The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-05-11

States navy, for although the nature of
the contract wilh the syndicate was well
understood in England, ii was not sup
posed that the American government
would long consent to allow their war
vessels TO remain entirely idle,
When the captain of the Craglovin
perceived the approach of the repe!lcr,
he was much surprised, but he did not
hesitate for moment as TO his course.
lie signalcd to the transport, then about
a mile 10 the north, to keep on tho way
while he stecred 10 meet the enemy. 1t
had been decided in British naval circles
that the proper thing to do in regard to
a repeller was TO ram her as quickly as
possible. These vessels were necessarily
slow and unwioldy, and if a heavy iron
clad could keep clear of crabs long
enough TO rush down upon one, there was
every reason to believe that the "ball
bouncer," as the repellers were called by
British sailors, could DO crushed in be-
low the water line and sunk. So, full Of
courage and determination, the captain
of the Craglevin bore down upon the re-
peller.
1t is not necessary TO enter into details
Of the ensuing action. Before the Crag-
levin was within half a mile Of her enc
my she was seized by two crabs, all of
which had cast loose from the rcpellcr,
and in less than twenty minutes both Of
her screws were extracted and her rud-
der shattered. In the meantime two of
the swiftest crabs had pursued the trans
port; and coming up with her, one OF
them had fastened TO her ruddcr, with
out, however, making any attempt to IN
jurc it, When the captain OF the steamer
saw that one Of the sea devils had him
by the stern, while another was near by
ready to attack him, he prudcutly
stopped his engines and lay to, the crab
keeping his ships head TO the sea.
Tho captain Of the Craglcyin was a
very different man from the captain Of
the Adamant lie was quito as brave,
but he was wiser and more prudent. He
saw that the transport had been cap
tured and forced to lay to- he saw that
the repellcr mounted two heavy guns at
her bow, and whatever might be the
character Of those guns, there could be
no reasonable doubt that they were suf.
licient to sink an ordinary mail steamer.
His own vessel was entirely out of his
control, and even if he chose to try his
guns on the spring armor Of the repeller,
it would probably result in the repeller
turning her fire upon the transport.
With disabled ship, and the lives of
so many men in his charge, the captain
of the Craglevin saw that il would be
wrong for him to attempt to fight, and
he did not fire gun. With as much
calmness as the circumstances would
permit he awaited the progress of
events.
In very short time message came
to him from Repeller No. II, which
stated that in two hours his ship would
be destroyed by instantaneous motor
bombs. Every opportunity, however,
would be given for the transfer to the
mail steamer of all the officers and men
on board the Craglcvin, together with
such Of their possessions as they could
take with them in that time. When this
had been done the transport would be
allowed to proceed on her way.
To this demand nothing but acquies-
cence was possible Whether or not
there was such thing as an instantane-
Gus motor bomb the Craglevin's officers
did not know; but they knew that if left
to herself their ship would soon attend
TO her own sinking, for there was terri
bic rent in her stern, owing to pitch OF
tho vessel while one of the propeller
shafts was being extracted.
Preparations for leaving the ship were
therefore Immediately begun. Tho crab
was ordered TO release the mail steamer,
which. in obedience to signals from the
Craglcvin, steamed as near that vessel
as safety would permit. Boats were
lowered from both ships, and the work
of transfer went on with great activity,
There was no lowering of flags on
board the Craglevin, for the syndicate
attached no importance to such outward
signs and formalities. If the captain OF
the British ship chose to haul down his
colors he could do so, but if he preferred
TO leave them still bravely floating above
his vessel, ho was equally welcome to dc
that.
When nearly every one had left the
Craglevin, boat was sent from tho re-
peller, which lay near by, with a note
requesting the captain and first officer
of the British ship to como on board Re
peller No. II and witness the method OF
discharging tho instantaneous motor
bomb, after which they would be put on
board the transport This invitation
struck the captain of the Craglevm with
surprise, but little reflection showed
him that it would be wise TO accept it,
In the first place, it was in the nature OF
"a command, which in the presence Of
six crabs and repeller it would be
ridiculous TO disobey, and. moreover, he
was moved by desire to know some
thing about the syndicate's mysterious
engine of destruction, if, indeed, such d
thing really existed.
Accordingly, when all the Others had
left the ship, the captain of the Crag-
levin and his first officer came on board
tho repeller, curiously observing the
spring armor over which they passed by
means of IA light gangboard with hand