the great war syndicate-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！





These　vessels　became　technically　known　as　〃crabs。〃　

They　were　not　large；　and　the　only　part　of　them　which

projected　above　the　water　was　the　middle　of　an

elliptical　deck；　slightly　convex；　and　heavily　mailed

with　ribs　of　steel。　　These　vessels　were　fitted　with

electric　engines　of　extraordinary　power；　and　were

capable　of　great　speed。　　At　their　bows；　fully　protected

by　the　overhanging　deck；　was　the　machinery　by　which

their　peculiar　work　was　to　be　accomplished。　　The

Syndicate　intended　to　confine　itself　to　marine

operations；　and　for　the　present　it　was　contented　with

these　two　classes　of　vessels。

　

The　armament　for　each　of　the　large　vessels；　as　has

been　said　before；　consisted　of　a　single　gun　of　long

range；　and　the　ammunition　was　confined　entirely　to　a

new　style　of　projectile；　which　had　never　yet　been　used

in　warfare。　　The　material　and　construction　of　this

projectile　were　known　only　to　three　members　of　the

Syndicate；　who　had　invented　and　perfected　it；　and　it

was　on　account　of　their　possession　of　this　secret

that　they　had　been　invited　to　join　that　body。



This　projectile　was　not；　in　the　ordinary　sense　of

the　word；　an　explosive；　and　was　named　by　its　inventors；

〃The　Instantaneous　Motor。〃　　It　was　discharged　from　an

ordinary　cannon；　but　no　gunpowder　or　other　explosive

compound　was　used　to　propel　it。　　The　bomb　possessed；　in

itself　the　necessary　power　of　propulsion；　and　the　gun

was　used　merely　to　give　it　the　proper　direction。



These　bombs　were　cylindrical　in　form；　and　pointed

at　the　outer　end。　　They　were　filled　with　hundreds　of

small　tubes；　each　radiating　outward　from　a　central

line。　　Those　in　the　middle　third　of　the　bomb　pointed

directly　outward；　while　those　in　its　front　portion　were

inclined　forward　at　a　slight　angle；　and　those　in　the

rear　portion　backward　at　the　same　angle。　　One　tube　at

the　end　of　the　bomb；　and　pointing　directly　backward；

furnished　the　motive　power。



Each　of　these　tubes　could　exert　a　force　sufficient

to　move　an　ordinary　train　of　passenger　cars　one　mile；

and　this　power　could　be　exerted　instantaneously；　so

that　the　difference　in　time　in　the　starting　of　a　train

at　one　end　of　the　mile　and　its　arrival　at　the　other

would　not　be　appreciable。　　The　difference　in

concussionary　force　between　a　train　moving　at　the　rate

of　a　mile　in　two　minutes；　or　even　one　minute；　and

another　train　which　moves　a　mile　in　an　instant；　can

easily　be　imagined。



In　these　bombs；　those　tubes　which　might　direct

their　powers　downward　or　laterally　upon　the　earth　were

capable　of　instantaneously　propelling　every　portion　of

solid　ground　or　rock　to　a　distance　of　two　or　three

hundred　yards；　while　the　particles　of　objects　on　the

surface　of　the　earth　were　instantaneously　removed　to　a

far　greater　distance。　　The　tube　which　propelled　the

bomb　was　of　a　force　graduated　according　to

circumstances；　and　it　would　carry　a　bomb　to　as　great　a

distance　as　accurate　observation　for　purposes　of　aim

could　be　made。　　Its　force　was　brought　into　action

while　in　the　cannon　by　means　of　electricity　while　the

same　effect　was　produced　in　the　other　tubes　by　the

concussion　of　the　steel　head　against　the　object　aimed

at。



What　gave　the　tubes　their　power　was　the　jealously

guarded　secret。



The　method　of　aiming　was　as　novel　as　the　bomb

itself。　　In　this　process　nothing　depended　on　the

eyesight　of　the　gunner；　the　personal　equation　was

