the great war syndicate-第4节

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and　carrying　the　American　flag；　was　perceived　from　the

forts　and　redoubts　at　the　mouth　of　the　harbour；

and　the　news　quickly　spread　to　the　city　and　to　the

vessels　in　port。　　Intense　excitement　ensued　on　land　and

water；　among　the　citizens　of　the　place　as　well　as　its

defenders。　　Every　man　who　had　a　post　of　duty　was

instantly　at　it；　and　in　less　than　half　an　hour　the

British　man…of…war　Scarabaeus；　which　had　been　lying

at　anchor　a　short　distance　outside　the　harbour；　came

steaming　out　to　meet　the　enemy。　　There　were　other　naval

vessels　in　port；　but　they　required　more　time　to　be　put

in　readiness　for　action。



As　soon　as　the　approach　of　Scarabaeus　was

perceived　by　Repeller　No。　1；　a　boat　bearing　a　white

flag　was　lowered　from　that　vessel　and　was　rapidly　rowed

toward　the　British　ship。　　When　the　latter　saw　the　boat

coming　she　lay　to；　and　waited　its　arrival。　　A　note　was

delivered　to　the　captain　of　the　Scarabaeus；　in　which

it　was　stated　that　the　Syndicate；　which　had　undertaken

on　the　part　of　the　United　States　the　conduct　of　the　war

between　that　country　and　Great　Britain；　was　now

prepared　to　demand　the　surrender　of　this　city　with　its

forts　and　defences　and　all　vessels　within　its　harbour；

and；　as　a　first　step；　the　immediate　surrender　of　the

vessel　to　the　commander　of　which　this　note　was　delivered。



The　overwhelming　effrontery　of　this　demand　caused

the　commander　of　the　Scarabaeus　to　doubt　whether　he

had　to　deal　with　a　raving　lunatic　or　a　blustering　fool；

but　he　informed　the　person　in　charge　of　the　flag…of…

truce　boat；　that　he　would　give　him　fifteen　minutes　in

which　to　get　back　to　his　vessel；　and　that　he　would　then

open　fire　upon　that　craft。



The　men　who　rowed　the　little　boat　were　not　men…of…

war's　men；　and　were　unaccustomed　to　duties　of　this

kind。　　In　eight　minutes　they　had　reached　their　vessel；

and　were　safe　on　board。



Just　seven　minutes　afterward　the　first　shot　came

from　the　Scarabaeus。　　It　passed　over　Repeller　No。　1；

and　that　vessel；　instead　of　replying；　immediately

steamed　nearer　her　adversary。　　The　Director…in…chief

desired　to　determine　the　effect　of　an　active　cannonade

upon　the　new　armour；　and　therefore　ordered　the　vessel

placed　in　such　a　position　that　the　Englishman　might

have　the　best　opportunity　for　using　it　as　a　target。



The　Scarabaeus　lost　no　time　in　availing　herself

of　the　facilities　offered。　　She　was　a　large　and

powerful　ship；　with　a　heavy　armament；　and；　soon　getting

the　range　of　the　Syndicate's　vessel；　she　hurled　ball

after　ball　upon　her　striped　side。　　Repeller　No。　1　made

no　reply；　but　quietly　submitted　to　the　terrible

bombardment。　　Some　of　the　great　shot　jarred　her　from

bow　to　stern；　but　not　one　of　them　broke　a　steel　spring；

nor　penetrated　the　heavy　inside　plates。



After　half　an　hour　of　this；　work　the　Director…in…

chief　became　satisfied　that　the　new　armour　had　well

acquitted　itself　in　the　severe　trial　to　which　it　had

been　subjected。　　Some　of　the　air…buffers　had　been

disabled；　probably　on　account　of　faults　in　their

construction；　but　these　could　readily　be　replaced；　and

no　further　injury　had　been　done　the　vessel。　　It　was　not

necessary；　therefore；　to　continue　the　experiment　any

longer；　and　besides；　there　was　danger　that　the

Englishman；　perceiving　that　his　antagonist　did　not

appear　to　be　affected　by　his　fire；　would　approach

closer　and　endeavour　to　ram　her。　　This　was　to　be

avoided；　for　the　Scarabaeus　was　a　much　larger　vessel

than　Repeller　No。　1；　and　able　to　run　into　the　latter

and　sink　her　by　mere　preponderance　of　weight。



It　was　therefore　decided　to　now　test　the　powers　of

the　crabs。　　Signals　were　made　from　Repeller　No。　1　to

Crab　A；　which　had　been　lying　with　the　larger　vessel　between　it

and　the　enemy。　　These　signals　were　made　by　jets　of

dense　black　smoke；　which　were　ejected　from　a　small　pipe

on　the　repeller。　　These　slender　columns　of　smoke

preserved　their　cylindrical　forms　for　some　moments；　and

were　visible　at　a　great　distance　by　day　or　night；　being

illumined　in　the　latter　case　by　electric　light。　　The

length　and　frequency　of　these　jets　were　regulated　by　an

instrument　in　the　Director's　room。　　Thus；　by　means　of

long　and　short　puffs；　with　the　proper　use　of　intervals；

a　message　could　be　projected　into　the　air　as　a

telegraphic　instrument　would　mark　it　upon　paper。



In　this　manner　Crab　A　was　ordered　to　immediately

proceed　to　the　attack　of　the　Scarabaeus。　　The　almost

