Великий военный синдикат

           Bothcoatswerefurnishedwithagreatnumberofimprovedair-buffers,andthearrangementofspringarmourextendedfiveorsixfeetbeyondthemassivesteelplateswithwhichthevesselwasoriginallyarmoured.Shecarriedonemotor-cannonoflargesize.Oneofthecrabswasoftheordinarypattern,butCrabKwasfurnishedwithaspringarmourabovetheheavyplatesofherroof.ThishadbeenplaceduponherafterthenewshadbeenreceivedbytheSyndicatethattheAdamantwouldcarryaperpendicularcannonoverherstern,buttherehadnotbeentimeenoughtofitoutanothercrabinthesameway.WhenthedirectorinchargeofRepellerNo.7firstcaughtsightoftheAdamant,andscannedthroughhisglassthevastproportionsofthemightyshipwhichwasrapidlysteamingtowardsthecoast,hefeltthataresponsibilityresteduponhimheavierthananywhichhadyetbeenbornebyanofficeroftheSyndicate;buthedidnothesitateinthedutywhichhehadbeensenttoperform,andimmediatelyorderedthetwocrabstoadvancetomeettheAdamant,andtoproceedtoactionaccordingtotheinstructionswhichtheyhadpreviouslyreceived.Hisownshipwaskept,inpursuanceoforders,severalmilesdistantfromtheBritishship.AssoonastherepellerhadbeensightedfromtheAdamant,astrictlookouthadbeenkeptfortheapproachofcrabs;andwhenthesmallexposedportionsofthebacksoftwoofthesewereperceivedglisteninginthesunlight,thespeedofthegreatshipslackened.