Великий военный синдикат

           Stilloutsideofthiswasplacedanimprovedsystemofspringarmour,muchstrongerandmoreeffectivethananywhichhadyetbeenconstructed.This,withthearmour-plate,addednearlyfifteenfeettothewidthofthevesselabovewater.Allhersuperstructureswereremovedfromherdeck,whichwascoveredbyacurvedsteelroof,andunderabomb-proofcanopyatthebowwereplacedtwogunscapableofcarryingthelargest-sizedmotor-bombs.TheTallapoosa,thustransformed,wascalledRepellerNo.11.Theimmenseadditiontoherweightwouldofcourseinterfereverymuchwiththespeedofthenewrepeller,butthiswasconsideredoflittleimportance,asshewoulddependonherownenginesonlyintimeofaction.Shewasnowbelievedtopossessmoreperfectdefencesthananybattle-shipintheworld.Earlyonamistymorning,RepellerNo.11,towedbyfouroftheswiftestandmostpowerfulcrabs,andfollowedbytwoothers,leftaNorthernportoftheUnitedStates,boundforthecoastofGreatBritain.Hercoursewasaverynortherlyone,forthereasonthattheSyndicatehadplannedworkforhertodowhileonherwayacrosstheAtlantic.TheSyndicatehadnowdetermined,withoutunnecessarilylosinganhour,toplainlydemonstratethepoweroftheinstantaneousmotor-bomb.IthadbeenintendedtodothisupontheAdamant,butasithadbeenfoundimpossibletoinducethecaptainofthatvesseltoevacuatehisship,theSyndicatehaddeclinedtoexhibittheefficiencyoftheirnewagentofdestructionuponadisabledcraftcrowdedwithhumanbeings.