Великий военный синдикат

           Asinthefirstinstanceshedippedandrolled,buttheribsofheruninjuredarmourhadscarcelysprungbackintotheirplaces,beforehernippersturned,andtherudderoftheAdamantwasbrokenintwo,andtheupperportiondraggedfromitsfasteningsthenaquickbackwardjerksnappeditschains,anditwasdroppedintothesea.AsignalwasnowsentfromCrabJtoRepellerNo.7,totheeffectthattheAdamanthadbeenrenderedincapableofsteamingorsailing,andthatshelaysubjecttoorder.Subjecttoorderornot,theAdamantdidnotliepassive.Everygunonboardwhichcouldbesufficientlydepressed,wasmadereadytofireuponthecrabsshouldtheyattempttogetaway.Fourlargeboats,furnishedwithmachineguns,grapnels,andwithvariousapplianceswhichmightbebroughtintouseonasteel-platedroof,wereloweredfromtheirdavits,andimmediatelybeganfiringupontheexposedportionsofthecrabs.Theirmachinegunswereloadedwithsmallshells,andifthesepenetratedunderthehorizontalplatesofacrab,andthroughtheheavyglasswhichwassupposedtobeintheseinterstices,thecrewofthesubmergedcraftwouldbesoondestroyed.ThequickeyeofthecaptainoftheAdamanthadobservedthroughhisglass,whilethecrabswerestillataconsiderabledistance,theirprotrudingair-pipes,andhehadinstructedtheofficersinchargeoftheboatstomakeanespecialattackuponthese.Iftheair-pipesofacrabcouldberendereduseless,thecrewmustinevitablybesmothered.