The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-05-03

not DO counteracted by tho strongest
faith in the efficiency Of their engines Of
war, and it was feared that it might be-
juncturc, to annul the contract with the
syndicate, and to depend upon the
American navy for the defense of the
American coast.
Even among the men on board the syn
dicate's fleet there were signs of doubt
and apprehensions of evil. 1t had all
been very well so far. but fighting one
ship ut time was very different thing
from steaniing into the midst of hun
dred ships. On board the repellcr there
was now an additional reason for fears
and misgivings. The unlucky character
Of the vessel when it had been the Talla-
poosa was known. and not few of the
men imagined that il must now be time
for some new disaster to this i'll starred
craft, and if her evil genius had desired
fresh disaster for her. it was certainly
sending her into good place to look
for il.
But the syndicate neither doubted nor
hesitated. nor paid any attention to the
doubts and condemnations which they
heard from every quarter. Four days
after the news Of the destruction Of the
Craglevin had been telegraphed. from
Canada to London. the syndicate's fleet
entered the English channel. Owing to
the power and speed of the crabs, Repel-
Ter No. II had made passage of the At
lantic which in her old naval career
would have been considered miraculous.
Craft of various kinds were now
passed, but none of them carried the
British flag. In the expectation of the
arrival of the enemy, British merchant
men and fishing vessels had been ad-
vised to keep in the background until the
British navy had concluded its business
with the vessels of tho American syndi-
cate.
AS has been said before, the British
admiralty had adopted new method of
defense for the rudders and screw pro-
pellers of naval vessels against the at
tacks of submerged craft. The work of
constructing the new appliances had been
pushed forward rs fast as possible. but
SO far only one of these had been finished
and attached to a man-of-war.
The Llangaron was a recently built
ironclad of the same size and class as
the Adamant; and to her had been at
tached the new stern defense. This was
an immense steel cylinder, entirely
closed, and rounded at the ends. 1t was
about ten feet in diameter. and strongly
braced inside. 1t was suspended by
chains from two davits which projected
over the stern of the vessel. When sail
ing this cylinder was hoisted up to the
davits, but when the ship was prepared
for action it was lowered until it lay,
nearly submerged. abaft of the rudder.
In this position its ends projected about
fifteen feet on either side of the propeller
blades.
1t was believed that this cylinder would
effectually prevent crab from getting
near enough to the propeller or the rud-
der to do any damage. 1t could not be
torn away as the stern jacket had been,
for the rounded and smooth sides and
ends Of the massive cylinder would offer
no hold to the forceps of the crabs; and,
approaching from any quarter, it would
be impossible for these forceps TO reach
rudder or screw.
The syndicates little fleet arrived in
British waters late in the day; and early
the next morning it appeared about
twenty miles to the south of the Isle of
Wight, and headed to the northeast as if
it were making for Portsmouth. The
course Of these vessels greatly surprised
the English government and naval au-
thorities. 1t was expected that an at
tack would probably be made upon some
comparatively unprotected spot on the
British seaboard, and therefore on the
west coast Of Ireland and in st. Georges
channel preparations of the most for
midable character had been made to de-
fend British ports against Repeller No.
II and her attendant crabs. Particularly
was this the case in Bristol channel,
where large number of ironclads were
stationed, and which was to have been
the destination of tho Llangaron if the
syndicate's vessels had delayed their
coming long enough to allow her to get
around there. That this little fleet should
have sailed straight for Englands great
naval stronghold was something that the
British admiralty could not understand.
The fact was not appreciated that it was
the object of the syndicate to measure
its strength with the greatest strength
Of tho enemy. Anything less than this
would not avail its purpose.
Notwithstanding that so many vessels
had been sent to different parts of tho
coast, there was still in Portsmouth har-
Dor q large number of war vessels Of va
rious classes, all in commission and
ready for action. The greater part Of
these had received orders to cruise that
day in the channel. Consequently it
was still early in the morning when
around the eastern end of the Isle Of
Wight there appeared a British fleet COM
posed of fifteen Of the finest ironclads,
with several gunboats and cruisers, and
a number of torpedo boats.
1t was o noble sight, for besides the
war ships there was another fleet hang
ing upon the outskirts of the first, and
composed of craft, large and small, and
from both sides Of tho channel, filled
with those who were anxious to witness