Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-04-23

proper way to protect tho tcct behind
the broakwater was for his vessel 90
boldly steam cut 10 "a and attack the
British cruiser. II this vessel carried a
long range gun. what was 10 hinder her
from suddenly running Ia closer and
sending few shells into tho midst %
the defcnseless merchantmen In fact.
10 90 cut and fight her was tho only way
% protect the lives and property In the
harbor.
IL was true that one of those bcas,ly
cpsllcrs was sneaking about OH the
cape. ACCOMPANIED. probably. by an
under water tOngs boat But as neither
OF thcso had done anything OF seemed
likely 90 do anything. the British cruiser
should 10 attacked without lo-s u time
When the commander of the Lenox
came 10 this decision. has ship was well
abreast of Caro llenlopen. and he there-
fore proceeded directly out 10 sca There
was little fear In his mind that the
English cruiser. which vas now bearing
To the southeast. might sail OIL and get
away from hin Tho Stockbridge was
detained by the arrival Of dispatch
boat from the shore with message from
tho naval department Hut as this mes
sage related only 10 tho measurements Of
n certain deck gun. her commander In.
scnt OF. a. ali out aud give battle 10 the
British vessel.
Every soul on board tho Lcno1 was
now filed with fiery .rlor. The ship
was already In good lghting trim. but
every possible preparation was made for
a contest which should show their ooun-
try and the wOrld " hat American sailors
wcro made 81.
Tho Dcnox had no, proceeded more
than mile uut to ga when she pr
cciyed Rcpcllcr No o coming toward her
from seward. and In a direction which
indicated that IL intended 10 run across
her coursc. Tho IsnoX. however. went
straight on. and In a short time the two
vessels were quite near each other. Upon
the deck II the rrIellcr now appeared
the director In charge. who. with q
sp.aking trumpet, hailed the LenoH and
requested her 20 lay 10, as be had some
thing to communicate. The commander
~ tn I.nux. through his tumpct, an
swcrci that ho wanted no cOmmunica-
tons. and advised the other vessel to
keep out u hls way.
Tho LcnoN now put on greater head
Of steam, and as she was In any casc
much faster vessel than the rcpcller, she
rapidly Increased the distance l,IWccn
hcr.cll And the syndicate's yess-sl, ~ that
In = few moments iailing wa impossible.
Quick signals now shot up Ia Ivts Il black
smoke from the rp.llcr. anil In "a very
abort time aftcrward the speed " the
Lsnox slackcnel ~ nuch that the repsl.
Ter was able 90 coms up with her
When the two vessels wcTo abreast 81
each other. and at n safo hailing distance
apart. another signal went up frum the
rcpollcr, and then both vessels almost
ceased 10 move through the water, al
though the engines Of the LenoK were
working at high sTccd. with her propel.
lcr blades stirring up whirlpool at her
stern
For minute or two the officers % the
Lcnox could not comprehend what had
happened II was first supposed that by |
mistake the engines had bocn slackenei,
but almost at the same moment that IL
was found that thiswas not the case. the |
discovery was made that the crab ac-
companying the rcpeller had laid hold of |
the stern posi of the Lsnox, and with all
the strength 81 her powerful engines was
holding her lack
Now burst forth in the Lcnox a storm |
Of frcnEicd rage. such as was never seen |
perhaps upon any vessel since vessels
were first built From the commander |
to the stokers every heart was filed with |
fury at the insult which was put upon |
them. The commander roarcd through |
his trumpet that II that internal IA
b.eile were no, Immediately loosed from |
his ship be would firsi sink her and then
the rcpcller
To thc-c remarks the director u the
syndicaio's vessels paid no attention, bat
procccdcl TO state a. briefly and forcibly |
a. possible that tho Lenox had bccn de- |
tanned In order that he might have an |
opportunity of speaking with her con-
mandcr. aud Of informing him that his
action In coming out Of the harbOr for
the purIose Of attackinga British vessel.
was In direct violation Of the contract
bctwccn the United States and the syn.
dicate having charge Of the war. and
that such action could not IL allowed.
Tho commander OF the Len0x paid NO
more attention to theso words than the |
syndicaie's director had given 20 those
ho had spoken. but Immediately com.
mcnced violent attack upon the crab.
II was impossible 10 bring any Of the
large guns TO b,ar upon her. Tor she was
almost under the stern of the Lenox. but
every means - Offense which infuriated /
ingenuity could suggest was used against
IL. Machine guns wero trainel To hTc
almost perpcndicularly. and shot after
shot was poured upon that portion Of it,
glistenins back which APPEARED above
the water.
But as these proiectiles SEEMED 10 have
no effect upon the solid hack of Crab III,
two great anvils were hoisted at the end
Of the spanker boom and dropped, one
after the other. upon IL. Tho shocks
were tremendous. but the internal con-
siruction % the crabs provided. by
means Of upright bcams. against injury
from attacks u this kind. and tho great
masses OF iron slid OF into the sea with.
out doing any damage.
Finding Il impossible 10 make any i'm.
preston upon tho mailed monster at his
stern, the commander Of the Lenox
hailed the director of the repeller. and
sworc TO him through his trumpet that
II hc did not Immediately order the
Lenox 10 h. set FREE. her heaviest guns
should be brought TO bear upon his hoat-
ing counting house, and that II should be
sunk II IL took all day To do IL.
II would have been a grim satisfaction
TO the commander Of the Lenox To sink
Repeller No. q. for he knew the vessel
when she hpd LclongeJ 10 the United
States navy. Before she had been
bought by the syndicate. and fitted out
with spring armor. he had made two
long cruises In her. and he bitterly hated
her. from her keel up.
The director Of the repeller agreed 10
release the Lenox the instant her COM
nander would consent 10 return 10 port.
No answer was made TO this proposition,
but dynamite gun on tho Lenox was
L.. a 49,.