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But
it
was
easier
to
hit
the
crab
than
to
leave
it
behind
.
It
was
capable
of
great
speed
,
and
,
following
the
British
vessel
,
it
quickly
came
up
with
her
.
The
course
of
the
Scarabaeus
was
instantly
changed
,
and
every
effort
was
made
to
get
the
vessel
into
a
position
to
run
down
the
crab
.
But
this
was
not
easy
for
so
large
a
ship
,
and
Crab
A
seemed
to
have
no
difficulty
in
keeping
close
to
her
stern
.
Several
machine
-
guns
,
especially
adopted
for
firing
at
torpedo
-
boats
or
any
hostile
craft
which
might
be
discovered
close
to
a
vessel
,
were
now
brought
to
bear
upon
the
crab
,
and
ball
after
ball
was
hurled
at
her
.
Some
of
these
struck
,
but
glanced
off
without
penetrating
her
tough
armour
.
These
manoeuvres
had
not
continued
long
,
when
the
crew
of
the
crab
was
ready
to
bring
into
action
the
peculiar
apparatus
of
that
peculiar
craft
.
An
enormous
pair
of
iron
forceps
,
each
massive
limb
of
which
measured
twelve
feet
or
more
in
length
,
was
run
out
in
front
of
the
crab
at
a
depth
of
six
or
eight
feet
below
the
surface
.
These
forceps
were
acted
upon
by
an
electric
engine
of
immense
power
,
by
which
they
could
be
shut
,
opened
,
projected
,
withdrawn
,
or
turned
and
twisted
.
The
crab
darted
forward
,
and
in
the
next
instant
the
great
teeth
of
her
pincers
were
fastened
with
a
tremendous
grip
upon
the
rudder
and
rudder
-
post
of
the
Scarabaeus
.
Then
followed
a
sudden
twist
,
which
sent
a
thrill
through
both
vessels
;
a
crash
;
a
backward
jerk
;
the
snapping
of
a
chain
;
and
in
a
moment
the
great
rudder
,
with
half
of
the
rudder
-
post
attached
,
was
torn
from
the
vessel
,
and
as
the
forceps
opened
it
dropped
to
leeward
and
hung
dangling
by
one
chain
.
Again
the
forceps
opened
wide
;
again
there
was
a
rush
;
and
this
time
the
huge
jaws
closed
upon
the
rapidly
revolving
screw
-
propeller
.
There
was
a
tremendous
crash
,
and
the
small
but
massive
crab
turned
over
so
far
that
for
an
instant
one
of
its
sides
was
plainly
visible
above
the
water
.
The
blades
of
the
propeller
were
crushed
and
shivered
;
those
parts
of
the
steamer
’
s
engines
connecting
with
the
propeller
-
shaft
were
snapped
and
rent
apart
,
while
the
propeller
-
shaft
itself
was
broken
by
the
violent
stoppage
.
The
crab
,
which
had
quickly
righted
,
now
backed
,
still
holding
the
crushed
propeller
in
its
iron
grasp
,
and
as
it
moved
away
from
the
Scarabaeus
,
it
extracted
about
forty
feet
of
its
propeller
-
shaft
;
then
,
opening
its
massive
jaws
,
it
allowed
the
useless
mass
of
iron
to
drop
to
the
bottom
of
the
sea
.
Every
man
on
board
the
Scarabaeus
was
wild
with
amazement
and
excitement
.
Few
could
comprehend
what
had
happened
,
but
this
very
quickly
became
evident
.
So
far
as
motive
power
was
concerned
,
the
Scarabaeus
was
totally
,
disabled
.
She
could
not
direct
her
course
,
for
her
rudder
was
gone
,
her
propeller
was
gone
,
her
engines
were
useless
,
and
she
could
do
no
more
than
float
as
wind
or
tide
might
move
her
.
Moreover
,
there
was
a
jagged
hole
in
her
stern
where
the
shaft
had
been
,
and
through
this
the
water
was
pouring
into
the
vessel
.
As
a
man
-
of
-
war
the
Scarabaeus
was
worthless
.
