the great war syndicate-第16节

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Atlantic。　　The　first　business　of　the　repeller　and　her

attendant　crabs　concerned　these　two　vessels。

　　　

Owing　to　the　power　and　speed　of　the　crabs　which

towed　her；　Repeller　No。　11　made　excellent　time；　and　on

the　morning　of　the　third　day　out　the　two　British

vessels　were　sighted。　　Somewhat　altering　their

course　the　Syndicate's　vessels　were　soon　within　a　few

miles　of　the　enemy。

　　　

The　Craglevin　was　a　magnificent　warship。　　She　was

not　quite　so　large　as　the　Adamant；　and　she　was

unprovided　with　a　stern…jacket　or　other　defence　of　the

kind。　　In　sending　her　out　the　Admiralty　had　designed

her　to　defend　the　transport　against　the　regular　vessels

of　the　United　States　navy；　for　although　the　nature　of

the　contract　with　the　Syndicate　was　well　understood　in

England；　it　was　not　supposed　that　the　American

Government　would　long　consent　to　allow　their　war

vessels　to　remain　entirely　idle。

　　　

When　the　captain　of　the　Craglevin　perceived　the

approach　of　the　repeller　he　was　much　surprised；　but　he

did　not　hesitate　for　a　moment　as　to　his　course。　　He

signalled　to　the　transport；　then　about　a　mile　to　the

north；　to　keep　on　her　way　while　he　steered　to　meet　the

enemy。　　It　had　been　decided　in　British　naval　circles

that　the　proper　thing　to　do　in　regard　to　a　repeller　was

to　ram　her　as　quickly　as　possible。　　These　vessels　were

necessarily　slow　and　unwieldy；　and　if　a　heavy　ironclad

could　keep　clear　of　crabs　long　enough　to　rush　down　upon

one；　there　was　every　reason　to　believe　that　the

〃ball…bouncer；〃　as　the　repellers　were　called　by　British

sailors；　could　be　crushed　in　below　the　water…line　and

sunk。　　So；　full　of　courage　and　determination；　the

captain　of　the　Craglevin　bore　down　upon　the　repeller。

　　　

It　is　not　necessary　to　enter　into　details　of　the

ensuing　action。　　Before　the　Craglevin　was　within　half

a　mile　of　her　enemy　she　was　seized　by　two　crabs；　all　of

which　had　cast　loose　from　the　repeller；　and　in　less

than　twenty　minutes　both　of　her　screws　were　extracted

and　her　rudder　shattered。　　In　the　mean　time　two　of　the

swiftest　crabs　had　pursued　the　transport；　and；　coming

up　with　her；　one　of　them　had　fastened　to　her　rudder；

without；　however；　making　any　attempt　to　injure　it。　

When　the　captain　of　the　steamer　saw　that　one　of　the

sea…devils　had　him　by　the　stern；　while　another　was　near

by　ready　to　attack　him；　he　prudently　stopped　his

engines　and　lay　to；　the　crab　keeping　his　ship's　head　to

the　sea。

　　　

The　captain　of　the　Craglevin　was　a　very　different

man　from　the　captain　of　the　Adamant。　　He　was　quite　as

brave；　but　he　was　wiser　and　more　prudent。　　He　saw　that

the　transport　had　been　captured　and　forced　to　lay　to；

he　saw　that　the　repeller　mounted　two　heavy　guns　at

her　bow；　and　whatever　might　be　the　character　of　those

guns；　there　could　be　no　reasonable　doubt　that　they　were

sufficient　to　sink　an　ordinary　mail　steamer。　　His　own

vessel　was　entirely　out　of　his　control；　and　even　if　he

chose　to　try　his　guns　on　the　spring　armour　of　the

repeller；　it　would　probably　result　in　the　repeller

turning　her　fire　up　on　the　transport。

　　　

With　a　disabled　ship；　and　the　lives　of　so　many　men

in　his　charge；　the　captain　of　the　Craglevin　saw　that

it　would　be　wrong　for　him　to　attempt　to　fight；　and　he

did　not　fire　a　gun。　　With　as　much　calmness　as　the

circumstances　would　permit；　he　awaited　the　progress　of

events。

　　　

In　a　very　short　time　a　message　came　to　him　from

Repeller　No。　11；　which　stated　that　in　two　hours　his

ship　would　be　destroyed　by　instantaneous　motor…bombs。　

Every　opportunity；　however；　would　be　given　for　the

transfer　to　the　mail　steamer　of　all　the　officers　and

men　on　board　the　Craglevin；　together　with　such　of

their　possessions　as　they　could　take　with　them　in　that

time。　　When　this　had　been　done　the　transport　would　be

allowed　to　proceed　on　her　way。

　　　

To　this　demand　nothing　but　acquiescence　was

possible。　　Whether　or　not　there　was　such　a　thing　as　an

instantaneous　motor…bomb　the　Craglevin's　officers　did

not　know；　but　they　knew　that　if　left　to　herself　their

ship　would　soon　attend　to　her　own　sinking；　for　there

was　a　terrible　rent　in　her　stern；　owing　to　a　pitch　of

the　vessel　while　one　of　the　propeller…shafts　was　being

extracted。

　　

