the great war syndicate(战争辛迪加)-第16节
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crab。 Every ball rebounded from the spring armour； but the officer in
charge of the crab became convinced that after a time this constant
pounding； almost in the same place； would injure his vessel； and he
signalled the repeller to that effect。 The director of Repeller No。 7 had
been considering the situation。 There was only one gun on the Adamant
which could be brought to bear upon Crab K； and it would be the part of
wisdom to interfere with the persistent use of this gun。 Accordingly the
bow of the repeller was brought to bear upon the Adamant； and her motor
gun was aimed at the boom from which the cannon was suspended。 The
projectile with which the cannon was loaded was not an instantaneous
motor…bomb。 It was simply a heavy solid shot； driven by an instantaneous
motor attachment； and was thus impelled by the same power and in the
same manner as the motor…bombs。 The instantaneous motor…power had not
yet been used at so great a distance as that between the repeller and the
Adamant； and the occasion was one of intense interest to the small body of
scientific men having charge of the aiming and firing。 The calculations of
the distance； of the necessary elevation and direction； and of the degree of
motor… power required； were made with careful exactness； and when the
proper instant arrived the button was touched； and the shot with which the
cannon was charged was instantaneously removed to a point in the ocean
about a mile beyond the Adamant； accompanied by a large portion of the
heavy boom at which the gun had been aimed。 The cannon which had
been suspended from the end of this boom fell into the sea； and would
have crashed down upon the roof of Crab K； had not that vessel； in
obedience to a signal from the repeller； loosened its hold upon the
Adamant and retired a short distance astern。 Material injury might not
have resulted from the fall of this great mass of metal upon the crab； but it
was considered prudent not to take useless risks。 The officers of the
Adamant were greatly surprised and chagrined by the fall of their gun；
with which they had expected ultimately to pound in the roof of the crab。
No damage had been done to the vessel except the removal of a portion of
the boom； with some of the chains and blocks attached； and no one on
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board the British ship imagined for a moment that this injury had been
occasioned by the distant repeller。 It was supposed that the constant firing
of the cannon had cracked the boom； and that it had suddenly snapped。
Even if there had been on board the Adamant the means for rigging up
another arrangement of the kind for perpendicular artillery practice； it
would have required a long time to get it into working order； and the
director of Repeller No。 7 hoped that now the British captain would see
the uselessness of continued resistance。 But the British captain saw
nothing of the kind； and shot after shot from his guns were hurled high
into the air； in hopes that the great curves described would bring some of
them down on the deck of the repeller。 If this beastly store…ship； which
could stand fire but never returned it； could be sunk； the Adamant's captain
would be happy。 With the exception of the loss of her motive power； his
vessel was intact； and if the stupid crab would only continue to keep the
Adamant's head to the sea until the noise of her cannonade should attract
some other British vessel to the scene； the condition of affairs might be
altered。 All that day the great guns of the Adamant continued to roar。 The
next morning； however； the firing was not resumed； and the officers of the
repeller were greatly surprised to see approaching from the British ship a
boat carrying a white flag。 This was a very welcome sight； and the arrival
of the boat was awaited with eager interest。 During the night a council had
been held on board the Adamant。 Her cannonading had had no effect；
either in bringing assistance or in injuring the enemy； she was being towed
steadily southward farther and farther from the probable neighbourhood of
a British man…of…war； and it was agreed that it would be the part of
wisdom to come to terms with the Syndicate's vessel。 Therefore the
captain of the Adamant sent a letter to the repeller； in which he stated to
the persons in charge of that ship； that although his vessel had been injured
in a manner totally at variance with the rules of naval warfare； he would
overlook this fact and would agree to cease firing upon the Syndicate's
vessels； provided that the submerged craft which was now made fast to his
vessel should attach itself to the Adamant's bow； and by means of a
suitable cable which she would furnish； would tow her into British waters。
If this were done he would guarantee that the towing craft should have six
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hours in which to get away。 When this letter was read on board the repeller
it created considerable merriment； and an answer was sent back that no
conditions but those of absolute surrender could be received from the
British ship。 In three minutes after this answer had been received by the
captain of the Adamant； two shells went whirring and shrieking through
the air toward Repeller No。 7； and after that the cannonading from the bow；
the stern； the starboard； and the port guns of the great battle…ship went on
whenever there was a visible object on the ocean which looked in the least
like an American coasting vessel or man…of…war。 For a week Crab K towed
steadily to the south this blazing and thundering marine citadel； and then
the crab signalled to the still accompanying repeller that it must be
relieved。 It had not been fitted out for so long a cruise； and supplies were
getting low。 The Syndicate； which had been kept informed of all the
details of this affair； had already perceived the necessity of relieving Crab
K； and another crab； well provisioned and fitted out； was already on the
way to take its place。 This was Crab C； possessing powerful engines； but
in point of roof armour the weakest of its class。 It could be better spared
than any other crab to tow the Adamant； and as the British ship had not；
and probably could not； put out another suspended cannon； it was
considered quite suitable for the service required。 But when Crab C came
within half a mile of the Adamant it stopped。 It was evident that on board
the British ship a steady lookout had been maintained for the approach of
fresh crabs； for several enormous shell and shot from heavy guns； which
had been trained upward at a high angle； now fell into the sea a short
distance from the crab。 Crab C would not have feared these heavy shot had
they been fired from an ordinary elevation； and although no other vessel in
the Syndicate's service would have hesitated to run the terrible gauntlet；
this one； by reason of errors in construction； being less able than any other
crab to resist the fall from a great height of ponderous shot and shell；
thought it prudent not to venture into this rain of iron； and； moving rapidly
beyond the line of danger； it attempted to approach the Adamant from
another quarter。 If it could get within the circle of falling shot it would be
safe。 But this it could not do。 On all sides of the Adamant guns had been
trained to drop shot and shells at a distance of half a mile from the ship。
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Around and around the mighty ironclad steamed Crab C； but wherever she
went her presence was betrayed to the fine glasses on board the Adamant
by the bit of her shining back and the ripple about it； and ever between her
and the ship came down that hail of iron in masses of a quarter ton； half
ton； or
