Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-12

The order PULL speed ahead vas given,
the fleet sprang through the air like cours-
ing greyhounds, and in another moment the
SHIPS or the enemy were in full view. They
formed a ragged line as far as the eve
could reach In either direction, and about
three ships deep
So sudden was our onslaught that they
mad no time TO prepare for It, IL was as
unexpected as lightning from clear sky.
Every phase OF my plan worked splendid
~ our huEe ships moved their way en-
tirely through the line Of thern battlecraft /;
then tho opened up, and broad lane ap-
peared throueh which the transports leaned
toward the temples of the therns, which
could now be seen glstening in the sun
light.
BY the time the therns had rallied from
the attack hundred thousand green war
riors were already pouring through their
courts ana gardens. while a hundred ard
htty thousand others leaned from low
swinging transports to direct their almost
upcahhy craftsmanship upon the thern
soldiery that manned the ramparts or at
tempted TO defend tho temples
wow the two great fleets closed I'm
titanic struggle far above the fiendish din
OF battIe IN the gorgeous gardens Of the
therns. Slowly the two lines Of Helium's
battleships Joined their ends and then
commenced the circing within tho line Of
the enemy which is so marked n char
acteristic Of Barsoomion naval warfare
Round and round In each others tracks
moved the ships under Kantos Kan. until
at length they formed nearly a perfect
circle. BY this time they were moving at
high speed, so that they presented a diff
cult target for the enemy.
Broadside after broadside they delivered
as each vessel came IN line with the ships
of the therns The latter attempted to rush
In and break up the formation but It was
like stopping buzz-saw with the bare
hand.
From my position on the deck beside
kahtos Kan | saw ship after chip of the
enemy take the awful, sickening dive which
proclaims its total destruction Slowly we
maneuvered our circle Of death until we
hung above the gardens where our green
warriors were engaged
The order was passed down for them to
embark. Then they rose slowly to a posi-.
tlon within the centre of the circle.
In the meantime the thcrns fire had yIrtti-
ally ceased. They had had enough of us,
and were only too glad to let us go on our
way in peace
But our escape vas not to be encompassed
with such case, for scarcely had we gotten
under way once more in the direction of the
entrance to Omcan than we saw far to the
north great black line topping the horizon.
1t could be nothing other than a fleet of
war
Whose or whittier bound we could not
even conjecture When they had come close
operator received a radoaerograul, which
he Immediately handed to 10y companion.
lie read the thing and handed It to me.
"Kantos Kan:
surrender in the name Of the Jeddak Of
Helium. for YOU cannot escape.
Eat ARRAS."
The therns must have caught and trans
lated the message almost as soon as did
we, for they Immediately renewed hostili-
ties when they realized that we were soon
to he set upon by other enemies.
Before znt Arras had approached near
enough to fire a shot we were again hotly
engaged with the thern feet: and as soon
as he drew near he, too, commenced to
pour Il terrific fusillade of heavy shot into
US Ship after ship reeed and staggered
into uselessness beneath tho pitiess fire
that we were undergoing.
Presently | saw the 10 battleships that
had been ordered to hold the shaft of
Omean They were returning at full speed,
firing their stern batteries almost contin-
uously.
CONTINUED TOMORROW