Morris tribune., 1889-05-01

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TUGGED BACKWARD BY A CRAB BEFORE
THE WHOLE BRITISH FLEET.
Ter No. z, and after that the cannonading
from the bow, the stern, the starboard
and the port guns of the great battle ship
went on whenever there was visible
object on the ocean which looked in the
least like an American coasting vessel or
man-of-war.
For week Crab K towed steadily to
the south this blazing and laundering
marine citadel; and then the crab sig
nailed to the still accompanying repeller
that it must be relieved. It had not been
fitted cut for so long a cruise, and sup
plies were getting low.
The syndicate, which had been kept
informed of all the details of this affair,
had already perceived the necessity Of
relieving Crab K, and another crab, well
provisioned and fitted out, was already
on the way to take its place. This was
Grab G, possessing powerful engines, but
in point of roof armor the weakest of its
class. 1t could be better spared than any
other crab to tow the Adamant, and as
the British ship had not, and probably
could not, put out another suspended
cannon, it was considered quite suitable
for the service required.
But when Crab G came within half a
mile of the Adamant it stopped. 1t was
evident that on board the British ship a
steady lookout had been maintained for
the approach of fresh crabs, for several
enormous shell and shot from heavy
guns, which had been trained upward at
a high angle, now fell into the sea a
short distance from the crab.
Crab G would not have feared these
heavy shot had they been fred from an
ordinary elevation; and although no
other vessel in the syndicate's service
would have hesitated to run the terrible
gauntlet, this one, by reason of errors in
construction, being less able than any
other crab to resist the fall from great
height of ponderous shot and shell,
thought it prudent not venture into this
rain of iron, and moving rapidly beyond
the line of danger, it attempted to ap-
proach the Adamant from another
quarter. If it could get within the circle
of falling shot it would be safe. But this
it could not do. On all sides Of the Adj
amant guns had been trained to drop
shot and shells at distance Of half a
mile from the ship.
Around and around the mighty IRON
clad steamed Crab G, but wherever she
went her presence was betrayed to the
fine glasses on board the Adamant by the
bit Of her shining back and the ripple
about it, and ever between her and the
ship came down that hail Of iron in
masses of a quarter ton, half ton, or
nearly a whole ton. Crab G could not
venture under these, and all day she ac-
companied the.Adamant on her voyage
south, dashing to this side and that, and
looking for the chance that did not come,
for all day the cannon Of the battle ship
roared at her wherever she might be.
The inmates Of Crab K were now very
FESTIVE and uneasy, for they were on
short rations, both Of food and water.
They would have been glad enough to
cast loose from the Adamant, and leave
the spiteful ship to roll to her hearts
content, broadside to the sea. They
did not fear to run their vessel, with
its thick roof plates protected by spring
armor, through the heaviest cannonade.
But signals from the repeller COM
manded them to stay by the Adamant as
long as they could hold out, and they
were obliged to content themselves with
hope that when night fell the other
crab would be able to get in under the
stern of the Adamant, and make the de-
sired exchange.
But to the great discomforture of the
syndicate's forces darkness had scarcely
come on before four enormous electric
lights blazed high up on,the single lofty
mast of the Adamant, lighting up. the
ocean for mile on every side of the
ship. It was of nosmore use for Crab g
to try to get in now than In broad day
light; and all might the great guns reared,
and the little crab maneuvered.
The next morning a heavy. fog fell
upon the sea, and the. battle ship. and
Crab G were completely shut outof sight
Of each other. Now the cannon of the
Adamant were silent, for the only result
Of firing would be to indicate to the crab
the location of the British ship. The
smoke signals Of the towing crab could
not be seen through the fog by her. con-
sorts, and she seemed to be incapable of
making signals by sound. Therefore the
commander of the Adamant thought it
likely that until the fog rose the crab
could not find his ship.
What that other crab intended to do
could be, Of course, on board the Ada
mant, only a surmise, but twas believed
that she would bring VITA her a torpedo
to be exploded under the British ship.
That one crab should tow her away from
possible aid until another should bring q
torpedo to fasten to her stern post
seemed reasonable explanation OF the
action Of the syndicate's vessels.
The officers Of the Adamant little, un-
derstood' the resources and Intentions Of
their opponents, Every vessel Of the
sEndicate carried q magnetio indicator.