom　upward；

into　the　sea。　　In　a　moment　the　crew　of　the　boat

were　swimming　for　their　lives。　　They　were　quickly

picked　up　by　two　of　the　other　boats；　which　then　deemed

it　prudent　to　return　to　the　ship。

　　　

But　the　second　officer　of　the　Adamant；　who

commanded　the　fourth　boat；　did　not　give　up　the　fight。　

Having　noted　the　spring　armour　of　Crab　K；　he　believed

that　if　he　could　get　a　grapnel　between　its　steel　ribs

he　yet　might　capture　the　sea…monster。　　For　some　minutes

Crab　K　contented　itself　with　eluding　him；　but；　tired　of

this；　it　turned；　and　raising　its　huge　nippers　almost

out　of　the　water；　it　seized　the　bow　of　the　boat；　and

gave　it　a　gentle　crunch；　after　which　it　released　its

hold　and　retired。　　The　boat；　leaking　rapidly　through

two　ragged　holes；　was　rowed　back　to　the　ship；　which　it

reached　half　full　of　water。

　　　

The　great　battle…ship；　totally　bereft　of　the　power

of　moving　herself；　was　now　rolling　in　the　trough　of　the

sea；　and　a　signal　came　from　the　repeller　for　Crab　K　to

make　fast　to　her　and　put　her　head　to　the　wind。　　This

was　quickly　done；　the　crab　attaching　itself　to　the

stern…post　of　the　Adamant　by　a　pair　of　towing

nippers。　　These　were　projected　from　the　stern　of　the

crab；　and　were　so　constructed　that　the　larger

vessel　did　not　communicate　all　its　motion　to　the

smaller　one；　and　could　not　run　down　upon　it。

　　　

As　soon　as　the　Adamant　was　brought　up　with　her

head　to　the　wind　she　opened　fire　upon　the　repeller。　

The　latter　vessel　could　easily　have　sailed　out　of　the

range　of　a　motionless　enemy；　but　her　orders　forbade

this。　　Her　director　had　been　instructed　by　the

Syndicate　to　expose　his　vessel　to　the　fire　of　the

Adamant's　heavy　guns。　　Accordingly　the　repeller

steamed　nearer；　and　turned　her　broadside　toward　the

British　ship。

　　　

Scarcely　had　this　been　done　when　the　two　great　bow

guns　of　the　Adamant　shook　the　air　with　tremendous

roars；　each　hurling　over　the　sea　nearly　a　ton　of　steel。　

One　of　these　great　shot　passed　over　the　repeller；　but

the　other　struck　her　armoured　side　fairly　amidship。　

There　was　a　crash　and　scream　of　creaking　steel；　and

Repeller　No。　7　rolled　over　to　windward　as　if　she　had

been　struck　by　a　heavy　sea。　　In　a　moment　she　righted

and　shot　ahead；　and；　turning；　presented　her　port　side

to　the　enemy。　　Instant　examination　of　the　armour　on　her

other　side　showed　that　the　two　banks　of　springs　were

uninjured；　and　that　not　an　air…buffer　had　exploded

or　failed　to　spring　back　to　its　normal　length。

　　　

Firing　from　the　Adamant　now　came　thick　and　fast；

the　crab；　in　obedience　to　signals；　turning　her　about　so

as　to　admit　the　firing　of　some　heavy　guns　mounted

amidships。　　Three　enormous　solid　shot　struck　the

repeller　at　different　points　on　her　starboard　armour

without　inflicting　damage；　while　the　explosion　of

several　shells　which　hit　her　had　no　more　effect　upon

her　elastic　armour　than　the　impact　of　the　solid　shot。

　　　

It　was　the　desire　of　the　Syndicate　not　only　to

demonstrate　to　its　own　satisfaction　the　efficiency　of

its　spring　armour；　but　to　convince　Great　Britain　that

her　heaviest　guns　on　her　mightiest　battle…ships　could

have　no　effect　upon　its　armoured　vessels。　　To　prove　the

absolute　superiority　of　their　means　of　offence　and

defence　was　the　supreme　object　of　the　Syndicate。　　For

this　its　members　studied　and　worked　by　day　and　by

night；　for　this　they　poured　out　their　millions；　for

this　they　waged　war。　　To　prove　what　they　claimed　would

be　victory。

　　　

When　Repeller　No。　7　had　sustained　the　heavy　fire　of

the　Adamant　for　about　half　an　hour；　it　was

considered　that　the　strength　of　her　armour　had　been

sufficiently　demonstrated；　and；　with　a　much　lighter

heart　than　when　he　had　turned　her　broadside　to　the

Adamant；　her　director　gave　orders　that　she　should

steam　out　of　the　range　of　the　guns　of　the　British　ship。　

During　the　cannonade　Crab　J　had　quietly　slipped　away

from　the　vicinity　of　the　Adamant；　and　now　joined　the

repeller。

　　　

The　great　ironclad　battle…ship；　with　her　lofty

sides　plated　with　nearly　two　feet　of　solid　steel；　with

her　six　great　guns；　each　weighing　more　than　a　hundred

tons；　with　her　armament　of　other　guns；　machine　cannon；

and　almost　every　appliance　of　naval　warfare；　with　a

small　army　of　officers　and　men　on　board；　was　left　in

charge　of　Crab　K；　of　which　only　a　few　square　yards　of

armoured　roof　could　be　seen　above　the　water。　　This

little　vessel　now　proceeded　to　tow　southward　her　vast

prize；　uninjured；　except　that　her　rudder　and　propeller…

blades　were　broken　and　useless。

　　　

Although　the　engines　of　the　crab　were　of　enormous

power；　the　progress　made　was　slow；　for　the　Adamant

was　being　towed　stern　foremost。　　It　would　have　been

easier　to　tow　the　great　vessel　had　the　crab　been

attached　to　her　bow；　but　a　ram　which　extended　many　feet

under　water　rendered　it　dangerous　for　a　submerged

vessel　to　attach　itself　in　its　vicinity。

　　　

During　the　night　the　repeller　kept　company；

although　at　a　considerable　distance；　with　the　captured

vessel；　and　early　the　next　morning　her　director

prepared　to　send　to　the　Adamant　a　boat　with　a　flag…of…truce；

and　a　letter　demanding　the　surrender　and　subsequent

evacuation　of　the　British　ship。　　It　was　supposed　that

now；　when　the　officers　of　the　Adamant　had　had　time　to

appreciate　the　fact　that　they　had　no　control　over　the

movements　of　their　vessel；　that　their　armament　was

powerless　against　their　enemies；　that　the　Adamant

could　be　towed　wherever　the　Syndicate　chose　to

order；　or　left　helpless　in　midocean；they　would　be

obliged　to　admit　that　there　was　nothing　for　them　to　do

but　to　surrender。



But　events　proved　that　no　such　ideas　had　entered

the　minds　of　the　Adamant's　officers；　and　their　action

totally　prevented　sending　a　flag…of…truce　boat。　　As

soon　as　it　was　light　enough　to　see　the　repeller　the

Adamant　began　firing　great　guns　at　her。　　She　was　too

far　away　for　the　shot　to　strike　her；　but　to　launch　and

send　a　boat　of　any　kind　into　a　storm　of　shot　and　shell

was　of　course　impossible。



The　cannon　suspended　over　the　stern　of　the

Adamant　was　also　again　brought　into　play；　and　shot

aft