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

Of tho ensuing action. Before the Crag-

Of tho ensuing action. Before the Crag
levin was within half mile of her enc
my she was seized by two crabs, all Of
which had cast loose from the rcpeller,
and in less than twenty minutes both Of
her screws were extracted and her rud-
der shattered In the meantime two of
the swiftcst crabs had pursued the trans
port; and coming up with her, one of
them had fastened to her rudder, with
out, however, making any attempt to in
jure it. When tho 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, ho prudently
stopped his engines and lay to, tho crab
keeping his ships head to the sea.
The captain Of The Craglevin was
very different man from tho captain Of
the Adamant. He was quite es brave,
but lie was wiser and moro prudent. He
saw that tbs transport had been cap
tured and forced to lay to; he saw that
the repeller 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,
ficient 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 repellcI,
it would probably result in the rcpeler
turning her fire upon the transport.
With a disabled ship, and the lives Of
SO many men in his charge, the captain
of the Craglevin saw that it would be
wrong for him to attempt to fight, and
he did not fire gun. With rs much
calmness as tho circumstances would
permit he awaited the progress Of
events.
In very short timo q message came
to him from Repellcr No. II, which
stated that in two hours his ship would
bo destroyed By instantaneous motor
bombs. Every opportunity, however,
would be given for the transfer to the
on board the Cragleyin, 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 acquics-
conco was possible. Whether or not
there was such thing as an instantane-
GUS motor bomb tho Craglevins officers
did not know; but they knew that if left
to herself their ship would soon attend
TO her own sinking, for there was a terri
BILE rent in her stern, owing to q pitch of
the vessel while ono of the propeller
shafts was being extracted.
Preparations for leaving the ship We're
| therefore immediately begun. Tho crab
was ordered to release the mail steamer,
which, in obedience to signals from the
\ CraGlcyin, steamed as near that vessel
as safety would permit. Boats We're
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 10 haul down his
colors he could do so, but if he preferred
to leave them still bravely floating above
his vessel, he was equally welcome to do
that.
When nearly every one had left the
Craglcviu, Il boat was sent from the re-
pclIcr, which lay near by, with a liote
requesting the captain and FIRST officer
OF the British ship to come or board Re
pcller No II and witness tho method of
lischarging the instantaneous motor
bomb, after which they would be put on
board the transport. This invitation
struck the captain Of the Craglevin with
surprise, but Il little reelection showed
him that it would be wise TO accept it.
In the first place, it was in the nature of
Il command, which in the presence Of
six crabs and Il repeller it wonld be
ridiculous TO lisobey, and, moreover, he
WAS moved by desire to know some
thing about the syndicates mysterious
engine of destruction, if, indeed, such a
thing really existed.
Accordingly, when all the others had
left tho ship, the captain Of the Crag.
levin and his first officer came on board
the repellcr, curiously observing ths
spring armor over which they passed by
means Of a light gangboard with hand
rail. They were received by the director
at one Of the matches of the steel deck
which were now all open, and conducted
by him to the bombproof compartment
in the bow. There was no reason why
the nature Of the repclrr's defense:
should not be known to the world mol
adopted by other nntions They were
intended as a protection against ordi
nary shot and shell; they would avai
nothing against the instantaneous motol
bomb.
The British officers were shown ths
motor bomb to be discharged, which
externally, was very much like an ordi
nary shell, except that it was nearly u
long as the bore Of the cannon; and ths
director stated that although, of course
the principle OF the motor bomb was tn,
syndicate's secret, it was highly desira
bic that its effects and its methods o
operation should be generally known.
Tho repeller, accompanied by the mai
steamer and all the crabs, now moved t
about two miles to the leeward of tn,
Craglevin, and lay to. The motor boml
was then placed in one Of the great guns
willie tho scienlinU vu1 ps utteuueu to til.
necessary calculations of distance, etc.
The director now turned to the British
captain, who had been observing every
thing with the greatest interest, and
with i smile, asked him if he would lik
to commit harikari?
AS this remark was somewhat enig
NAUTICAL, the director went on to say thu
if it would be any qualification to th
captain to destroy his vessel with his owl
hands, instead Of allowing this to b
done by an enemy, he was ct liberty t.
do SO. This offer was Immediately &C
cepted, for if his ship were really to b
destroyed, the captain felt that he woul
like to do it himself. @
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