the great war syndicate-第11部分

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She　was　fitted　with　twin　screws　and　engines　of　the

highest　power；　and　it　was　believed　that　she　would　be

able　to　overhaul；　ram；　and　crush　the　largest　vessel

armoured　or　unarmoured　which　the　Syndicate　would　be

able　to　bring　against　her。　　Some　of　her　guns　were　of

immense　calibre；　firing　shot　weighing　nearly　two

thousand　pounds；　and　requiring　half　a　ton　of　powder　for

each　charge。　　Besides　these　she　carried　an　unusually

large　number　of　large　cannon　and　two　dynamite　guns。　

She　was　so　heavily　plated　and　armoured　as　to　be　proof

against　any　known　artillery　in　the　world。

　　　

She　was　a　floating　fortress；　with　men　enough　to

make　up　the　population　of　a　town；　and　with　stores；

ammunition；　and　coal　sufficient　to　last　for　a　long　term

of　active　service。　　Such　was　the　mighty　English　battle…

ship　which　had　come　forward　to　raise　the　siege　of　the

Canadian　port。

　　　

The　officers　of　the　Syndicate　were　well　aware　of

the　character　of　the　Adamant；　her　armament　and　her

defences；　and　had　been　informed　by　cable　of　her　time　of

sailing　and　probable　destination。　　They　sent　out

Repeller　No。　7；　with　Crabs　J　and　K；　to　meet　her　off　the

Banks　of　Newfoundland。

　　　

This　repeller　was　the　largest　and　strongest　vessel

that　the　Syndicate　had　ready　for　service。　　In　addition

to　the　spring　armour　with　which　these　vessels　were

supplied；　this　one　was　furnished　with　a　second　coat　of

armour　outside　the　first；　the　elastic　steel　ribs　of

which　ran　longitudinally　and　at　right　angles　to　those

of　the　inner　set。　　Both　coats　were　furnished　with　a

great　number　of　improved　air…buffers；　and　the

arrangement　of　spring　armour　extended　five　or　six　feet

beyond　the　massive　steel　plates　with　which　the　vessel

was　originally　armoured。　　She　carried　one　motor…cannon

of　large　size。

　　　

One　of　the　crabs　was　of　the　ordinary　pattern；　but

Crab　K　was　furnished　with　a　spring　armour　above　the

heavy　plates　of　her　roof。　　This　had　been　placed　upon

her　after　the　news　had　been　received　by　the　Syndicate

that　the　Adamant　would　carry　a　perpendicular　cannon

over　her　stern；　but　there　had　not　been　time　enough　to

fit　out　another　crab　in　the　same　way。

　　　

When　the　director　in　charge　of　Repeller　No。　7　first

caught　sight　of　the　Adamant；　and　scanned　through　his

glass　the　vast　proportions　of　the　mighty　ship　which　was

rapidly　steaming　towards　the　coast；　he　felt　that　a

responsibility　rested　upon　him　heavier　than　any　which

had　yet　been　borne　by　an　officer　of　the　Syndicate；　but

he　did　not　hesitate　in　the　duty　which　he　had　been

sent　to　perform；　and　immediately　ordered　the　two　crabs

to　advance　to　meet　the　Adamant；　and　to　proceed　to

action　according　to　the　instructions　which　they　had

previously　received。　　His　own　ship　was　kept；　in

pursuance　of　orders；　several　miles　distant　from　the

British　ship。

　　　

As　soon　as　the　repeller　had　been　sighted　from　the

Adamant；　a　strict　lookout　had　been　kept　for　the

approach　of　crabs；　and　when　the　small　exposed　portions

of　the　backs　of　two　of　these　were　perceived　glistening

in　the　sunlight；　the　speed　of　the　great　ship　slackened。　

The　ability　of　the　Syndicate's　submerged　vessels　to

move　suddenly　and　quickly　in　any　direction　had　been

clearly　demonstrated；　and　although　a　great　ironclad

with　a　ram　could　run　down　and　sink　a　crab　without

feeling　the　concussion；　it　was　known　that　it　would　be

perfectly　easy　for　the　smaller　craft　to　keep　out　of　the

way　of　its　bulky　antagonist。　　Therefore　the　Adamant

did　not　try　to　ram　the　crabs；　nor　to　get　away　from

them。　　Her　commander　intended；　if　possible；　to　run　down

one　or　both　of　them；　but　he　did　not　propose　to　do　this

in　the　usual　way。

　　　

As　the　crabs　approached；　the　stern…jacket　of

the　Adamant　was　let　down；　and　the　engines　were

slowed。　　This　stern…jacket；　when　protecting　the　rudder

and　propellers；　looked　very　much　like　the　cowcatcher　of

a　locomotive；　and　was　capable　of　being　put　to　a

somewhat　similar　use。　　It　was　the　intention　of　the

captain　of　the　Adamant；　should　the　crabs　attempt　to

attach　themselves　to　his　stern；　to　suddenly　put　on　all

steam；　reverse　his　engines；　and　back　upon　them；　the

stern…jacket　answering　as　a　ram。

　　　