Orders
now
came
fast
from
Repeller
No
.
1
,
which
had
moved
nearer
to
the
scene
of
conflict
.
It
was
to
be
supposed
that
the
disabled
ship
was
properly
furnished
with
bulk
-
heads
,
so
that
the
water
would
penetrate
no
farther
than
the
stern
compartment
,
and
that
,
therefore
,
she
was
in
no
danger
of
sinking
.
Crab
A
was
ordered
to
make
fast
to
the
bow
of
the
Scarabaeus
,
and
tow
her
toward
two
men
-
of
-
war
who
were
rapidly
approaching
from
the
harbour
.
This
proceeding
astonished
the
commander
and
officers
of
the
Scarabaeus
almost
as
much
as
the
extraordinary
attack
which
had
been
made
upon
their
ship
.
They
had
expected
a
demand
to
surrender
and
haul
down
their
flag
;
but
the
Director
-
in
-
chief
on
board
Repeller
No
.
1
was
of
the
opinion
that
with
her
propeller
extracted
it
mattered
little
what
flag
she
flew
.
His
work
with
the
Scarabaeus
was
over
;
for
it
had
been
ordered
by
the
Syndicate
that
its
vessels
should
not
encumber
themselves
with
prizes
.
Towed
by
the
powerful
crab
,
which
apparently
had
no
fear
that
its
disabled
adversary
might
fire
upon
it
,
the
Scarabaeus
moved
toward
the
harbour
,
and
when
it
had
come
within
a
quarter
of
a
mile
of
the
foremost
British
vessel
,
Crab
A
cast
off
and
steamed
back
to
Repeller
No
.
1
.
The
other
English
vessels
soon
came
up
,
and
each
lay
to
and
sent
a
boat
to
the
Scarabaeus
.
After
half
an
hour
’
s
consultation
,
in
which
the
amazement
of
those
on
board
the
damaged
vessel
was
communicated
to
the
officers
and
crews
of
her
two
consorts
,
it
was
determined
that
the
smaller
of
these
should
tow
the
disabled
ship
into
port
,
while
the
other
one
,
in
company
with
a
man
-
of
-
war
just
coming
out
of
the
harbour
,
should
make
an
attack
upon
Repeller
No
.
1
.
It
had
been
plainly
proved
that
ordinary
shot
and
shell
had
no
effect
upon
this
craft
;
but
it
had
not
been
proved
that
she
could
withstand
the
rams
of
powerful
ironclads
.
If
this
vessel
,
that
apparently
carried
no
guns
,
or
,
at
least
,
had
used
none
,
could
be
crushed
,
capsized
,
sunk
,
or
in
any
way
put
out
of
the
fight
,
it
was
probable
that
the
dangerous
submerged
nautical
machine
would
not
care
to
remain
in
these
waters
.
If
it
remained
it
must
be
destroyed
by
torpedoes
.
Signals
were
exchanged
between
the
two
English
vessels
,
and
in
a
very
short
time
they
were
steaming
toward
the
repeller
.
It
was
a
dangerous
thing
for
two
vessels
of
their
size
to
come
close
enough
together
for
both
to
ram
an
enemy
at
the
same
time
,
but
it
was
determined
to
take
the
risks
and
do
this
,
if
possible
;
for
the
destruction
of
the
repeller
was
obviously
the
first
duty
in
hand
.
As
the
two
men
-
of
-
war
rapidly
approached
Repeller
No
.
1
,
they
kept
up
a
steady
fire
upon
her
;
for
if
in
this
way
they
could
damage
her
,
the
easier
would
be
their
task
.
With
a
firm
reliance
upon
the
efficacy
of
the
steel
-
spring
armour
,
the
Director
-
in
-
chief
felt
no
fear
of
the
enemy
’
s
shot
and
shell
;
but
he
was
not
at
all
willing
that
his
vessel
should
be
rammed
,
for
the
consequences
would
probably
be
disastrous
.
Accordingly
he
did
not
wait
for
the
approach
of
the
two
vessels
,
but
steering
seaward
,
he
signalled
for
the
other
crab
.
