Великий военный синдикат

           FourdaysafterthenewsofthedestructionoftheCraglevinhadbeentelegraphedfromCanadatoLondon,theSyndicate’sfleetenteredtheEnglishChannel.Owingtothepowerandspeedofthecrabs,RepellerNo.11hadmadeapassageoftheAtlanticwhichinheroldnavalcareerwouldhavebeenconsideredmiraculous.Craftofvariouskindswerenowpassed,butnoneofthemcarriedtheBritishflag.Intheexpectationofthearrivaloftheenemy,BritishmerchantmenandfishingvesselshadbeenadvisedtokeepinthebackgrounduntiltheBritishnavyhadconcludeditsbusinesswiththevesselsoftheAmericanSyndicate.Ashasbeensaidbefore,theBritishAdmiraltyhadadoptedanewmethodofdefencefortheruddersandscrew-propellersofnavalvesselsagainsttheattacksofsubmergedcraft.Theworkofconstructingthenewapplianceshadbeenpushedforwardasfastaspossible,butsofaronlyoneofthesehadbeenfinishedandattachedtoaman-of-war.TheLlangaronwasarecentlybuiltironcladofthesamesizeandclassastheAdamant;andtoherhadbeenattachedthenewstern-defence.Thiswasanimmensesteelcylinder,entirelyclosed,androundedattheends.Itwasabouttenfeetindiameter,andstronglybracedinside.Itwassuspendedbychainsfromtwodavitswhichprojectedoverthesternofthevessel.Whensailingthiscylinderwashoisteduptothedavits,butwhentheshipwaspreparedforactionitwaslowereduntilitlay,nearlysubmerged,abaftoftherudder.Inthispositionitsendsprojectedaboutfifteenfeetoneithersideofthepropeller-blades.