The　commander　of　the　Adamant　had　no　doubt　that　in

this　way　he　could　run　into　a　crab；　roll　it　over　in　the

water；　and　when　it　was　lying　bottom　upward；　like　a

floating　cask；　he　could　move　his　ship　to　a　distance；

and　make　a　target　of　it。　　So　desirous　was　this　brave

and　somewhat　facetious　captain　to　try　his　new　plan　upon

a　crab；　that　he　forebore　to　fire　upon　the　two　vessels

of　that　class　which　were　approaching　him。　　Some　of　his

guns　were　so　mounted　that　their　muzzles　could　be

greatly　depressed；　and　aimed　at　an　object　in　the　water

not　far　from　the　ship。　　But　these　were　not　discharged；

and；　indeed；　the　crabs；　which　were　new　ones　of　unusual

swiftness；　were　alongside　the　Adamant　in　an　incredibly　

short　time；　and　out　of　the　range　of　these　guns。

　　　

Crab　J　was　on　the　starboard　side　of　the　Adamant；

Crab　K　was　on　the　port　side；　and；　simultaneously；　the

two　laid　hold　of　her。　　But　they　were　not　directly

astern　of　the　great　vessel。　　Each　had　its　nippers

fastened　to　one　side　of　the　stern…jacket；　near　the

hinge…like　bolts　which　held　it　to　the　vessel；　and　on

which　it　was　raised　and　lowered。

　　　

In　a　moment　the　Adamant　began　to　steam　backward；

but　the　only　effect　of　this　motion；　which　soon　became

rapid；　was　to　swing　the　crabs　around　against　her　sides；

and　carry　them　with　her。　　As　the　vessels　were　thus

moving　the　great　pincers　of　the　crabs　were　twisted　with

tremendous　force；　the　stern…jacket　on　one　side　was

broken　from　its　bolt；　and　on　the　other　the　bolt　itself

was　drawn　out　of　the　side　of　the　vessel。　　The　nippers

then　opened；　and　the　stern…jacket　fell　from　their　grasp

into　the　sea；　snapping　in　its　fall　the　chain　by　which

it　had　been　raised　and　lowered。

　　　

This　disaster　occurred　so　quickly　that　few　persons

on　board　the　Adamant　knew　what　had　happened。　　But　the

captain；　who　had　seen　everything；　gave　instant

orders　to　go　ahead　at　full　speed。　　The　first　thing

to　be　done　was　to　get　at　a　distance　from　those　crabs；

keep　well　away　from　them；　and　pound　them　to　pieces　with

his　heavy　guns。

　　　

But　the　iron　screw…propellers　had　scarcely　begun　to

move　in　the　opposite　direction；　before　the　two　crabs；

each　now　lying　at　right　angles　with　the　length　of　the

ship；　but　neither　of　them　directly　astern　of　her；　made

a　dash　with　open　nippers；　and　Crab　J　fastened　upon　one

propeller；　while　Crab　K　laid　hold　of　the　other。　　There

was　a　din　and　crash　of　breaking　metal；　two　shocks　which

were　felt　throughout　the　vessel；　and　the　shattered　and

crushed　blades　of　the　propellers　of　the　great　battle…

ship　were　powerless　to　move　her。

　　　

The　captain　of　the　Adamant；　pallid　with　fury；

stood　upon　the　poop。　　In　a　moment　the　crabs　would　be　at

his　rudder！　　The　great　gun；　double…shotted　and　ready　to

fire；　was　hanging　from　its　boom　over　the　stern。　　Crab

K；　whose　roof　had　the　additional　protection　of　spring

armour；　now　moved　round　so　as　to　be　directly　astern　of

the　Adamant。　　Before　she　could　reach　the　rudder；　her

forward　part　came　under　the　suspended　cannon；　and　two

massive　steel　shot　were　driven　down　upon　her　with　a

force　sufficient　to　send　them　through　masses　of　solid

rock；　but　from　the　surface　of　elastic　steel　springs　and

air…buffers　they　bounced　upward；　one　of　them　almost

falling　on　the　deck　of　the　Adamant。

　　　

The　gunners　of　this　piece　had　been　well　trained。　

In　a　moment　the　boom　was　swung　around；　the　cannon

reloaded；　and　when　Crab　K　fixed　her　nippers　on　the

rudder　of　the　Adamant；　two　more　shot　came　down　upon

her。　　As　in　the　first　instance　she　dipped　and　rolled；

but　the　ribs　of　her　uninjured　armour　had　scarcely

sprung　back　into　their　places；　before　her　nippers

turned；　and　the　rudder　of　the　Adamant　was　broken　in

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　i