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It
was
not
known
exactly
how
ventilation
was
supplied
to
the
submarine
vessels
of
the
Syndicate
,
nor
how
the
occupants
were
enabled
to
make
the
necessary
observations
during
action
.
When
under
way
the
crabs
sailed
somewhat
elevated
above
the
water
,
but
when
engaged
with
an
enemy
only
a
small
portion
of
their
covering
armour
could
be
seen
.
It
was
surmised
that
under
and
between
some
of
the
scales
of
this
armour
there
was
some
arrangement
of
thick
glasses
,
through
which
the
necessary
observation
could
be
made
;
and
it
was
believed
that
,
even
if
the
heavy
perpendicular
shots
did
not
crush
in
the
roof
of
a
crab
,
these
glasses
would
be
shattered
by
concussion
.
Although
this
might
appear
a
matter
of
slight
importance
,
it
was
thought
among
naval
officers
it
would
necessitate
the
withdrawal
of
a
crab
from
action
.
In
consequence
of
the
idea
that
the
crabs
were
vulnerable
between
their
overlapping
plates
,
some
of
the
Adamant
’
s
boats
were
fitted
out
with
Gatling
and
machine
guns
,
by
which
a
shower
of
balls
might
be
sent
under
the
scales
,
through
the
glasses
,
and
into
the
body
of
the
crab
.
In
addition
to
their
guns
,
these
boats
would
be
supplied
with
other
means
of
attack
upon
the
crab
.
Of
course
it
would
be
impossible
to
destroy
these
submerged
enemies
by
means
of
dynamite
or
torpedoes
;
for
with
two
vessels
in
close
proximity
,
the
explosion
of
a
torpedo
would
be
as
dangerous
to
the
hull
of
one
as
to
the
other
.
The
British
Admiralty
would
not
allow
even
the
Adamant
to
explode
torpedoes
or
dynamite
under
her
own
stern
.
With
regard
to
a
repeller
,
or
spring
-
armoured
vessel
,
the
Adamant
would
rely
upon
her
exceptionally
powerful
armament
,
and
upon
her
great
weight
and
speed
.
She
was
fitted
with
twin
screws
and
engines
of
the
highest
power
,
and
it
was
believed
that
she
would
be
able
to
overhaul
,
ram
,
and
crush
the
largest
vessel
armoured
or
unarmoured
which
the
Syndicate
would
be
able
to
bring
against
her
.
Some
of
her
guns
were
of
immense
calibre
,
firing
shot
weighing
nearly
two
thousand
pounds
,
and
requiring
half
a
ton
of
powder
for
each
charge
.
Besides
these
she
carried
an
unusually
large
number
of
large
cannon
and
two
dynamite
guns
.
She
was
so
heavily
plated
and
armoured
as
to
be
proof
against
any
known
artillery
in
the
world
.
She
was
a
floating
fortress
,
with
men
enough
to
make
up
the
population
of
a
town
,
and
with
stores
,
ammunition
,
and
coal
sufficient
to
last
for
a
long
term
of
active
service
.
Such
was
the
mighty
English
battleship
which
had
come
forward
to
raise
the
siege
of
the
Canadian
port
.
The
officers
of
the
Syndicate
were
well
aware
of
the
character
of
the
Adamant
,
her
armament
and
her
defences
,
and
had
been
informed
by
cable
of
her
time
of
sailing
and
probable
destination
.
They
sent
out
Repeller
No
.
7
,
with
Crabs
J
and
K
,
to
meet
her
off
the
Banks
of
Newfoundland
.
This
repeller
was
the
largest
and
strongest
vessel
that
the
Syndicate
had
ready
for
service
.
In
addition
to
the
spring
armour
with
which
these
vessels
were
supplied
,
this
one
was
furnished
with
a
second
coat
of
armour
outside
the
first
,
the
elastic
steel
ribs
of
which
ran
longitudinally
and
at
right
angles
to
those
of
the
inner
set
.
Both
coats
were
furnished
with
a
great
number
of
improved
air
-
buffers
,
and
the
arrangement
of
spring
armour
extended
five
or
six
feet
beyond
the
massive
steel
plates
with
which
the
vessel
was
originally
armoured
.
She
carried
one
motor
-
cannon
of
large
size
.
One
of
the
crabs
was
of
the
ordinary
pattern
,
but
Crab
K
was
furnished
with
a
spring
armour
above
the
heavy
plates
of
her
roof
.
