The Columbus journal., 1909-03-10
CHAPTER XII.


The falling of the heavens would
have created little more CONSERVATION
and excitement in London than 0he
sight which met the residents eyes
on the morning following the king
visit to the Hippodrome. The fog
which settled Unexpectedly on that
night of June dissipated itself as
stealthily as it had come, and f!oated
out with the dawn, leaving in its stead
4 clear sky. And then, as if rare
discovery had been made simultane
ously by thousands instead of one, a
swarm Of people. defying the rush of
motors, of OmnibuSes and hansOmS.
debouched On the Thames embank-
ment by the stately pile of buildings
where parliament cOnvenes, filled the
roadsteads, damned each other
against the river wall. and scorned the
constables, who va!nly stroye to main
tain order and uninterrupted traffic.
There, resting serenely on the
bosom of the river where in times be-
fore Roman galleys had floated, was
the pride of the British navy. the
DreadnOught. Neither an officer of
the watch, sailor. nor a marine be-
strobe her decks. Inert and I'M
tenanted, silent and Iifeless, she lay
close by the great gray buildings like
the last survivor of a defeated army
who had crept home TO bring a repor::
Of disaster and was resting in the
shadow of the last refuge. Her I'M
masked guns stared wide-eyed and
mournful; from her crippled tunnels
came no wisp of CARING smoke; from
her channels stretched no anchor
chains; and she paid no heed to the
vagaries of the sluggish current; heE
prov which had defiantly parted so
many seas was nosed into the mud in
helplessness: but as an only solace
there fioated from her stern the I'M
sullied banner of the United King
dom, and whipped as she was she had
come back to her people with colors
still flying.
TIE miracle of 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 &c
lower their jointed stacks. In all the
world there was no known strength
or mechanical continuance that could
transport over shadows and bridges
$4,000 tons of steel. and then leave
it in this prohibited place. Her very
appearance bore mute testimony of
singular strife. True, she was intact
to a point flush with the great steel
domes which held her menacing and
frowning guns: but her fighting masts,
her top rig, and the upper bands of
her funnel were riven off as if by one
devasting line shot taken full abeam
or square astern. The wreckage of
this hamper had been removed, so
that no debris Uttered her deserted
decks.
For many days of gloom it had been
accepted as a fact that nothing but
annihilation could account for the dis
appearance of the squadron which had
doggedly sailed away into the mys-
tcI lOuS WSSl W SduQulSu d tSI IIuiS duu
unknown enemy or meet a glorious
death. Little hope had been sustained
as the days 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 populace was grim
relic which only added to conjecture
From no source could the secret of
this mysterious visitation be learned;
and SO the crowd watched and waited.
IA boat. whose flag distinguished her
as being of the river patrol, obeyed a
hail from the shore, pulled noisily up
the stream against the outgoing tide.
and circled round the leyiathan as
though suspecting danger from within.
Her chief officer, after due caution,
and receiving no response, cautiously
directed her along side, and boarded
the Dreadnought over the starhoard
quarter. The ever increasing crowd
along the embankment drew in its
breath in expectancy, waiting for a
revelation. 1t heard him shout Be
low, there," and leaned forward.
listening for whatever response might
be given; but nothing was heard save