entirely　eliminated。　　The　gun　was　so　mounted　that　its

direction　was　accurately　indicated　by　graduated　scales；

there　was　an　instrument　which　was　acted　upon　by　the

dip；　rise；　or　roll　of　the　vessel；　and　which　showed　at

any　moment　the　position　of　the　gun　with　reference　to

the　plane　of　the　sea…surface。



Before　the　discharge　of　the　cannon　an　observation

was　taken　by　one　of　the　scientific　men；　which

accurately　determined　the　distance　to　the　object　to　be

aimed　at；　and　reference　to　a　carefully　prepared

mathematical　table　showed　to　what　points　on　the

graduated　scales　the　gun　should　be　adjusted；　and　the

instant　that　the　that　the　muzzle　of　the　cannon　was　in

the　position　that　it　was　when　the　observation　was

taken；　a　button　was　touched　and　the　bomb　was

instantaneously　placed　on　the　spot　aimed　at。　　The

exactness　with　which　the　propelling　force　of　the　bomb

could　be　determined　was　an　important　factor　in　this

method　of　aiming。



As　soon　as　three　of　the　spring…armoured　vessels　and

five　〃crabs〃　were　completed；　the　Syndicate　felt　itself

ready　to　begin　operations。　　It　was　indeed　time。　　The

seas　had　been　covered　with　American　and　British

merchantmen　hastening　homeward；　or　to　friendly

ports；　before　the　actual　commencement　of　hostilities。　

But　all　had　not　been　fortunate　enough　to　reach　safety

within　the　limits　of　time　allowed；　and　several　American

merchantmen　had　been　already　captured　by　fast　British

cruisers。



The　members　of　the　Syndicate　well　understood　that

if　a　war　was　to　be　carried　on　as　they　desired；　they

must　strike　the　first　real　blow。　　Comparatively

speaking；　a　very　short　time　had　elapsed　since　the

declaration　of　war；　and　the　opportunity　to　take　the

initiative　was　still　open。

　　　

It　was　in　order　to　take　this　initiative　that；　in

the　early　hours　of　a　July　morning；　two　of　the

Syndicate's　armoured　vessels；　each　accompanied　by　a

crab；　steamed　out　of　a　New　England　port；　and　headed　for

the　point　on　the　Canadian　coast　where　it　had　been

decided　to　open　the　campaign。



The　vessels　of　the　Syndicate　had　no　individual

names。　　The　spring…armoured　ships　were　termed

〃repellers；〃　and　were　numbered；　and　the　crabs　were

known　by　the　letters　of　the　alphabet。　　Each　repeller

was　in　charge　of　a　Director　of　Naval　Operations；　and

the　whole　naval　force　of　the　Syndicate　was　under　the

command　of　a　Director…in…chief。　　On　this　momentous　

occasion　this　officer　was　on　board　of　Repeller　No。　1；

and　commanded　the　little　fleet。



The　repellers　had　never　been　vessels　of　great

speed；　and　their　present　armour　of　steel　strips；　the

lower　portion　of　which　was　frequently　under　water；

considerably　retarded　their　progress；　but　each　of　them

was　taken　in　tow　by　one　of　the　swift　and　powerful

crabs；　and　with　this　assistance　they　made　very　good

time；　reaching　their　destination　on　the　morning　of　the

second　day。



It　was　on　a　breezy　day；　with　a　cloudy　sky；　and　the

sea　moderately　smooth；　that　the　little　fleet　of　the

Syndicate　lay　to　off　the　harbour　of　one　of　the

principal　Canadian　seaports。　　About　five　miles　away　the

headlands　on　either　side　of　the　mouth　of　the　harbour

could　be　plainly　seen。　　It　had　been　decided　that

Repeller　No。　1　should　begin　operations。　　Accordingly；

that　vessel　steamed　about　a　mile　nearer　the　harbour；

accompanied　by　Crab　A。　　The　other　repeller　and　crab

remained　in　their　first　position；　ready　to　act　in　case

they　should　be　needed。



The　approach　of　two　vessels；　evidently　men…of…war；

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