Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-04-09

one IN SonIauN VIII u uiimNl-Na4 Just
coming out of tho harbor. should make
attack upon Repellcr No. 1.
II had been plainly proved that or,lin-
airy shot and shell had no effect upon
this craft. hut II had not bccn proved
that sho could Withstand tho rams of
powerful ironclads. II this vessel. that
apparently carried no guns. or at least,
hai uscd none. could bc crushed. cap
sized. sunk. or In any way pat out of the
light. IL was probable that tho dangerous
submerged nautical machine would not
care to remain in thcso waters. IL IL rc-
mained it must b. destroyed 10y torpc-
dos.
Signals wcro exchanged between the
two English vessels. and In a very abort
time they were steaming toward the re-
pcllcr u was q dangerous thing for two
vessels u their size tocome Gloss enough
together for both 10 ram an enemy az the
same time. but II was determined 10
take the risks and do this. N possible.
for the destruction % the rcpsller was
obviously the Grst duty In hand.
As the two mcnof.war rapidly ap
pruachcd Repcllor No. l. they kep, up a
steady firc upon her. for II In this way
they could damage her. the easier would
b, their task. With a firm reliance upon
Ihe efficacy of the steel spring armor. the
director. .in-chief felt no fear % the
encmy's sho, and shell. bot be- was not at
all willing that bis vcsssl should bo
nmmcd. Tor tho consequences would
probably H. disastrous Accordingly L.
did not val, for the approach % the two
vessels. bat steering soaward. hc signalcd
/ for tho other crab.
When Crab II made its appearance,
putting its little black jets of smoke as
Il answered the signAlso the dircctoF.in.
chief. the commanders of the two Brit
iSh vessels were surprised. They had
imaginsd that there was only one Of
thcsc strange and terrible enemies, AMI
hal Supposed that sho would b. afraid 90
make her peculiar attack upon ono Of
them. because while doing ~ she would
expose herself 10 tho danger of being run
down by the other. But the presence of
/ two ~ thesc almost submerged engines 81
destruction entirely changed the sltua-
ton.
hut tho commanders OF tho Sritish
shiIs were brave men. They had started
to run down the strangely aTmorod Amer.
lcan craft. and run her down they would.
II they could. They put on moro steam
and went ahead at greater spccd. In
such furious Onslaught the crabs might
not dare 10 attack them.
But they did not understand the ma
turc nor the powers of hcse enemies.
/ In les than twenty minutes crab \ had
laid bold u one OF the men-of'war' and
Crab u of tho other. Tho rndder OF
both wcru shattered and torn away ana
while the blades Of one propeller wcre
cra,he,I 10 pi.ccs. the other. With nearly
half it, shaft. wasdrawn out and dropped
into the ocean. Helplc-.ly the two mcn
of.war ro-o and fell upon the waves.
In obedience 20 order. from the re-
peller. each crab took hold Of one o. the
disabled yes.sl. and towel Il near the
mouth Of the harbor. where II was left.
The CITY was now In a state ~ ieycrish
excitement. which was intensiiisd by the
fact that a ma iority Of tho p.ople did not
/ understand what had happened. while
tho-e to whom thi. had toon made plain
could not comprehend why such thing
should have lecn allowed to happen.
Thre. Of her majesty. ships ~ war,
eouippo,l and ready for action. had sailed
ont 81 the harlor. and AN Apparently In.
sgniacant enemy. without flTing a gun,
ha1 pu, them into such a condition that
they were utterly unfit for service and
mus, l.. towed into a dry dock. How
could the government. the municipality,
the army. or the navy. explain thisy
The anxiety. the excitement. the ncr.
yous desire 20 know what had happcncd.
and what might beerpectcl next, spread
tha, evening % every part Of the Domin.
ion reached by telegraph.
The military authorities In charge OF
the defenses of tho city were a. much
disturbed and amazed by what had hap
pcnc,l as any civilian could possibly bc,
bat they had no fears for the safety OF
| the nIac, for the .nemy's vessels could
NO, uu-sihly enter. nor even approach,
,ha ha,ho, Tho foui6cations on the
bsIvb,s mounted Gun. much heavier than
tbo-e on tho men.of.war. and shots from
thee fired from an elevation might sink
even those ''undcr water devils" but,
more than on the forts. they relied upon
their admirable system of topedocs and
submarine batteries. With theso In 10
.ition aud ready Tor action. a. they now
were. IL was impossible for an enemy's
vessel. floating ON the water. OF under IL.
20 enter tho harbor without certain de
struction.
nuIlctin. 10 ,hi. effect were posted In
the citv. aud somew hat allaycd the popu.
lar anxiety although many peoplo who
ve,o fe,,fui ~ What might happsn next.
I.n Lv ,ho o,sning ,,nins for the interior.
Tha, n,gh, tho news ofthi. extnorlinary
All, ma cablcd % Eur,i.,. and thence
LacL IN tho uni,eJ STATE. and all over
,ho worII In many quarters the ac.
con,, 80 JisholieveI and in mo- quarter
was I, thoroughly understood, for IL
m,,., h. bome in mind that the methods