This
had
been
placed
upon
her
after
the
news
had
been
received
by
the
Syndicate
that
the
Adamant
would
carry
a
perpendicular
cannon
over
her
stern
,
but
there
had
not
been
time
enough
to
fit
out
another
crab
in
the
same
way
.
When
the
director
in
charge
of
Repeller
No
.
7
first
caught
sight
of
the
Adamant
,
and
scanned
through
his
glass
the
vast
proportions
of
the
mighty
ship
which
was
rapidly
steaming
towards
the
coast
,
he
felt
that
a
responsibility
rested
upon
him
heavier
than
any
which
had
yet
been
borne
by
an
officer
of
the
Syndicate
;
but
he
did
not
hesitate
in
the
duty
which
he
had
been
sent
to
perform
,
and
immediately
ordered
the
two
crabs
to
advance
to
meet
the
Adamant
,
and
to
proceed
to
action
according
to
the
instructions
which
they
had
previously
received
.
His
own
ship
was
kept
,
in
pursuance
of
orders
,
several
miles
distant
from
the
British
ship
.
As
soon
as
the
repeller
had
been
sighted
from
the
Adamant
,
a
strict
lookout
had
been
kept
for
the
approach
of
crabs
;
and
when
the
small
exposed
portions
of
the
backs
of
two
of
these
were
perceived
glistening
in
the
sunlight
,
the
speed
of
the
great
ship
slackened
.
The
ability
of
the
Syndicate
’
s
submerged
vessels
to
move
suddenly
and
quickly
in
any
direction
had
been
clearly
demonstrated
,
and
although
a
great
ironclad
with
a
ram
could
run
down
and
sink
a
crab
without
feeling
the
concussion
,
it
was
known
that
it
would
be
perfectly
easy
for
the
smaller
craft
to
keep
out
of
the
way
of
its
bulky
antagonist
.
Therefore
the
Adamant
did
not
try
to
ram
the
crabs
,
nor
to
get
away
from
them
.
Her
commander
intended
,
if
possible
,
to
run
down
one
or
both
of
them
;
but
he
did
not
propose
to
do
this
in
the
usual
way
.
As
the
crabs
approached
,
the
stern
-
jacket
of
the
Adamant
was
let
down
,
and
the
engines
were
slowed
.
This
stern
-
jacket
,
when
protecting
the
rudder
and
propellers
,
looked
very
much
like
the
cowcatcher
of
a
locomotive
,
and
was
capable
of
being
put
to
a
somewhat
similar
use
.
It
was
the
intention
of
the
captain
of
the
Adamant
,
should
the
crabs
attempt
to
attach
themselves
to
his
stern
,
to
suddenly
put
on
all
steam
,
reverse
his
engines
,
and
back
upon
them
,
the
stern
-
jacket
answering
as
a
ram
.
The
commander
of
the
Adamant
had
no
doubt
that
in
this
way
he
could
run
into
a
crab
,
roll
it
over
in
the
water
,
and
when
it
was
lying
bottom
upward
,
like
a
floating
cask
,
he
could
move
his
ship
to
a
distance
,
and
make
a
target
of
it
.
So
desirous
was
this
brave
and
somewhat
facetious
captain
to
try
his
new
plan
upon
a
crab
,
that
he
forebore
to
fire
upon
the
two
vessels
of
that
class
which
were
approaching
him
.
Some
of
his
guns
were
so
mounted
that
their
muzzles
could
be
greatly
depressed
,
and
aimed
at
an
object
in
the
water
not
far
from
the
ship
.
But
these
were
not
discharged
,
and
,
indeed
,
the
crabs
,
which
were
new
ones
of
unusual
swiftness
,
were
alongside
the
Adamant
in
an
incredibly
short
time
,
and
out
of
the
range
of
these
guns
.
Crab
J
was
on
the
starboard
side
of
the
Adamant
,
Crab
K
was
on
the
port
side
,
and
,
simultaneously
,
the
two
laid
hold
of
her
.
But
they
were
not
directly
astern
of
the
great
vessel
.
Each
had
its
nippers
fastened
to
one
side
of
the
stern
-
jacket
,
near
the
hinge
-
like
bolts
which
held
it
to
the
vessel
,
and
on
which
it
was
raised
and
lowered
.
In
a
moment
the
Adamant
began
to
steam
backward
;
but
the
only
effect
of
this
motion
,
which
soon
became
rapid
,
was
to
swing
the
crabs
around
against
her
sides
,
and
carry
them
with
her
.
As
the
vessels
were
thus
moving
the
great
pincers
of
the
crabs
were
twisted
with
tremendous
force
,
the
stern
-
jacket
on
one
side
was
broken
from
its
bolt
,
and
on
the
other
the
bolt
itself
was
drawn
out
of
the
side
of
the
vessel
.
