Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-29

lfesl disaster for her, it was certainly
seholhg her into good place to look
for it,
But the syndicate neither doubted nor
hesltated, nor paid any attention to the
doubts and concentrations which they
heard from every quarter. Four DAYS
httef the news Of the destruction of the
CfaSievn had been telegraphed from
o'hada to London, the syndcate's feet
entered the English channel. Owing to
me power and speed OF the crabs. REBEL
Ter NO II had made a passage of The At
iah'ic which i'll her old naval career
would have been considered miraculous.
Grant OF various kinds were row
passed, but none of them carried The
Dritlsh flag. In the expectation of the
arrival OF the enemy, British merchant
men and fishing vessels had been adj
Nlsed to keep in the chground ul.;i the
british navy had concluded its business
with the vessels of the American svndi-
cate
AS has been said before, the British
admiralty had adopted q new method OF
defense for the rudders and screw pro-
peiiers of naval vessels against the at
tachs Of submerged craft. The work of
constructing the new appliances had been
pushed forward IS fast as possible, but
SO far only one of these had been finished
and attached to man-of-war.
The Llangaron was u recently luilt
ironclad OF the same size and elias. as
The Adamant; and TO her had been at
tached the new stern defense. This was
an immense steel cylinder, entirely
closed, and rounded at the ends 1t was
about ten feet in diameter, and strongly
braccd inside. 1t was suspended bv
chains from two davits which projected
over the stern Of tie vessel. When sail
ing this cylinder was hoisted up to the
davits, hut when the ship was prepared
for action it was lowered until it Law,
nearly submerged, abaft of the lpddor.
In this position its ends projected about
fifteen feet on either SIDE Of the propeller
blades.
ltwas believed that this cylinder would
efIectuaily prevent crab from getting
near enough to the propeller or the rud-
der to do any damage. Il could rot be
torn away as the stern Jacket had been
for the rounded and smooth sides and
ends OF the massive cylinder would offer
no hold to the forceps of the crabs: and.
approaching from any quarter, it would
be impossible for these forceps to reach
rudGer or screw.
The syndicates little fleet arrived in
Rr,i ,,-oiOrs 10 ia IN tho dow. ,,,.l ,,.f
the next morning it appeared about
twenty miles TO The south Of the Isle of
Wight, and headed TO The northeast a, il
it Were making fer Portsmouth. The
course o. these vessels greatly surprised
the Engifh government and naval All
thOiities Ii was expected that an ct
tack would probably lie made upon soma
comparatively unprotected spot on the
British seaboarG. and therefore on tho,
west coast Of ireland and in St Georges
channel preparations of the most for
midable character lad been made to de-
fend British ports against B4peIler No.
Hand her attendant crabs. Particularly
was this the case in Bristol channel.
! where 4 large number Of ironclals were
cAiLiOiIS-i- ana VI 1l4tIi " IS ~ i!i ~ ~
the destination Of the lIangaYon ii the
syndicates vessels had DELAYED their
/ coming long enough to allow her 10 Get
/ around there. That this Little feet sload
+ have sailed straight for England's Great
/ naval stronghold was something that the
/ British admiralty could not Understand.
/ The fact was not appreciated that it was
! 1T +ltA -4,.5,
1 its strength with The greatest strength
Of the enemy. Anything less than this
/ would not avail its purpose.
/ Notwithstanding that 50 many vessels
/ had been sent to different parts Of the
! coast, there was stiIl in Portsmouth har-
/ Dor a large number OF war vessels Of va
rious classes, all in commission and
ready Tor action The greater part OF
1 these had received orders 10 cruise that
/ day il the channel. Consequently it
was still early in the morning when
around the eastern end of the Isle of
Wight there appeared q British feet com
| posed OF fifteen Of the finest ironclads,
/ with several gunboats and cruisers, and
number Of torpedo boats.
Tt was q noble sight, for besides the
war ships there was another feet hang
ing upon the outskirts OF the first, and
composed Of craft, large and small, and
from both sides OF the channel, filled
with those who were an&i0us to witness
from afar the sea fight which vas to take
place under such novel conditions. Many
of these observers were reporters ana
special correspondents for great news
papers. On some Of the vessels which
came UP from the French coast We're
men with marine glasses of cXtra2rdi-
nary power, whose business it was to
send an early and accurate report Of the
affair to the Office OF the war syndicate
in New York.
AS soon as the British ships came in
sight, the four crabs cast of from Repcl-
Ter No II. Then with the olher two
they prepared for action, moving CON
siderably III advance of the repelier,
which now steamed forward very slowly.
The wind was strong from The north
west. and she sea high, the shining tops
of the crabs frequently disappearing