The evening world., 1889-01-26

But whether or not one or more motor
bombs did strike the mark, or whether or not
one or more vessels were blown INTO fine par
ticles, there were n dozen iron-clads i'll that
feet, each of whose commanders and officers
was determined to run into that repeller and
crush her, if so be they held together long
enough to reach her.
The commanders of the torpedo boats had
orders to direct their swift messengers of de-
struction first against the crabs. for these YES
sells were far in advance of the repeller and
coming on with a rapidity which showed that
they were determined upon mischief. Ii n
torpedo, shot from a torpedo-boat and speed
ing swiftly by its own powers beneath the
waves. should strike the submerged hull of a
crab there would be one crab the less IN the
English Channel.
As has teen said, the Llangaron came rush
ing on. distancing everything, even the torpe-
do If, before she was obliged to lower
her cylinder, she could get near enough to
the almost stationary repeller TO Toxic part in
the attack On her, she would then be content
to slacken speed and let the crabs nibble
awhile at her stern.
Two of the st-constructed and largest
crabs. Y and R, headed at full speed TO meet
the Llangaron. who, as she came on. opened
the ball by sending a " rattle" in the shape
of a 500 pound shot into the ribs of the re-
peller. then Mt least four miles distant, and
Immediately after began firing her dynamite
guns, which were Of limited range, at the
roofs of the advancing crabs.
There we're some on board the repeller who
Mt the moment the great shot struck her, with
q ringing and clangor of steel springs such
as never was heard before, wished that in her
former state of existence she had been some
other vessel than the Tallap1osR.
But every spring sprang back to its place as
the great mass of iron glanced off into the
sea. The dynamite bombs few over the tops
of the crabs, whose rapid motions and
slightly exposed surfaces gave little chance
for accurate aim, and in n short time they
were too close 10 the Llangaron for this class
of gun TO he used upon them.
As the crabs came nearer, the Llangaron
across her stern until it lay almost entirely
under water aud abaft of her rudder and pro-
peller blades. She now moved SLOWLY through
the water, and her men greeted the adyanc-
ing crabs with ye.!ls of defiance and a shower
of shot from machine guns.
The character of the new defense which
had been fitted TO the Llangaron was known
to the Syndicate, and the directors of the two
new crabs understood the heavy piece of
work which lay before them. But their
plans of action had been we'll considered, and
they mad straight for the stern of the British
ship.
1t was, of course, impossible TO endeavor
TO grasp that great cylinder with its rounded
ends; their forceps would slip from any por.
ton of its smooth surface on which they
should endeavor TO lay hold, and no such
attempt was made. Keeping near the cylin.
der, one at each end Of it, the two moved
slowly after the Llangaron, apparently dis
couraRed.
In q short time, however. II was perceived
by those on board the ship that a change had
taken place in the appearance of the crabs
the visible portion Of their backs was grow,
ing larger aud larger: they were rising in the
water. Their mailed roofs became visible
from end 10 end, and the crowd of observers
looking down from the ship were amazed to
see what large vessels they were.
Higher and higher the crabs arose. theiI
powerful air. pumps working al their greatest
capacity until their ponderous pincers be
came visible above the water. hen into the
minds of the officers Of the Llangaron flashed