The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-04-11
SECTION FIFTH.

With regard to q repeller, Oh spring
armored vessel, the Adamant would rely
upon Ter exceptionally powerful arl.l;;-
ment and upon l;er great weight aild
speed. She was fitted with twin screws
and engines Of the highest power, and
it was believed that she would be able to
overhaul, ram and crush the largest
vessel, armored or unarmored. which
the syndicate would be able to bring
against her. Some of her guns were OF
immense .caliber, firing shot weighing
nearly 1900. pounds and requiring half
q ton Of powder for each charge. Be
sides these she carried an uj1usnallE
large number of large cannon and two
dynamite guns. She was SO heavily
plated and armored as to be proof
against any known artillery in the
world.
She was a floating fortress, with men
enough to make up the population of
town, and with stores, ammunition and
coal sufficient to last for a long term of
active service. Such was the mighty
English battle ship which had come for
ward to raise the siege of the Canadian
port.
The officers of the syndicate were well
aware of the character of the Adamant,
her armament and her defenses, and had
been informed by cable Of her time of
sailing and probable destination. They
sent out Repeller No. 7, with Grabs J
and K, to meet her off the Banks of
Newfoundland.
This repeller was the largest and
strongest vessel that the syndicate had
ready for service. In addition to the
spring armor with which these vessels
were supplied, this one was furnished
with a second coat of armor outside the
first, the elastic steel ribs of which ran
longitudinally and at right angles to
those of the inner set. Both coats were
furnished with a great number of i'm
proved air buffers, and the arrangement
of spring armor extended five or six feet
beyond the massive steel plates with
which the vessel was originally armored.
She carried one motor cannon of large
size.
One Of the crabs was of the ordinary
pattern, but Crab K was furnished with
spring armor above the heavy plates
of her roof. This had been placed upon
her after the news had been received by
the syndicate that the Adamant would
carry a perpendicular cannon over her
stern, but there had not been time
enough to fit out another crab in the
same way.
When the director in charge Of repeller
No. Z first caught sight of the Adamant,
and scanned through his glass the vast
proportions Of the mighty ship which
was rapidly steaming toward the coast,
he felt that responsibility rested upon
been borne by an officer of the syndicate,
but he did not hesitate in the duty which
he had been sent to perform, and imme-
diately ordered the two crabs to advance
to meet the Adama7ft, and to proceed to
action according to the instructions
which they had previously received.
His own ship was kept, in pursuance of
orders, several miles distant :.om the
British ship.
As soon as the rcpei!tI' had been
sighted from the Adama:t :: .t:ict look
out had been kept for The :, :oach Of
crabs, and when the small exposed pof-
| tlO1lS VI liic bdChS Ol lNt ti t.-t.c NGIS
perceived glistening in the sunlight the
speed of the great ship was sac4-2ned.
The ability of the syndicatc's submerged
vessels to move suddenly ans. Quickly in
any direction had been clearly d2.Hon-
strated, and although q great i:c,lclad
with ram could run down and s.nk 4
crab without feeling the concu-.ion, it
was known that it would be perfectly
easy for the smaller craft to keep cut OF
the way Of its bulky antagonist, There
fore the Adamant did try to ram the
crabs, nor to get away from them. Hex
commander intended, if possible, to run
down one or both of them, but he did
not propose to do this in the usual way.
As the crabs approached, the stern
Jacket of the Adamant was let down and
the engines were slowed. This stern
jacket, when protecting the rudder and
propellers, looked very much like the