Великий военный синдикат

           Anythinglessthanthiswouldnotavailitspurpose.Notwithstandingthatsomanyvesselshadbeensenttodifferentpartsofthecoast,therewasstillinPortsmouthharbouralargenumberofwarvesselsofvariousclasses,allincommissionandreadyforaction.Thegreaterpartofthesehadreceivedorderstocruisethatdayinthechannel.Consequently,itwasstillearlyinthemorningwhen,aroundtheeasternendoftheIsleofWight,thereappearedaBritishfleetcomposedoffifteenofthefinestironclads,withseveralgunboatsandcruisers,andanumberoftorpedo-boats.Itwasanoblesight,forbesidesthewarshipstherewasanotherfleethangingupontheoutskirtsofthefirst,andcomposedofcraft,largeandsmall,andfrombothsidesofthechannel,filledwiththosewhowereanxioustowitnessfromafarthesea-fightwhichwastotakeplaceundersuchnovelconditions.Manyoftheseobserverswerereportersandspecialcorrespondentsforgreatnewspapers.OnsomeofthevesselswhichcameupfromtheFrenchcoastweremenwithmarineglassesofextraordinarypower,whosebusinessitwastosendanearlyandaccuratereportoftheaffairtotheofficeoftheWarSyndicateinNewYork.AssoonastheBritishshipscameinsight,thefourcrabscastofffromRepellerNo.11.Thenwiththeothertwotheypreparedforaction,movingconsiderablyinadvanceoftherepeller,whichnowsteamedforwardveryslowly.Thewindwasstrongfromthenorth-west,andtheseahigh,theshiningtopsofthecrabsfrequentlydisappearingunderthewaves.TheBritishfleetcamesteadilyon,headedbythegreatLlangaron.