Великий военный синдикат

           ManyoftheBritishvesselswerealreadywellpreparedforordinarynavalwarfare;buttoresistcrabsadditionaldefenceswerenecessary.ItwasknownthattheAdamanthadbeencaptured,andconsequentlythemanufactureofstern-jacketshadbeenabandoned;butitwasbelievedthatprotectioncouldbeeffectuallygiventoruddersandpropeller-bladesbyanewmethodwhichtheAdmiraltyhadadopted.TherepellerwhichwastotakepartintheSyndicate’sproposedmovementhadbeenavesseloftheUnitedStatesnavywhichforalongtimehadbeenoutofcommission,andundergoingacourseofveryslowanddesultoryrepairsinadockyard.Shehadalwaysbeenconsideredthemostunluckycraftintheservice,andnearlyeveryaccidentthatcouldhappentoashiphadhappenedtoher.Yearsandyearsbefore,whenshewouldsetoutuponacruise,herofficersandcrewwouldreceivethehumoroussympathyoftheirfriends,andwagerswerefrequentlylaidinregardtothedifferentkindsofmishapswhichmightbefallthisunluckyvessel,whichwasthenknownastheTallapoosa.TheSyndicatedidnotparticularlydesirethisvessel,buttherewasnootherthatcouldreadilybemadeavailableforitspurposes,andaccordinglytheTallapoosawaspurchasedfromtheGovernmentandworkimmediatelybegunuponher.Herenginesandhullwereputintogoodcondition,andoutsideofherwasbuiltanotherhull,composedofheavysteelarmour-plates,andstronglybracedbygreattransversebeamsrunningthroughtheship.