When
Crab
B
made
its
appearance
,
puffing
its
little
black
jets
of
smoke
,
as
it
answered
the
signals
of
the
Director
-
in
-
chief
,
the
commanders
of
the
two
British
vessels
were
surprised
.
They
had
imagined
that
there
was
only
one
of
these
strange
and
terrible
enemies
,
and
had
supposed
that
she
would
be
afraid
to
make
her
peculiar
attack
upon
one
of
them
,
because
while
doing
so
she
would
expose
herself
to
the
danger
of
being
run
down
by
the
other
.
But
the
presence
of
two
of
these
almost
submerged
engines
of
destruction
entirely
changed
the
situation
.
But
the
commanders
of
the
British
ships
were
brave
men
.
They
had
started
to
run
down
the
strangely
armoured
American
craft
,
and
run
her
down
they
would
,
if
they
could
.
They
put
on
more
steam
,
and
went
ahead
at
greater
speed
.
In
such
a
furious
onslaught
the
crabs
might
not
dare
to
attack
them
.
But
they
did
not
understand
the
nature
nor
the
powers
of
these
enemies
.
In
less
than
twenty
minutes
Crab
A
had
laid
hold
of
one
of
the
men
-
of
-
war
,
and
Crab
B
of
the
other
.
The
rudders
of
both
were
shattered
and
torn
away
;
and
while
the
blades
of
one
propeller
were
crushed
to
pieces
,
the
other
,
with
nearly
half
its
shaft
,
was
drawn
out
and
dropped
into
the
ocean
.
Helplessly
the
two
men
-
of
-
war
rose
and
fell
upon
the
waves
.
In
obedience
to
orders
from
the
repeller
,
each
crab
took
hold
of
one
of
the
disabled
vessels
,
and
towed
it
near
the
mouth
of
the
harbour
,
where
it
was
left
.
The
city
was
now
in
a
state
of
feverish
excitement
,
which
was
intensified
by
the
fact
that
a
majority
of
the
people
did
not
understand
what
had
happened
,
while
those
to
whom
this
had
been
made
plain
could
not
comprehend
why
such
a
thing
should
have
been
allowed
to
happen
.
Three
of
Her
Majesty
’
s
ships
of
war
,
equipped
and
ready
for
action
,
had
sailed
out
of
the
harbour
,
and
an
apparently
insignificant
enemy
,
without
firing
a
gun
,
had
put
them
into
such
a
condition
that
they
were
utterly
unfit
for
service
,
and
must
be
towed
into
a
dry
dock
.
How
could
the
Government
,
the
municipality
,
the
army
,
or
the
navy
explain
this
?
The
anxiety
,
the
excitement
,
the
nervous
desire
to
know
what
had
happened
,
and
what
might
be
expected
next
,
spread
that
evening
to
every
part
of
the
Dominion
reached
by
telegraph
.
The
military
authorities
in
charge
of
the
defences
of
the
city
were
as
much
disturbed
and
amazed
by
what
had
happened
as
any
civilian
could
possibly
be
,
but
they
had
no
fears
for
the
safety
of
the
place
,
for
the
enemy
’
s
vessels
could
not
possibly
enter
,
nor
even
approach
,
the
harbour
.
The
fortifications
on
the
heights
mounted
guns
much
heavier
than
those
on
the
men
-
of
-
war
,
and
shots
from
these
fired
from
an
elevation
might
sink
even
those
"
underwater
devils
.
"
But
,
more
than
on
the
forts
,
they
relied
upon
their
admirable
system
of
torpedoes
and
submarine
batteries
.
With
these
in
position
and
ready
for
action
,
as
they
now
were
,
it
was
impossible
for
an
enemy
’
s
vessel
,
floating
on
the
water
or
under
it
,
to
enter
the
harbour
without
certain
destruction
.
Bulletins
to
this
effect
were
posted
in
the
city
,
and
somewhat
allayed
the
popular
anxiety
,
although
many
people
,
who
were
fearful
of
what
might
happen
next
,
left
by
the
evening
trains
for
the
interior
.
