Великий военный синдикат

           Ithadbeenplainlyprovedthatordinaryshotandshellhadnoeffectuponthiscraft;butithadnotbeenprovedthatshecouldwithstandtheramsofpowerfulironclads.Ifthisvessel,thatapparentlycarriednoguns,or,atleast,hadusednone,couldbecrushed,capsized,sunk,orinanywayputoutofthefight,itwasprobablethatthedangeroussubmergednauticalmachinewouldnotcaretoremaininthesewaters.Ifitremaineditmustbedestroyedbytorpedoes.SignalswereexchangedbetweenthetwoEnglishvessels,andinaveryshorttimetheyweresteamingtowardtherepeller.Itwasadangerousthingfortwovesselsoftheirsizetocomecloseenoughtogetherforbothtoramanenemyatthesametime,butitwasdeterminedtotaketherisksanddothis,ifpossible;forthedestructionoftherepellerwasobviouslythefirstdutyinhand.Asthetwomen-of-warrapidlyapproachedRepellerNo.1,theykeptupasteadyfireuponher;forifinthiswaytheycoulddamageher,theeasierwouldbetheirtask.Withafirmrelianceupontheefficacyofthesteel-springarmour,theDirector-in-chieffeltnofearoftheenemy’sshotandshell;buthewasnotatallwillingthathisvesselshouldberammed,fortheconsequenceswouldprobablybedisastrous.Accordinglyhedidnotwaitfortheapproachofthetwovessels,butsteeringseaward,hesignalledfortheothercrab.WhenCrabBmadeitsappearance,puffingitslittleblackjetsofsmoke,asitansweredthesignalsoftheDirector-in-chief,thecommandersofthetwoBritishvesselsweresurprised.