The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-04-25

CAERDAFF BEFORE THE BOMBARDNENI.
If the torpedo boat shot to one side in
order to get the crab out Of line, the crab
It's baci sometimes hidden by the tossing
waves, sped also to the same side. When
the torpedo boat could aim gun at the
crab and not at the Gunboat, q deadly
torpedo few into the sea, but a tossing
sea and shifting target We're unfavor-
able to the gunner's aim. It was not
long. however, before the crab had run
the chase which might SO readily have
been fatal to it, and was 50 near the gun
boat that no more tOrpedoes could be
fired at it.
CT course the officers and crew Of the
gunboat lad watched with most anxious
interest the chase OF the crab. The vessel
was cne which Had. been fitted out Tor
service with dynamite guns, of which
she carried some Of very long range for
this class Of artillery, and she had been
ordered to get astern Of the repciler and
to do her best to put a few dynamite
bombs on board OF her.
The dynamite gunboat. therefore, had
kept ahead at full speed, determined to
carry out her Instructions if she should
be allowed to do 50, but her speed was
not os great as that Of crab, and when
the torpedo boat had given up the chase,
and the dreaded crab was drawing
swiftly near, the captain thought it time
for bravery to give place to prudence
With the large amount Of explosive ma
| terial Of the most tremendous and ter
rife character which he had on board, it
would be the insanity Of courage for him
to allow his comparatively small vessel
to be rached, shaken and partially shiv-
cred by the powerful jaws OF the oncom-
ing foe. AS he could neither fy nor
fight, he hauled down his flag in token
Of surrender, the first instance Of the
kind which had occurred in this war;
When the director of Crab G. through
his lookout glass, bcheld this action on
the part Of the gunboat, he was a little
I perp1cxcd as to what he should next do
To accept the surrender of the British
vessel and to assume control Of her, il
was necessary to communicate with her.
| Tho communications Of the crabs were
made entirely by black smoke signals,
and these the captain Of the gunboat
! could not understand. The heavy matches
|. in the mailed roof, which could be put
in Use when the crab was cruising, could
not lie opened when she was at her fight
h:g depth and il q tossing sea.
| a means was soon devised Of con-
municating with the gunboat. ! speak
| Ing tube y;;.5 run UP through one OF tho aiG'
pipes Of The crab, which pipe WAS then
now generally believed that motor
bombs from a repeller might destroy a
man -of-war, it was also considered prob
| able that the accurate calculations which
appeared to be necessary to precision OF
aim could not be made when the object
| of the aim was in rapid motion.
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 particles, there were a dozen
ironclads in that fleet, each Of whose
commanders and officers were deter
mined to run into that repeller and crush
her, if so be they held together long
enough to reach her.
The commanders of the torpedo boat:
! had orders to direct their swift messen
I Gcrsof destruction first against the crabs
| for these vessels were far in advance Ol
/ the rcpeller, and coming on with a ra
. pidity which showed that they were de
! termiued upon mischief. If a torpedo
! shot from a torpedo boat, and speeding
swiftly by its own powers beneath the
waves. should strike the submerged hui
OF a crab. there would be one crab tn,
less in the English channel.
! rs has been said, the Llangaron came
rushing on, di-tancing everything, ever
the torpedo boats. If, before she wa
obliged TO lower her cylinder, she coulC
get near enough TO tie alaiost stationary
rcPciIel to take part in tie attack on her
she would then be content to Stacker
+ speed and lct the crabs nibbIe awhile a
her stern.
Two OF the latest constructed ana