the great war syndicate-第19节

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there　were　not　crabs　enough　to　attend　to　them　all。

　　　

No　time　was　wasted。　　Q　signalled　to　R；　and　R　back

again；　and　instantly　the　two　crabs；　each　still　grasping

a　chain　of　the　cylinder；　began　to　sink。　　On　board　the

Llangaron　an　order　was　shouted　to　let　out　the

cylinder　chains；　but　as　these　chains　had　only　been　made

long　enough　to　allow　the　top　of　the　cylinder　to　hang　at

or　a　little　below　the　surface　of　the　water；　a　foot　or

two　of　length　was　all　that　could　be　gained。

　　　

The　davits　from　which　the　cylinder　hung　were　thick

and　strong；　and　the　iron　windlasses　to　which　the　chains

were　attached　were　large　and　ponderous；　but　these　were

not　strong　enough　to　withstand　the　weight　of　two　crabs

with　steel…armoured　roofs；　enormous　engines；　and　iron

hull。　　In　less　than　a　minute　one　davit　snapped

like　a　pipe…stem　under　the　tremendous　strain；　and

immediately　afterward　the　windlass　to　which　the　chain

was　attached　was　torn　from　its　bolts；　and　went　crashing

overboard；　tearing　away　a　portion　of　the　stern…rail　in

its　descent。

　　　

Crab　Q　instantly　released　the　chain　it　had　held；

and　in　a　moment　the　great　cylinder　hung　almost

perpendicularly　from　one　chain。　　But　only　for　a　moment。　

The　nippers　of　Crab　R　still　firmly　held　the　chain；　and

the　tremendous　leverage　exerted　by　the　falling　of　one

end　of　the　cylinder　wrenched　it　from　the　rigidly　held

end　of　its　chain；　and；　in　a　flash；　the　enormous　stern…

guard　of　the　Llangaron　sunk；　end　foremost；　to　the

bottom　of　the　channel。

　　　

In　ten　minutes　afterward；　the　Llangaron；

rudderless；　and　with　the　blades　of　her　propellers

shivered　and　crushed；　was　slowly　turning　her　starboard

to　the　wind　and　the　sea；　and　beginning　to　roll　like　a

log　of　eight　thousand　tons。

　　　

Besides　the　Llangaron；　three　ironclads　were　now

drifting　broadside　to　the　sea。　　But　there　was　no　time

to　succour　disabled　vessels；　for　the　rest　of　the　fleet

was　coming　on；　and　there　was　great　work　for　the

crabs。

　　　

Against　these　enemies；　swift　of　motion　and　sudden

in　action；　the　torpedo…boats　found　it　almost　impossible

to　operate；　for　the　British　ships　and　the　crabs　were　so

rapidly　nearing　each　other　that　a　torpedo　sent　out

against　an　enemy　was　more　than　likely　to　run　against

the　hull　of　a　friend。　　Each　crab　sped　at　the　top　of　its

speed　for　a　ship；　not　only　to　attack；　but　also　to

protect　itself。

　　　

Once　only　did　the　crabs　give　the　torpedo…boats　a

chance。　　A　mile　or　two　north　of　the　scene　of　action；　a

large　cruiser　was　making　her　way　rapidly　toward　the

repeller；　which　was　still　lying　almost　motionless；　four

miles　to　the　westward。　　As　it　was　highly　probable　that

this　vessel　carried　dynamite　guns；　Crab　Q；　which　was

the　fastest　of　her　class；　was　signalled　to　go　after

her。　　She　had　scarcely　begun　her　course　across　the　open

space　of　sea　before　a　torpedo…boat　was　in　pursuit。　

Fast　as　was　the　latter；　the　crab　was　faster；　and　quite

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　t