The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-03-06


terror with 1t, night be touched WIN u
missile and explode, bursting the tor
pedo-boat into atoms.
The combat commences. Tho YES
sells of the fleet have opened fire.
Shells rain in all directions. One of
our cruisers, canhonadcd heavily on
the starboard side by a fort mounting
twelve Krupp guns, is simultaneously
attacked on the larboard side by one of
the enemy's iron-clnds. She has al
ready suffered severely, and her posi-
ton becomes critical. A mast signal
from the admiraPs ship is given, and u
tOrpcdo-boat starts. The watchful en-
envy has observed tho signal. He
knows the danger. and at once concen-
trates his fire upon the little gray speck
which is shooting rapidly toward him.
Three miles separate them, and the
torpedo-boat must make that three
miles in ten minutes. If it is not sunk
before it has traversed that distance
the iron-clad is lost. Therefore, tho
cannoneers point their guns with the
most scrupulous care. The first shells
pass wide of their mark; but the aim
is rectified, and soon the shells fall so
near the torpedo-boat that they throw
the water over it, Now one has fallen
right at its prov. A geyser jet of wa
ter thirty feet high cOnceals the tor
pedo-boat; the enemy believe it has
been sunk, and utter tremendous
cheer. But the projectile has only RI
cochetted and passed over it. The wa
ter falls back in rain, and the brave
little vessel reappears all streaming
with brine, as though it had emerged
from tue sea-deeps, and rushing on at
full steam in the face of death.
There are only nine men on the lit
tie vessel, and they are going to attack
sort of leviathan carrying an immense
crew. 1t is not the fight of one against
ten, but of one against hundred.
Not single word is uttered beyond
the necessary orders. Those men,
whom death already touches with his
fingers, are silent and grave. And do
not suppose for a moment that they do
not think of the danger. On the con-
trary, they think of nothing else. But
it is not of their own danger they are
thinking, but of the danger of failure.
1t is not question of their lives, but
of the success of the enterprise. 1t is
essential that the torpedo-boat shall
reach the enemy's flank and rescue our
cruiser. After that, if the torpedo
boat sinks, so much the worse!
Every nerve is strained, every eye is
directed toward the object in view.
Now the boat is only five hundred
yards away from the iron-clad. The
fire of the mitrailleuses mingles with
the showers of shells and sweeps the
deck; everything wooden is splintered
to atoms with grape-shot. An inces-
SAINT fire of repeating rifles from the
mast tops of the iron-clad plays over
the torpedo-boat, and the balls, enter
ing through the few openings in the
decks. have already disabled three men.
They lie in corner, to which they
have been able to drag themselves, for
there is no time now to attend to them.
They may be thought of in two minutes
more-after the fate of all shall have
been decided.
The torpedo-boat has almost reached
| its enemy. The success of the expedi-
| ton is now assured, for the shell bat
teries are powerless to harm the tor
pedo boat at such short range. The
her. 1t can only kill some Of her
crew; but that is of no great conse-
quence. Now is the time when the
captain needs all his surety of eye and
GOODNESS of will; now is the time that
| his men must execute orders with the
rapidity of lightning, for if the torpedo
be fired second too soon it will fail
to do its terrible duty, and yet if there
be a delay of a moment the torpedo
boat must dash itself to pieces against
the sides of its mighty adversary.
| Now the boat seems almost ready to
touch the enemy's vessel. Hand-gren-
AIDES flung upon her deck rebound and
burst; one man is killed; the captain
has received terrible wound in the
face, but, summoning all his strength,
he supports himself erect against the
iron wall by sublime effort of will.
Livid, drenched with blood, but ter
rible in his calm resolve and bravery,
he keeps his eye still upon the enemy.
Ready! Let her go!'
| The awful missile is launched. An
enormous surge appears in the water,
and frightful cracking noise is heard,
followed by a terrible cry OF distress.
The pigmy has conquered the giant.
Hard st2rboard!'
And the little vessel, suddenly wheel
ing around, stcams away at full speed,
while the enemy's iron-clad sinks to
the bottom.
Ten minutes afterward the torpedo
boat has returned to its post beside the
admiral's vessels. The admiral sends
for the captain in order to congratu-
late him. He is carried to him upon a
bier. Meanwhile the fight goes on. A
new expedition may prove necessary.
A provisory captain is at once appoint
ed, and four men to complete the deci.
mated crew; and the torpedo-boat is
ready 10 fulfill another rc::.ssion; it has
another band of heroes to direct it.
|