New-York tribune., 1907-11-03
CHAPTER XII.

THE falling of the heavens would have ere
l. ated little more CONSERVATION and excite
ment in London than the sight which met the
residents eyes on the morning following the
Kings visit To the HippodrOme. The fog which
settled unexpectedly on that night OF une
dissipated itself as stealthIy 1t had come, and
hoatcd out with the dawn, leaving IN It's stead
a clear Skv. And then, as II a rare discovery
had been made simultaneously by thousands
instead of one, a swarm OF people, deiylng the
rush of motors. Of Omnibuses and hansOrns,
debouched on the Thames embankment by
the stately pile OF buildings where Parliament
convenes. filled the roadsteads, jammed each
other against the river wall. and Scorned the
constables who VaIuly StTOve 70 maintain order
and uninterrupted traffic.
There. resting serenely on the bosom OF the
river where in times before Roman galleys
had loated. was the pride OF the British navy,
the DreadnOUght. Neither an officer OF the
watch a sailor, COr a marine beStrOde her
decks. Inert and untenanted, silent and life
less she lay close by the great gray buildings
like the last survivor of a defeated army who
had Crept home % bring report OF disaster
and was resting in the shadow OF the last
refuge. Her unmasked guns stared wide eyed
and moUrutul. from her crippled tunnels
came no wisp Of curling smoke. from her chan
nelS stretched no anchor chains, and she paid
no heed 70 the vagarIeS OF the sluggish current
her Prov which had dehautlv parted SO many
seas was nOSet into the mud IN hclplcSSnesS
but as an only SolaCe there tOated from her
Kingdom. and whipped as she was she had come
back 10 her people with Colors still flying.
The miracle ot her position was greater than
the marvel OF her return for above and below
that spot on the river were bridges impossible
for a boat OF half her size, beneath which tugs
and other craft were wont t. lower their pointed
stacks. In all the world there was no known
strength or mechanical contrivauCe that could
transport over shadows and bridges twenty
two thousand tons OF steel. and then leave II
IN this prohibited place Her very appearance
bore mute testimony ot singular strife. True,
she was intact o. a point flush with the great
steel domes which held her menacing and
trownIug guns but her fighting maSts, her top
rig, and the upper bands OF her funnel were
rIven on as If by one devastating Inc shot taken
full ahcIm ov square astcru The wrcckaSe
Of this hamper had been removed So that no
debris Uttered her deserted decks
For MANY daVs of gloom II had been ac-
Ceptcd as a fact that nothing but aunihllatiou
could account for the disappearance OF that
squadron which had doggcdlv sailed away
into the mysterious West t. v4uQul>h q terrible
and unknown enemy or meet glorious death
Little hope had hccn sustained aS the davS OF
silence went by that any explanation of that
defeat might be forthcoming or that any
vessel might return and now before Lon
don's gathered popuiace was grim relic
which only added To conjecture. From no
source could the secret OF this mysterious visi-
tatIun he learned and SO the crowd watched
and waited
y boat. whose flag distinguished her as being
OF the rIver patrol obeyei a hail from the