Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-05-14

istencc shc hal bcon some other vessel
than the Tallapoosa
hut every spring spmng back to Us
place as tho great mas ~ irun glanced of
into tho SEA The dynamite bomhs flew
over the tops u the crabs, whose rapid
motions and slightly exposed surfaces
gave little chance for accurate aim, and
In short time they were too close to the
Llangnron for this class ~ gun 20 h. used
upon them.
"a the crabs came nearer. the Liam.
garon lowered the great steel cylinder
which hung across her stern, until it lay
almost entirely under water. and abaft
of her rddcr and propeller blades
She now moved slowly through the
water. AMI her men greeted the adyanc-
ing crabs with yells ~ defiance, and q
shower - shot from machine guns.
Tho character II the new defense
which had bccn fitted o. the llangaron
was known 20 the syndicate. and the
directors Of tho two new crabs under.
stool the heavy piece ~ work which
lay before them. hut their plans Of ac.
ton had been well considered. and they
made straight for the stern ~ the British
ship.
Il was. % couuc. impossible 10 en-.
dcavor 20 grasp that great cylinder with
L. rounded ends: their forccps would
slip from any portion q 10 smooth sur.
face on which they should cndcavor 10
las hold. and no such attempt was made.
Keeping near tho cylinder. ono at each
end of IL. the two moved slowly after the
Ilangaron. apparently discouraged.
In n short time. however. IL was pr.
cciycd by thoso on board the ship. that a
change had taken place In the appear
anco % the crabs, tho visible portion u
their lacks was growing larger and
larger; they wcru rising In tho water.
Their mailed roofs became visible from
end 10 cnd. and tho crowd u Observers
looking down from the ship were amazed
10 $50 what largo vessels they were.
Higher and higher tho crabs arosc.
their powerful air pumps working at
their greatest capacity, until their pom.
dcrous pinccrs bccamo visible above the
water. Then into tho minds ~ the OIL.
Gers - tho i.langaron flashed tho true
object ~ this uprising. which 90 tho
crew had secmod an intention on tho
port ~ the "a devils 90 Chamber on
board
II the cylinder wcrc left In its present
position the crab might seize tho chains
by which II vas suspended. while u it
wcrc miscd IL would cease 20 bo dc.
fcnsc. Notwithstanding this latter con.
tngcney. tho order was quickly given 10
raise the cylinder. but hcforo tho hoist.
ing engine had been sct In motion Crab
q thrust forward her forccps over the
top u the cylinder and held it down
Another thrust. and tho iron jaws had
grasrcd ono of tho two pondcrous chains
by which the cylinder was suspended.
Tho other end % tho cylinder bcgan 10
risc. but at this moment Crab II, appar.
entity by single effort. lifted herself a
foot higher ou' % tho sea: her pinccrs
dashed forward. and the other chain was
gnspcd.
The two crabs wcro now placed In the
most extraordinary position. Tho over.
hang q their roofs prevented an attack
on their hulls by tho llangaron, but
their unmailc,l hulls woro ~ greatly cx-
| Iu=c,l that few shot from another ship
could easily have destroyed them. Bu,
as any ship firing II them would b. very
likely 10 hii tho Ilangaron. their dire.
tors felt safe on this point.
Thrcc u tho foremost ironclads. less
than two miles away. were heading ia.
rcctly Tor them. and their rams might 10
used with but little danger 10 tho Liam.
| garon. but. on the other hand. three
swift crabs wcD heading directly for
these ironclads
IL was impossible for Crabs Q and II
90 operate In the usual way. Their mas
dyo forccps. lying flat against the top Of
| the cylinder. could not H. twisted. Tho
enormous chains they held could not b.
severed by the greatest pressure, and II
both crabs hacked az once they would
probably do no moro than tow tho Liam
| caron stern foremost. There was. more
over. no time 90 waste In experiments,
for other rams would h. coming on, and
there were net ciats enough 20 attend to
| them all.
30 timo wal wN.ed. g signaled to Z
and u back again. ard Instantly tho two
erals, each still grasp,ag a cham Of the
cylinder. bcgan TO sink. On board tho
uangaron an order vas shouted TO let
out tho cylinder chains. but % these
chains had only been made long enough
20 allow the top Of the cylinder TO hang
at, or little below. the surface OF the
water. n foot or two Of length was all
that could 10 gained.
The dayits from which tho cylinder
hung were thick and strong. and the
| iron windlasscs 10 which the chains were
attached were large and ponderous, but
these were not strong snough TO with.
stand the weight of two crabs with steel
aunorcd roofs. enormous engines and
iron hull. In les than minute one
dayit snapped like pipe stem under the
tremendous strain. and Immediately
| afterward the windlass to which the
chain was attached was torn from -
| bolts and went crushing overheard, tear
ing away portion q the stern rail IN
| its descent.
Crab Q instantly released the chain u
had held. and In moment the great
cylinder hung almost perpendiculariy
from one chain. hut only for n mo
mcnt. The nippcrs oi Crab u still firmly
held the chain. and the tremendous lev
erage exerted by the falling of one end OF
tho cylinder wrcnched IL from the rigidly
held end ~ it, chain: and In a Hash. the
enormous stern guard ~ the llanseror
sunk. end foremost. Va the lO,tom of the
channel.
ln ten minutes aftcrVarl the Llanga
ron. ruddcrlcs,. and with the blades I"
her prupcllcrs shi,cr,l and crushed. VA
slowly turning her siartoarl Ia the win,
and the sea and beginning 10 roll Ike
log of 5000 tons
BESIDES tie Langaron three ironclad
were now drifting hruadsidc TO the sea
But there was no time Ia succor diSible'
vessels. for the rest of the iiect was com
ing ON anil there was great work for th'
crabs.
Against thcse enemies. swift Of motio'
and sudden In action. the torpedo lSat
found Il almost impossible to operate. 10
the British slips and tie erals were =
rapidly nearing each other that tnrlei'
sent out against an enemy was more thar
likely 20 run against tho hull Of "a friend
| Each crab spql nj the topof its speed fO