the great war syndicate-第18部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　torpedo…boat　was　now　ordered　to　the　front；

and　in　a　long　line；　almost　abreast　of　each　other；

these　swift　vesselsthe　light…infantry　of　the　sea

advanced　upon　the　solitary　and　distant　foe。　　If　one

torpedo　could　but　reach　her　hull；　the　Vice…Admiral；　in

spite　of　seven　disabled　ironclads　and　a　captured　gun…

boat；　might　yet　gaze　proudly　at　his　floating　flag；　even

if　his　own　ship　should　be　drifting　broadside　to　the

sea。

　　　

The　line　of　torpedo…boats；　slightly　curving　inward；

had　advanced　about　a　mile；　when　Repeller　No。　11　awoke

from　her　seeming　sleep；　and　began　to　act。　　The　two

great　guns　at　her　bow　were　trained　upward；　so　that　a

bomb　discharged　from　them　would　fall　into　the　sea　a

mile　and　a　half　ahead。　　Slowly　turning　her　bow　from

side　to　side；　so　that　the　guns　would　cover　a　range　of

nearly　half　a　circle；　the　instantaneous　motor…bombs　of

the　repeller　were　discharged；　one　every　half　minute。

　　　

One　of　the　most　appalling　characteristics　of　the

motor…bombs　was　the　silence　which　accompanied　their

discharge　and　action。　　No　noise　was　heard；　except　the

flash　of　sound　occasioned　by　the　removal　of　the

particles　of　the　object　aimed　at；　and　the　subsequent

roar　of　wind　or　fall　of　water。

　　　

As　each　motor…bomb　dropped　into　the　channel；　a

dense　cloud　appeared　high　in　the　air；　above　a　roaring；

seething　cauldron；　hollowed　out　of　the　waters　and　out

of　the　very　bottom　of　the　channel。　　Into　this　chasm　the

cloud　quickly　came　down；　condensed　into　a　vast　body　of

water；　which　fell；　with　the　roar　of　a　cyclone；　into　the

dreadful　abyss　from　which　it　had　been　torn；　before　the

hissing　walls　of　the　great　hollow　had　half　filled　it

with　their　sweeping　surges。　　The　piled…up　mass　of　the

redundant　water　was　still　sending　its　maddened　billows

tossing　and　writhing　in　every　direction　toward　their

normal　level；　when　another　bomb　was　discharged；　another

surging　abyss　appeared；　another　roar　of　wind　and　water

was　heard；　and　another　mountain　of　furious　billows

uplifted　itself　in　a　storm　of　spray　and　foam；　raging

that　it　had　found　its　place　usurped。

　　　

Slowly　turning；　the　repeller　discharged　bomb　after

bomb；　building　up　out　of　the　very　sea　itself　a　barrier

against　its　enemies。　　Under　these　thundering　cataracts；

born　in　an　instant；　and　coming　down　all　at　once　in　a

plunging　storm；　into　these　abysses；　with　walls　of　water

and　floors　of　cleft　and　shivered　rocks；　through　this

wide　belt　of　raging　turmoil；　thrown　into　new

frenzy　after　the　discharge　of　every　bomb；no　vessel；

no　torpedo；　could　pass。

　　　

The　air　driven　off　in　every　direction　by　tremendous

and　successive　concussions　came　rushing　back　in

shrieking　gales；　which　tore　up　the　waves　into　blinding

foam。　　For　miles　in　every　direction　the　sea　swelled　and

upheaved　into　great　peaked　waves；　the　repeller　rising

upon　these　almost　high　enough　to　look　down　into　the

awful　chasms　which　her　bombs　were　making。　　A　torpedo…

boat　caught　in　one　of　the　returning　gales　was　hurled

forward　almost　on　her　beam　ends　until　she　was　under　the

edge　of　one　of　the　vast　masses　of　descending　water。　

The　flood　which；　from　even　the　outer　limits　of　this

falling…sea；　poured　upon　and　into　the　unlucky　vessel

nearly　swamped　her；　and　when　she　was　swept　back　by　the

rushing　waves　into　less　stormy　waters；　her　officers　and

crew　leaped　into　their　boats　and　deserted　her。　　By　rare

good…fortune　their　boats　were　kept　afloat　in　the

turbulent　sea　until　they　reached　the　nearest　torpedo…

vessel。

　　

Five　minutes　afterward　a　small　but　carefully　aimed

motor…bomb　struck　the　nearly　swamped　vessel；　and　with

the　roar　of　all　her　own　torpedoes　she　passed　into

nothing。

　　　

The　British　Vice…Admiral　had　carefully　watched　the

repeller　through　his　glass；　and　he　noticed　that

simultaneously　with　the　appearance　of　the　cloud　in　the

air　produced　by　the　action　of　the　motor…bombs　there

were　two　puffs　of　black　smoke　from　the　repeller。　　These

were　signals　to　the　crabs　to　notify　them　that　a　motor…

gun　had　been　discharged；　and　thus　to　provide　against

accidents　in　case　a　bomb　should　fail　to　act。　　One　puff

signified　that　a　bomb　had　been　discharged　to　the　north；

two；　that　it　had　gone　eastward；　and　so　on。　if；

therefore；　a　crab　should　see　a　signal　of　this　kind；　and

perceive　no　signs　of　the　action　of　a　bomb；　it　would　be

careful　not　to　approach　the　repeller　from　the　quarter

indicated。　　It　is　true　that　in　case　of　the　failure　of　a

bomb　to　act；　another　bomb　would　be　dropped　upon　the

same　spot；　but　the　instructions　of　the　War　Syndicate

provided　that　every　possible　precaution　should　be　taken

against　accidents。

　　

