The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-07-19

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
Cragleyin had been telegraphed from
Canada to London. tho syndicates 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 ycasels%-~'d been ad-
yised TO Keep in the backg feAnd until tho
, British navy had concluded its business
with the vessels of the American syudi-
eata.
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 as fast as possible, but
SO far only one of these had been finished
ana attaCned TO nlan.ot-War.
Tho Llangaron was a recently built
ironclad of tho samo size and class rs
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 wns
about ten feet in diameter, and strongly
braced inside. It 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. l@m4" @
1t was believed that this cylinder would
cffcctualy prevent crab from getting
near enough to the propeller or the rud-
der to do any damage. 1t could not bo
torn away rs 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 syndicatc's little fleet arrived in
British waters late i'll the day; and carly
the next morning it appeared about
twenty miles to the south Of the Isle Of
Wight, and headed to the northeast as if
it We're making for Portsmouth. The
course Of these vessels greatly surprised
the English government and naval au-
thoritics. 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-
! midablo character had been made to de-
1 fcnd British ports against Repcller No.
II and her attendant crabs. Particularly
I was this the case i'll Bristol channel,
where largo number Of ironclads were
/! stationed, and which was TO have been
4 the destination Of the Liangaron if the
/ syndicates vessels had delayed their
| coming long enough to allow her to get
around there. That this little fleet should
have sailed straight for England's great
naval stronghold was something that the
British admiralty could not understand.
The fact was not appreciated that it was
the object Of tho syndicate to measure
its strength with the greatest strength
Of the 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 i'll Portsmouth har-
Dor large number of war vessels Of va
riorls 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 u s s,earcd British fleet com
posed Of fifteen of the finest ironclads,
with several gunboats and cruisers, and
Il number Of torpedo boats.
1t was a 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 the channel, filled
with those who were anxious to witness
from afar the sea fight which was to take
place under such novel conditions. Many
of these observers We're reporters and
special correspondents for great news.
papers. On some of the vessels which
came up from the French coast were
men with marine glasses Of cxtrnordi-
nary power, whose business it was to
send an early and accurate report Of the
affair to the office of the war syndicate
in New York.
AS soon rs the British ships came in
sight, the four crabs cast off from Repel-
Ter No. II. Then with the other two
they prepared for action, moving con-
siderably in advance of tho repeller,
which now steamed forward very slowly.
The wind was strong from the north
west, and the sea high, the shining tops
Of the crabs frequently disappearing
under the waves.
The British feet ca1no steadily on,
headed by the great Llangaron. This
vessel was very much In advance of the
ouners, Tor knowing l1luv W uen sne was
really in action and the great cylinder
which formed her stern guard was lower
ed into the water her speed would be much
retarded, sho had put on oil steam, and
being the swiftest war ship Of her class,
she had distanced all her consorts. 1t
was highly important that she should
begin the fight and engage the attention
Of as many crabs as possible whilo GER
tain of the other ships attacked tho re-
peller with their rams. Although 1t was
now generally believed that motor
bombs from repeller might destroy a
man-of-war, 1t was also considered prob.
able that the accurate calculations which
appeared to be necessary to precision OF
aim could not be made when the object
of tho aim was in rapid motion.
But whether or not one or moro motor
bombs did strike tho mark, or whether
or not ono or more vessels were blown
into fine particles, there were dozel
ironclads in that fleet, each of whose
commanders and officers wero deter
mined to run into that repeller and crust
her, if SO be they held together long
enough to reach her.
To be continued.
A Growing Regard.
; English papers remark with surprise th'
growing regard shown for America i'll thh
, country, rs evidenced by tho warm reception
, given to our colors whenever they are dis
played. This is particularly noticed at the
utrical exhibitions when the flags Of variou