, 1875-12-19
THE NEXT NAVAL NOVEL.

! THE NEXT NAVAL NOVEL.
The English Navy In the Hands q
tho Observation-Disclosures
The following is P1t1ch's satire Of the seaman
ship on Her Majeatys itonclad Vanguard, re
Gently sunk in the English Channel By collisio
| with the lronclad Iron Duke:
CHAPTER HY.-'rBE LIVELY POLLY"
| The Vulcan was plowing the Sea braveiy. Ii
| spite OF the immense thickness Of he
| iron sides, Rhe was moving ut speed OF q
least two knots An hour. It is scarcely neces
| safy to explain to the nautical reader that sh
! could have attained even greater rate Of speed
| had not the Lorus OF Admiralty issued their in
| atructlons regulating the consumption OF coal
And 10, Mr. Simple Sinnou." said our Firs
Lieutenant e. fellow Of Trinity, BY the way1, ou
Junior Midshipman will join ua At Portsmouth
from Cambridge
"Yos, sir," replied. "A1r Muttonhead hat
done well. You will have noticed, from reading
the newspapers, that be joins US as senior wran-
gier. suppose air, he will resume his ordinary
duties when he reports himself"
"Qu1te 20. He will personally super;ntend
sionallg Tin bis official capacity test the quality
Of the grog-"
Our conversation WAS interrupted at this point
by cry from Sailor on the lookout. The
Second Lieutenant hurried On to the quarter
deck, aud. after the customary salute, addressed
Sir" SAID he ''lt is my duty 70 inform you
that black care often sits at the. back Of tho
he1nsman. and that therefore, post eqaitena eednt
dtra cssr0 may have wider meaning than the
glonous old Roman was inclined to g1ve it,"
Always classical, sobe1sideH," " remarked the
bfing no bad news. Ramamber gas74la l4ngua
socet r.
SWELL said ~ exclaimed soberaides (who I
must admit. ~as something Of = sycophant)
j" But wish merely to report to you that the
Look out, through bis telescope, haa made cut 3
boat in tho omiog: She appears to ba steering
for ua- How shall We get out Of her Hay7"
"Ho" far off is she?"
"About Is miles.
Eve may yet have time to save ourselves"
exclaimed the First Lieutenant ga1lantly. Mr..
Simple Simon, will you be good enough to get
the BOOK ct Signals p
OF course. complied with the request: and
for the next two hours the First Lieutenant, So
beraides and myself we're engaged in peruaing the
mysterious volume.
lookout continued On her reckless COURSE She
seemed 70 be desaxted pleasure yacht, Of about
two tonA and from the fact that she carried the
name OF Lively Polly painted in white latters On
her bow, took it that she hai1ed from the Port
Of Margste.
By degrees, sho carna nearer and nesrer, until
abe was within half milo of ns. Then there
wa8 CRY OF astoaiahmeus from the lips Of the
younger Of our crew. She Was carrying sail
an article Of nautical perambu1arion scarcely
kn own to the rising generation.
" Rara ot&s in te'7-is nigroqsae sixnillima cyg-
no, - heard one OF cur aecoud-cla8 boys obsarYe
TO companion.
- 7rpso!" replied the other. saiting the action
% the word.
~ Really, Mr.. Simple Simon" said our First
Lieutenant, II do not like to disturb the Captain
o the midst Of his experimental but I must
r3Tf@ In ~ IL n
AYE, aye Fir, I replied, and descended BE-
ON and Knocked at the door OF tha lAborato1y of
ny commanding officer.
HAFrxH 1lvI--THE CAPTAIN or rHE " vu1cAy.~
"Come ia !" aod I entered.
The Captain Of the Vulcan was thin, intel |
ectusl-looklng student. He wore long hair, aud |
lis eyes were shielded from the glare OF small ire
in which several cruehies we're glovinz) by =
air Of azure -oolored speo*sclea. His laboratory,
r, to rse the nauheal tazm, @cabin.~ WIS fur |
!1shed With library Of dust5 volumes, stuffed I
lligator, and few Rkeletons- He waa stand
1g neaC camera, and held in his hand 4 penny |
'hietie.
"a This interruption Is very NAL ap,opos," be
1claimed a. ! entered What is tho matter,
II. Simple Simou?"
J.: We are IN danger Of = collision, air." re-
We are always in danger Of = collision" he
petulantly. q ttRe4ny. must Ieaye
lema:tor in the hands of the Fi1st Ideutenant.
aye every confidence in him"
l bowed, aud was about to leave tho spart- [
ent, when an Irresistible impulse seized rae to |
1t question to my commanding officer.
Your pardon, sif," said, with some hesika-
IN, " but the experiment upon which you are
gagged seens to interest you deeply. Is it
discreet to ask yoa wt1ot you ara doing p
:" Not At alll" he cried, with tho enthusiasm |
An inventor. II am attempting, with tbs aid
photography, to fix and depict ray OF sound"
i'd be blew the penny whistle, aud concealed
. head in the curtains Of the cama1a.
On my return to the deck, I found that the
yely Polly Was within half mile Of tbe Vulcan,
e consulted the e1gnaEbook for the Last time. |
I'd prepared to meet our tate llks officers. geo.
men, and scholars.
The crew OF the Vulcan stood still, aud cloaed !
air eyes, and then oa1ns shock. Tha Lively |
>1ly's bowsprit had made hole in the sids OF |
g Vulcan. and all WAS Ioet-
At this moment the Captain appeared He
S calm and rasolnta. He spoke TO tho Rirs<
eutenaut:
:: What is the size Of tia 1eak7s
Il Two inches by three, air."
II At what ratio ia the water coming IN ?"
Is About pint an hour, eir."
y Then get to the boats. and saye Ypufse.yesl' {
Within i've hours OF tho collision every map ] {
longing to the Vulcan had loft that hapless !
p to hor melancholy tate. And such IL Lite
the W4yea!