That
night
the
news
of
this
extraordinary
affair
was
cabled
to
Europe
,
and
thence
back
to
the
United
States
,
and
all
over
the
world
.
In
many
quarters
the
account
was
disbelieved
,
and
in
no
quarter
was
it
thoroughly
understood
,
for
it
must
be
borne
in
mind
that
the
methods
of
operation
employed
by
the
crabs
were
not
evident
to
those
on
board
the
disabled
vessels
.
But
everywhere
there
was
the
greatest
desire
to
know
what
would
be
done
next
.
It
was
the
general
opinion
that
the
two
armoured
vessels
were
merely
tenders
to
the
submerged
machines
which
had
done
the
mischief
.
Having
fired
no
guns
,
nor
taken
any
active
part
in
the
combat
,
there
was
every
reason
to
believe
that
they
were
intended
merely
as
bomb
-
proof
store
-
ships
for
their
formidable
consorts
.
As
these
submerged
vessels
could
not
attack
a
town
,
nor
reduce
fortifications
,
but
could
exercise
their
power
only
against
vessels
afloat
,
it
was
plain
enough
to
see
that
the
object
of
the
American
Syndicate
was
to
blockade
the
port
.
That
they
would
be
able
to
maintain
the
blockade
when
the
full
power
of
the
British
navy
should
be
brought
to
bear
upon
them
was
generally
doubted
,
though
it
was
conceded
in
the
most
wrathful
circles
that
,
until
the
situation
should
be
altered
,
it
would
be
unwise
to
risk
valuable
war
vessels
in
encounters
with
the
diabolical
sea
-
monsters
now
lying
off
the
port
.
In
the
New
York
office
of
the
Syndicate
there
was
great
satisfaction
.
The
news
received
was
incorrect
and
imperfect
,
but
it
was
evident
that
,
so
far
,
everything
had
gone
well
.
About
nine
o
’
clock
the
next
morning
,
Repeller
No
.
1
,
with
her
consort
half
a
mile
astern
,
and
preceded
by
the
two
crabs
,
one
on
either
bow
,
approached
to
within
two
miles
of
the
harbour
mouth
.
The
crabs
,
a
quarter
of
a
mile
ahead
of
the
repeller
,
moved
slowly
;
for
between
them
they
bore
an
immense
net
,
three
or
four
hundred
feet
long
,
and
thirty
feet
deep
,
composed
of
jointed
steel
rods
.
Along
the
upper
edge
of
this
net
was
a
series
of
air
-
floats
,
which
were
so
graduated
that
they
were
sunk
by
the
weight
of
the
net
a
few
feet
below
the
surface
of
the
water
,
from
which
position
they
held
the
net
suspended
vertically
.
This
net
,
which
was
intended
to
protect
the
repeller
against
the
approach
of
submarine
torpedoes
,
which
might
be
directed
from
the
shore
,
was
anchored
at
each
end
,
two
very
small
buoys
indicating
its
position
.
The
crabs
then
falling
astern
,
Repeller
No
.
1
lay
to
,
with
the
sunken
net
between
her
and
the
shore
,
and
prepared
to
project
the
first
instantaneous
motor
-
bomb
ever
used
in
warfare
.
The
great
gun
in
the
bow
of
the
vessel
was
loaded
with
one
of
the
largest
and
most
powerful
motor
-
bombs
,
and
the
spot
to
be
aimed
at
was
selected
.
This
was
a
point
in
the
water
just
inside
of
the
mouth
of
the
harbour
,
and
nearly
a
mile
from
the
land
on
either
side
.
The
distance
of
this
point
from
the
vessel
being
calculated
,
the
cannon
was
adjusted
at
the
angle
called
for
by
the
scale
of
distances
and
levels
,
and
the
instrument
indicating
rise
,
fall
,
and
direction
was
then
put
in
connection
with
it
.
Now
the
Director
-
in
-
chief
stepped
forward
to
the
button
,
by
pressing
which
the
power
of
the
motor
was
developed
.
