The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-04-26

light; and all night the great guns roared.
and the little crab maneuvered.
The next morning heavy fog fell
upon the sea, and the battle ship and
Crab g were completely shut out of sight
of each other Now the cannon of the
Adamant were silent, for the only result
of firing would be to indicate to the crab
the location of the British ship. The
smoke signals of the towing crab could
not be seen through the fog by her con-
sorts, and she seemed TO be incapable Of
making signals by sound. Therefore the
commander of the Adamant thought it
likely that until the fog rose the crab
could not find his ship.
What that other crab intended to do
could be, of course. on board the Ada
mant, only surmiseI but it was believed
that she would bring wisx her torpedo
to be exploded under the British ship.
That one crab should tow her away from
possible aid until another ehould bring q
torpedo to fastca 10 her stern post
seemed a reasonable explanation of the
action of the syndicate's vessels
The officers Of the Adamant little TN
derstood the resources and intentions of
their opponents. Every vessel OF the
syndicate carried magnetic Indicator.
which was designed to prevent collisions
with iron vessels. This little instrument
was placed at night and during fogs at
the bow of the vessel, and delicate arm
of steel, which ordinarily pointed up
ward at considerable angle, fell into a
horizontal position when any large body
of iron approached within a quarter Of q
mile; and, SO falling, rang small bell.
Its point then turned toward the mass
of iron.
Soon after the fog came on one of these
indicators, properly protected from the
attraction of the metal about it, was put
into position on Crab G. Before very
long it indicated the proximity of the
Adar:lnt; and, guided by its steel point.
the CRIB moved quietly to the ironclad,
attached itself TO its stern post and
allowed the happy crew of Crab L to
depart eastward.
When the fog rose the glasses of the
Adamant showed the approach OF no
crab, but it was observed in looking over
the stern that the beggarly devil fish
which had the ship in tow appeared to
have made some change in it's back.
In the afternoon of that day q truce
boat was sent from the repellor to the
Adamant. 1t was allowed to come
alongside, but when the British captain
found that the syndicate merely renewed
its demand for his surrender he waxed
fiercely angry, and sent the boat back
with the word that no further message
need be sent to him unless it should be
one complying with the conditions he
had offered.
The syndicate now gave up the task of
inducing the captain of the Adamant to
surrender. Crab G was commanded to
continue towing the great ship south
ward, and to keep her well away from
the coast, in order to avoid danger to
seaport towns and coasting vessels, while
the repeller steamed away.
Week after week the Adamant moved
southwark, roaring away with her great
guns whenever an American sail came
within possible range, and surrounding
herself with a circle of bursting bombs
to let any crab know what it might ex-
pect if it attempted to como near. Blaz-
ing and laundering, stern foremost but
stoutly she rode the waves, ready to
show the world that she was an impreg-
nable British battle ship, from which no
enemy could snatch the royal colors
which floated high above'her.
1t was during the first week Of the in
voluntary cruise of the Adamant that
the syndicate finished its preparations
for what it hoped would be tho decisive
movement of its campaign. To do this
repeller and six crabs, all with extraor-
binary powers, had been fitted out with
great care, and also with great rapidity,
for tho British government was working
night and day to get its fleet of ironclads
in readiness for descent upon the
American coast. Many Of the British
vessels were already well prepared fol
ordinary naval warfare; but to resist
crabs additional defenses were necessary
1t was known that the Adamant ha6
been captured, and consequently tho
manufacture Of stern jackets had beer
abandoned, but it was believed that pro
lection could be effectually given to rud
ders and propeller blades by new
method which the admiralty had adopted
The repeller which was to take part il
the syndicate's proposed movement hat
been o vessel Of the United States navy
which for long time had been out o.
commission and undergoing course O.
very slow and desultory repairs in ;
| dock yard. She had always been con
sidered the most unlucky craft in thu
service, and nearly every accident tha
could happen to ship had happened t.
her. Years and years before, when slit
would set out upon cruise, her officer
and crew would receive the humorou
sympathy Of their friends, and wager
were frequently laid in regard to thu
different kinds of mishaps which nigh
befall this unlucky vessel, which wa
then known as the Tallapoosa.
The syndicate did not particularly de
sire this vessel, but there was no Other
that could readily be made available fol
its purposes, and accordingly the Talla
poosa was purchased from the govern
ment and work Immediately begun upor
her. Her engines and hull were pu
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