　Preparations　for　leaving　the　ship　were；　therefore；

immediately　begun。　　The　crab　was　ordered　to　release　the

mail　steamer；　which；　in　obedience　to　signals　from　the

Craglevin；　steamed　as　near　that　vessel　as　safety

would　permit。　　Boats　were　lowered　from　both　ships；　and

the　work　of　transfer　went　on　with　great　activity。

　　　

There　was　no　lowering　of　flags　on　board　the

Craglevin；　for　the　Syndicate　attached　no　importance

to　such　outward　signs　and　formalities。　　If　the　captain

of　the　British　ship　chose　to　haul　down　his　colours　he

could　do　so；　but　if　he　preferred　to　leave　them　still

bravely　floating　above　his　vessel　he　was　equally

welcome　to　do　that。

　　　

When　nearly　every　one　had　left　the　Craglevin；　a

boat　was　sent　from　the　repeller；　which　lay　near　by；

with　a　note　requesting　the　captain　and　first

officer　of　the　British　ship　to　come　on　board　Repeller

No。　11　and　witness　the　method　of　discharging　the

instantaneous　motor…bomb；　after　which　they　would　be　put

on　board　the　transport。　　This　invitation　struck　the

captain　of　the　Craglevin　with　surprise；　but　a　little

reflection　showed　him　that　it　would　be　wise　to　accept

it。　　In　the　first　place；　it　was　in　the　nature　of　a

command；　which；　in　the　presence　of　six　crabs　and　a

repeller；　it　would　be　ridiculous　to　disobey；　and；

moreover；　he　was　moved　by　a　desire　to　know　something

about　the　Syndicate's　mysterious　engine　of　destruction；

if；　indeed；　such　a　thing　really　existed。

　　　

Accordingly；　when　all　the　others　had　left　the　ship；

the　captain　of　the　Craglevin　and　his　first　officer

came　on　board　the　repeller；　curiously　observing　the

spring　armour　over　which　they　passed　by　means　of　a

light　gang…board　with　handrail。　　They　were　received　by

the　director　at　one　of　the　hatches　of　the　steel　deck；

which　were　now　all　open；　and　conducted　by　him　to　the

bomb…proof　compartment　in　the　bow。　　There　was　no　reason

why　the　nature　of　the　repeller's　defences　should　not　be

known　to　world　nor　adopted　by　other　nations。　　They

were　intended　as　a　protection　against　ordinary　shot　and

shell；　they　would　avail　nothing　against　the

instantaneous　motor…bomb。

　　　

The　British　officers　were　shown　the　motor…bomb　to

be　discharged；　which；　externally；　was　very　much　like　an

ordinary　shell；　except　that　it　was　nearly　as　long　as

the　bore　of　the　cannon；　and　the　director　stated　that

although；　of　course；　the　principle　of　the　motor…bomb

was　the　Syndicate's　secret；　it　was　highly　desirable

that　its　effects　and　its　methods　of　operation　should　be

generally　known。

　　　

The　repeller；　accompanied　by　the　mail　steamer　and

all　the　crabs；　now　moved　to　about　two　miles　to　the

leeward　of　the　Craglevin；　and　lay　to。　　The　motor…bomb

was　then　placed　in　one　of　the　great　guns；　while　the

scientific　corps　attended　to　the　necessary　calculations

of　distance；　etc。

　　　

The　director　now　turned　to　the　British　captain；　who

had　been　observing　everything　with　the　greatest

interest；　and；　with　a　smile；　asked　him　if　he　would　like

to　commit　hari…kari？

　　　

As　this　remark　was　somewhat　enigmatical；　the

director　went　on　to　say　that　if　it　would　be　any

gratification　to　the　captain　to　destroy　his　vessel　with

his　own　hands；　instead　of　allowing　this　to　be　done　by

an　enemy；　he　was　at　liberty　to　do　so。　　This　offer　was

immediately　accepted；　for　if　his　ship　was　really　to　be

destroyed；　the　captain　felt　that　he　would　like　to　do　it

himself。

　　　

When　the　calculations　had　been　made　and　the

indicator　set；　the　captain　was　shown　the　button　he　must

press；　and　stood　waiting　for　the　signal。　　He　looked

over　the　sea　at　the　Craglevin；　which　had　settled　a

little　at　the　stern；　and　was　rolling　heavily；　but　she

was　still　a　magnificent　battleship；　with　the　red　cross

of　England　floating　over　her。　　He　could　not　help　the

thought　that　if　this　motor　mystery　should　amount　to

nothing；　there　was　no　reason　why　the　Craglevin　should

not　be　towed　into　port；　and　be　made　again　the　grand

warship　that　she　had　been。

　　　

Now　the　director　gave　the　signal；　and　the　captain；

with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　his　ship；　touched　the　button。　

A　quick　shock　ran　through　the　repeller；　and　a　black…

gray　cloud；　half　a　mile　high；　occupied　the　place　of　the

British　ship。

　　　

The　cloud　rapidly　settled　down；　covering　the　water

with　a　glittering　scum　which　spread　far　and　wide；

and　which　had　been　the　Craglevin。

　　　

The　British　captain　stood　for　a　moment　motionless；

and　then　he　picked　up　a　rammer　and　ran　it　into　the

muzzle　of　the　cannon　which　had　been　discharged。　　The

great　gun　was　empty。　　The　instantaneous　motor…bomb　was

not　there。

　　　

Now　he　was　convinced　that　the　Syndicate　had　not

mined　the　fortresses　which　they　had　destroyed。

　　　

In　twenty　minutes　the