The
chief
of
the
scientific
corps
then
showed
him
the
exact
point
upon
the
scale
which
would
be
indicated
when
the
gun
was
in
its
proper
position
,
and
the
piece
was
then
moved
upon
its
bearings
so
as
to
approximate
as
nearly
as
possible
this
direction
.
The
bow
of
the
vessel
now
rose
upon
the
swell
of
the
sea
,
and
the
instant
that
the
index
upon
the
scale
reached
the
desired
point
,
the
Director
-
in
-
chief
touched
the
button
.
There
was
no
report
,
no
smoke
,
no
visible
sign
that
the
motor
had
left
the
cannon
;
but
at
that
instant
there
appeared
,
to
those
who
were
on
the
lookout
,
from
a
fort
about
a
mile
away
,
a
vast
aperture
in
the
waters
of
the
bay
,
which
was
variously
described
as
from
one
hundred
yards
to
five
hundred
yards
in
diameter
.
At
that
same
instant
,
in
the
neighbouring
headlands
and
islands
far
up
the
shores
of
the
bay
,
and
in
every
street
and
building
of
the
city
,
there
was
felt
a
sharp
shock
,
as
if
the
underlying
rocks
had
been
struck
by
a
gigantic
trip
-
hammer
.
At
the
same
instant
the
sky
above
the
spot
where
the
motor
had
descended
was
darkened
by
a
wide
-
spreading
cloud
.
This
was
formed
of
that
portion
of
the
water
of
the
bay
which
had
been
instantaneously
raised
to
the
height
of
about
a
thousand
feet
.
The
sudden
appearance
of
this
cloud
was
even
more
terrible
than
the
yawning
chasm
in
the
waters
of
the
bay
or
the
startling
shock
;
but
it
did
not
remain
long
in
view
.
It
had
no
sooner
reached
its
highest
elevation
than
it
began
to
descend
.
There
was
a
strong
sea
-
breeze
blowing
,
and
in
its
descent
this
vast
mass
of
water
was
impelled
toward
the
land
.
It
came
down
,
not
as
rain
,
but
as
the
waters
of
a
vast
cataract
,
as
though
a
mountain
lake
,
by
an
earthquake
shock
,
had
been
precipitated
in
a
body
upon
a
valley
.
Only
one
edge
of
it
reached
the
land
,
and
here
the
seething
flood
tore
away
earth
,
trees
,
and
rocks
,
leaving
behind
it
great
chasms
and
gullies
as
it
descended
to
the
sea
.
The
bay
itself
,
into
which
the
vast
body
of
the
water
fell
,
became
a
scene
of
surging
madness
.
The
towering
walls
of
water
which
had
stood
up
all
around
the
suddenly
created
aperture
hurled
themselves
back
into
the
abyss
,
and
down
into
the
great
chasm
at
the
bottom
of
the
bay
,
which
had
been
made
when
the
motor
sent
its
shock
along
the
great
rock
beds
.
Down
upon
,
and
into
,
this
roaring
,
boiling
tumult
fell
the
tremendous
cataract
from
above
,
and
the
harbour
became
one
wild
expanse
of
leaping
maddened
waves
,
hissing
their
whirling
spray
high
into
the
air
.
During
these
few
terrific
moments
other
things
happened
which
passed
unnoticed
in
the
general
consternation
.
All
along
the
shores
of
the
bay
and
in
front
of
the
city
the
waters
seemed
to
be
sucked
away
,
slowly
returning
as
the
sea
forced
them
to
their
level
,
and
at
many
points
up
and
down
the
harbour
there
were
submarine
detonations
and
upheavals
of
the
water
.
These
were
caused
by
the
explosion
,
by
concussion
,
of
every
torpedo
and
submarine
battery
in
the
harbour
;
and
it
was
with
this
object
in
view
that
the
instantaneous
motor
-
bomb
had
been
shot
into
the
mouth
of
the
bay
.
The
effects
of
the
discharge
of
the
motor
-
bomb
astonished
and
even
startled
those
on
board
the
repellers
and
the
crabs
.
