Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-27

crabs would supply Their inmates for an
hour or more without recourse to the
outer air, and that the air pipes, fur
nished with valves at the top, were
always Withdrawn under water during
action with an enemy. Nor did he know
that the glass blocks under the armor
plates of the crabs, which were placed
III rubber frames to protect them from
conclusion above, were also guarded by
steel netting from injury by small balls
Nallantly the boats beset the crabs,
Keeping up constant fusillade and en-
deavoring to throw grapnels over them.
Ii one of these should catch under an
overlapping armor plate it could be con-
nected wiah the steam windlass of the
Adamant and a plate might be ripped off
OF crab overturned
But the crabs proved to be much more
lively fish than their enemies had sup
posed. Turning, as if on pivot. and
darling from side to side, they seemed
to be playing with the boats, and not
trying to get away from them. The
spring arinor of Crab K interfered some
what with its movements and also put il
iii danger from attacks by grapnels, and
it therefore left most OF the work to its
consort.
Crab j, after darting swiftly in and
out among her antagonists for some time.
suddenly made q turn, and dashinc at
one Of the boats, ran under it, and rails
ing it on its glistening back, rolled it.
bottom upward, into the sea. In n mo-
ment the crew of the boat were swim
ming for their lives. They were quickly
picked up by two of the other boats.
which then deemed it prudent to return
to the ship.
But the second officer Of the Adanant.
who commanded the fourth boat, did
not give up the fight. Having noted the
spring armor of Grab X, he believed that
if he could get a grapncl between its
steel ribs he yet might capture the sea
monster For some minutes Crab X CON
tented itself with Guiding him; but, tired
of this, it turned, and raising its huge
nippcrs almost out Of the water, it seized
the bow of the boat and gave it a gentle
crunch, after which it released its hold
and retired. The boat, leaking rapidly
through two ragged holes, was rowed
back to the ship, which it reached hall
full of water.
The great battle ship, totally bcreft of
the power of moving herself, was now
rolling in the trough Of tie gea, and o
signal came from the rcpcIler for Crab
* to make fast to her and put her head
to the wind. This was quickly done. the
crab attaching itself to the stern post Of
the Adamant by a pair Of towing nip
pers. These were projected from the
stern Of the crab, and We're SO constructed
that the larger vessel did not commune
cate all its motion to the smaller one,
and could not run down upon it.
AS soon Us the Adamant was brought
up with her head to the wind she opened
fire upon the repeller. The latter vessel
could easily have sailed out of the range
Of motionless enemy, but her orders
forbade this. Her director had been in
structed by the syndicate to expose his
vessel to the fire of the Adamant S heavy
guns. Accordingly the repeller steamed
nearer, and turned her broadside toward
the British ship.
Scarcely had this been done when the
two great bow guns of the Adamant
shook the air with tremendous roars,
each hurting over the sea nearly ton of
steel. One OF these great shot passed
over the repeller, but the other struck
her lrmored side fairly amidship. There
was a crash and scream of creaking
Deel. and Repeller No. rolled over to
windward as if she had been struck by a
heavy sea. In moment she righted.
and shot ahead, and, turning, presented
her port side to the enemy. Instant ex-
animation of the armor on her other
side showed that the two banks of springs
were uninjured, and that not an air
buffer had exploded or failed to spring
back to its normal length.
Firing from the Adamant now came
thick ard fast, the crab in obedience to
signals turning her about so as to admit
the firing OF some heavy guns mounted
amidships. Three enormous solid shot
struck the repeller at different points on
her starboard armor without inflicting
damage, while the explosion of several
shells which hit her had no more effect
upon her elastic armor than the impact
of the solid shot.
1t was the desire of the syndicate not
only to demonstrate to its own satisfac-
ton the efficiency of its spring armor,
but to convince Great Britain that her
heaviest guns on her mightiest battle
ships could have no effect upon its ar
mored vessels. To prove the absolute
superiority of their means of offcnse and
defense was the supreme object of the
syndicate. For this its members studied
and worked by day and by night; for
this they poured out their millions; for
this they waged war, To prove what
they claimed would be victory.
When Repellcr No. : had sustained
the heavy fire of the Adamant for about
half an hour, it was considered that the
strength of her armor had been suffi-
GENTLY demonstrated; and, with much
lighter heart than when he had turned
her broadside to the Adamant, her direc-
tor gave orders that she should steam out
of the range of the guns of the British
ship. During the cannonade Crab had