Великий военный синдикат

           Materialinjurymightnothaveresultedfromthefallofthisgreatmassofmetaluponthecrab,butitwasconsideredprudentnottotakeuselessrisks.TheofficersoftheAdamantweregreatlysurprisedandchagrinedbythefalloftheirgun,withwhichtheyhadexpectedultimatelytopoundintheroofofthecrab.Nodamagehadbeendonetothevesselexcepttheremovalofaportionoftheboom,withsomeofthechainsandblocksattached,andnooneonboardtheBritishshipimaginedforamomentthatthisinjuryhadbeenoccasionedbythedistantrepeller.Itwassupposedthattheconstantfiringofthecannonhadcrackedtheboom,andthatithadsuddenlysnapped.EveniftherehadbeenonboardtheAdamantthemeansforriggingupanotherarrangementofthekindforperpendicularartillerypractice,itwouldhaverequiredalongtimetogetitintoworkingorder,andthedirectorofRepellerNo.7hopedthatnowtheBritishcaptainwouldseetheuselessnessofcontinuedresistance.ButtheBritishcaptainsawnothingofthekind,andshotaftershotfromhisgunswerehurledhighintotheair,inhopesthatthegreatcurvesdescribedwouldbringsomeofthemdownonthedeckoftherepeller.Ifthisbeastlystore-ship,whichcouldstandfirebutneverreturnedit,couldbesunk,theAdamant’scaptainwouldbehappy.Withtheexceptionofthelossofhermotivepower,hisvesselwasintact,andifthestupidcrabwouldonlycontinuetokeeptheAdamant’sheadtotheseauntilthenoiseofhercannonadeshouldattractsomeotherBritishvesseltothescene,theconditionofaffairsmightbealtered.