Of　course　the　Vice…Admiral　did　not　understand　these

signals；　nor　did　he　know　that　they　were　signals；　but　he

knew　that　they　accompanied　the　discharge　of　a　motor…

gun。　　Once　he　noticed　that　there　was　a　short

cessation　in　the　hitherto　constant　succession　of　water

avalanches；　and　during　this　lull　he　had　seen　two　puffs

from　the　repeller；　and　the　destruction；　at　the　same

moment；　of　the　deserted　torpedo…boat。　　It　was；

therefore；　plain　enough　to　him　that　if　a　motor…bomb

could　be　placed　so　accurately　upon　one　torpedo…boat；

and　with　such　terrible　result；　other　bombs　could　quite

as　easily　be　discharged　upon　the　other　torpedo…boats

which　formed　the　advanced　line　of　the　fleet。　　When　the

barrier　of　storm　and　cataract　again　began　to　stretch

itself　in　front　of　the　repeller；　he　knew　that　not　only


was　it　impossible　for　the　torpedo…boats　to　send　their

missives　through　this　raging　turmoil；　but　that　each　of

these　vessels　was　itself　in　danger　of　instantaneous

destruction。

　　　

Unwilling；　therefore；　to　expose　his　vessels　to

profitless　danger；　the　Vice…Admiral　ordered　the

torpedo…boats　to　retire　from　the　front；　and　the　whole

line　of　them　proceeded　to　a　point　north　of　the　fleet；

where　they　lay　to。

　　　

When　this　had　been　done；　the　repeller　ceased　the

discharge　of　bombs；　but　the　sea　was　still　heaving　and

tossing　after　the　storm；　when　a　despatch…boat

brought　orders　from　the　British　Admiralty　to　the

flagship。　　Communication　between　the　British　fleet　and

the　shore；　and　consequently　London；　had　been　constant；

and　all　that　had　occurred　had　been　quickly　made　known

to　the　Admiralty　and　the　Government。　　The　orders　now

received　by　the　Vice…Admiral　were　to　the　effect　that　it

was　considered　judicious　to　discontinue　the　conflict

for　the　day；　and　that　he　and　his　whole　fleet　should

return　to　Portsmouth　to　receive　further　orders。

　　　

In　issuing　these　commands　the　British　Government

was　actuated　simply　by　motives　of　humanity　and　common

sense。　　The　British　fleet　was　thoroughly　prepared　for

ordinary　naval　warfare；　but　an　enemy　had　inaugurated

another　kind　of　naval　warfare；　for　which　it　was　not

prepared。　　It　was；　therefore；　decided　to　withdraw　the

ships　until　they　should　be　prepared　for　the　new　kind　of

warfare。　　To　allow　ironclad　after　ironclad　to　be　

disabled　and　set　adrift；　to　subject　every　ship　in　the

fleet　to　the　danger　of　instantaneous　destruction；　and

all　this　without　the　possibility　of　inflicting　injury

upon　the　enemy；　would　not　be　bravery；　it　would　be　stupidity。　　

It　was　surely　possible　to　devise　a　means

for　destroying　the　seven　hostile　ships　now　in　British

waters。　　Until　action　for　this　end　could　be　taken；　it

was　the　part　of　wisdom　for　the　British　navy　to　confine

itself　to　the　protection　of　British　ports。

　　　

When　the　fleet　began　to　move　toward　the　Isle　of

Wight；　the　six　crabs；　which　had　been　lying　quietly

among　and　under　the　protection　of　their　enemies；

withdrew　southward；　and；　making　a　slight　circuit；

joined　the　repeller。

　　　

Each　of　the　disabled　ironclads　was　now　in　tow　of　a

sister　vessel；　or　of　tugs；　except　the　Llangaron。　

This　great　ship　had　been　disabled　so　early　in　the

contest；　and　her　broadside　had　presented　such　a　vast

surface　to　the　north…west　wind；　that　she　had　drifted

much　farther　to　the　south　than　any　other　vessel。　

Consequently；　before　the　arrival　of　the　tugs　which　had

been　sent　for　to　tow　her　into　harbour；　the　Llangaron

was　well　on　her　way　across　the　channel。　　A　foggy　night

came　on；　and　the　next　morning　she　was　ashore　on　the

coast　of　France；　with　a　mile　of　water　between　her　and

dry　land。　　Fast…rooted　in　a　great　sand…bank；　she　lay

week　after　week；　with　the　storms　that　came　in　from

the　Atlantic；　and　the　storms　that　came　in　from　the

German　Ocean；　beating　upon　her　tall　side　of　solid　iron；

with　no　more　effect　than　if　it　had　been　a　precipice　of

rock。　　Against　waves　and　winds　she　formed　a　massive

breakwater；　with　a　wide　stretch　of　smooth　sea　between

her　and　the　land。　　There　she　lay；　proof　against　all　the

artillery　of　Europe；　and　all　the　artillery　of　the　sea

and　the　storm；　until　a　fleet　of　small　vessels　had　taken

from　her　her　ponderous　armament；　her　coal　and　stores；

and　she　had　been　l