submerged　vessel　steamed　rapidly　from　behind　her

consort；　and　made　for　the　British　man…of…war。



When　the　latter　vessel　perceived　the　approach　of

this　turtle…backed　object；　squirting　little　jets　of

black　smoke　as　she　replied　to　the　orders　from　the

repeller；　there　was　great　amazement　on　board。　　The　crab

had　not　been　seen　before；　but　as　it　came　rapidly　on

there　was　no　time　for　curiosity　or　discussion；　and

several　heavy　guns　were　brought　to　bear　upon　it。　　It

was　difficult　to　hit　a　rapidly　moving　flat　object

scarcely　above　the　surface　of　the　water；　and　although

several　shot　struck　the　crab；　they　glanced　off

without　in　the　least　interfering　with　its　progress。



Crab　A　soon　came　so　near　the　Scarabaeus　that　it

was　impossible　to　depress　the　guns　of　the　latter　so　as

to　strike　her。　　The　great　vessel　was；　therefore；　headed

toward　its　assailant；　and　under　a　full　head　of　steam

dashed　directly　at　it　to　run　it　down。　　But　the　crab

could　turn　as　upon　a　pivot；　and　shooting　to　one　side

allowed　the　surging　man…of…war　to　pass　it。



Perceiving　instantly　that　it　would　be　difficult　to

strike　this　nimble　and　almost　submerged　adversary；　the

commander　of　the　Scarabaeus　thought　it　well　to　let　it

alone　for　the　present；　and　to　bear　down　with　all　speed

upon　the　repeller。　　But　it　was　easier　to　hit　the　crab

than　to　leave　it　behind。　　It　was　capable　of　great

speed；　and；　following　the　British　vessel；　it　quickly

came　up　with　her。



The　course　of　the　Scarabaeus　was　instantly

changed；　and　every　effort　was　made　to　get　the　vessel

into　a　position　to　run　down　the　crab。　　But　this　was　not

easy　for　so　large　a　ship；　and　Crab　A　seemed　to　have　no

difficulty　in　keeping　close　to　her　stern。



Several　machine…guns；　especially　adopted　for

firing　at　torpedo…boats　or　any　hostile　craft　which

might　be　discovered　close　to　a　vessel；　were　now　brought

to　bear　upon　the　crab；　and　ball　after　ball　was　hurled

at　her。　　Some　of　these　struck；　but　glanced　off　without

penetrating　her　tough　armour。



These　manoeuvres　had　not　continued　long；　when　the

crew　of　the　crab　was　ready　to　bring　into　action　the

peculiar　apparatus　of　that　peculiar　craft。　　An　enormous

pair　of　iron　forceps；　each　massive　limb　of　which

measured　twelve　feet　or　more　in　length；　was　run　out　in

front　of　the　crab　at　a　depth　of　six　or　eight　feet

below　the　surface。　　These　forceps　were　acted　upon　by　an

electric　engine　of　immense　power；　by　which　they　could

be　shut；　opened；　projected；　withdrawn；　or　turned　and

twisted。



The　crab　darted　forward；　and　in　the　next　instant

the　great　teeth　of　her　pincers　were　fastened　with　a

tremendous　grip　upon　the　rudder　and　rudder…post　of　the

Scarabaeus。



Then　followed　a　sudden　twist；　which　sent　a　thrill

through　both　vessels；　a　crash；　a　backward　jerk；　the

snapping　of　a　chain；　and　in　a　moment　the　great　rudder；

with　half　of　the　rudder…post　attached；　was　torn　from

the　vessel；　and　as　the　forceps　opened　it　dropped　to

leeward　and　hung　dangling　by　one　chain。

　　　

Again　the　forceps　opened　wide；　again　there　was　a

rush；　and　this　time　the　huge　jaws　closed　upon　the

rapidly　revolving　screw…propeller。　　There　was　a

tremendous　crash；　and　the　small　but　massive　crab　turned

over　so　far　that　for　an　instant　one　of　its　sides　was

plainly　visible　above　the　water。　　The　blades　of　the

propeller　were　crushed　and　shivered；　those　parts　of　the

steamer's　engines　connecting　with　the　propeller…shaft

were　snapped　and　rent　apart；　while　the　propeller…

shaft　itself　was　broken　by　the　violent　stoppage。

　　　

The　crab；　which　had　quickly　righted；　now　backed；

still　holding　the　crushed　propeller　in　its　iron　grasp；

and　as　it　moved　away　from　the　Scarabaeus；　it

extracted　about　forty　feet　of　its　propeller…shaft；

then；　opening　its　massive　jaws；　it　allowed　the　useless

mass　of　iron　to　drop　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea。

　　　

Every　man　on　board　the　Scarabaeus　was　wild　with

amazement　and　excitement。　　Few　could　comprehend　what

had　happened；　but　this　very　quickly　became　evident。　　So

far　as　motive　power　was　concerned；　the　Scarabaeus　was

totally；　disabled。　　She　could　not　direct　her　course；

for　her　rudder　was　gone；　her　propeller　was　gone；　her

engines　were　useless；　and　she　could　do　no　more　than

float　as　wind　or　tide　might　move　her。　　Moreover；　there

was　a　jagged　hole　in　her　stern　where　the　shaft　had

been；　and　through　this　the　water　was　pouring　into　the

vessel。　　As　a　man…of…war　the　Scarabaeus　was　worthless。

　　

Orders　now　came　fast　from　Repeller　No。　1；　which　had

moved　nearer　to　the　scene　of