The
nippers
then
opened
,
and
the
stern
-
jacket
fell
from
their
grasp
into
the
sea
,
snapping
in
its
fall
the
chain
by
which
it
had
been
raised
and
lowered
.
This
disaster
occurred
so
quickly
that
few
persons
on
board
the
Adamant
knew
what
had
happened
.
But
the
captain
,
who
had
seen
everything
,
gave
instant
orders
to
go
ahead
at
full
speed
.
The
first
thing
to
be
done
was
to
get
at
a
distance
from
those
crabs
,
keep
well
away
from
them
,
and
pound
them
to
pieces
with
his
heavy
guns
.
But
the
iron
screw
-
propellers
had
scarcely
begun
to
move
in
the
opposite
direction
,
before
the
two
crabs
,
each
now
lying
at
right
angles
with
the
length
of
the
ship
,
but
neither
of
them
directly
astern
of
her
,
made
a
dash
with
open
nippers
,
and
Crab
J
fastened
upon
one
propeller
,
while
Crab
K
laid
hold
of
the
other
.
There
was
a
din
and
crash
of
breaking
metal
,
two
shocks
which
were
felt
throughout
the
vessel
,
and
the
shattered
and
crushed
blades
of
the
propellers
of
the
great
battleship
were
powerless
to
move
her
.
The
captain
of
the
Adamant
,
pallid
with
fury
,
stood
upon
the
poop
.
In
a
moment
the
crabs
would
be
at
his
rudder
!
The
great
gun
,
double
-
shotted
and
ready
to
fire
,
was
hanging
from
its
boom
over
the
stern
.
Crab
K
,
whose
roof
had
the
additional
protection
of
spring
armour
,
now
moved
round
so
as
to
be
directly
astern
of
the
Adamant
.
Before
she
could
reach
the
rudder
,
her
forward
part
came
under
the
suspended
cannon
,
and
two
massive
steel
shot
were
driven
down
upon
her
with
a
force
sufficient
to
send
them
through
masses
of
solid
rock
;
but
from
the
surface
of
elastic
steel
springs
and
air
-
buffers
they
bounced
upward
,
one
of
them
almost
falling
on
the
deck
of
the
Adamant
.
The
gunners
of
this
piece
had
been
well
trained
.
In
a
moment
the
boom
was
swung
around
,
the
cannon
reloaded
,
and
when
Crab
K
fixed
her
nippers
on
the
rudder
of
the
Adamant
,
two
more
shot
came
down
upon
her
.
As
in
the
first
instance
she
dipped
and
rolled
,
but
the
ribs
of
her
uninjured
armour
had
scarcely
sprung
back
into
their
places
,
before
her
nippers
turned
,
and
the
rudder
of
the
Adamant
was
broken
in
two
,
and
the
upper
portion
dragged
from
its
fastenings
then
a
quick
backward
jerk
snapped
its
chains
,
and
it
was
dropped
into
the
sea
.
A
signal
was
now
sent
from
Crab
J
to
Repeller
No
.
7
,
to
the
effect
that
the
Adamant
had
been
rendered
incapable
of
steaming
or
sailing
,
and
that
she
lay
subject
to
order
.
Subject
to
order
or
not
,
the
Adamant
did
not
lie
passive
.
Every
gun
on
board
which
could
be
sufficiently
depressed
,
was
made
ready
to
fire
upon
the
crabs
should
they
attempt
to
get
away
.
Four
large
boats
,
furnished
with
machine
guns
,
grapnels
,
and
with
various
appliances
which
might
be
brought
into
use
on
a
steel
-
plated
roof
,
were
lowered
from
their
davits
,
and
immediately
began
firing
upon
the
exposed
portions
of
the
crabs
.
Their
machine
guns
were
loaded
with
small
shells
,
and
if
these
penetrated
under
the
horizontal
plates
of
a
crab
,
and
through
the
heavy
glass
which
was
supposed
to
be
in
these
interstices
,
the
crew
of
the
submerged
craft
would
be
soon
destroyed
.
The
quick
eye
of
the
captain
of
the
Adamant
had
observed
through
his
glass
,
while
the
crabs
were
still
at
a
considerable
distance
,
their
protruding
air
-
pipes
,
and
he
had
instructed
the
officers
in
charge
of
the
boats
to
make
an
especial
attack
upon
these
.
If
the
air
-
pipes
of
a
crab
could
be
rendered
useless
,
the
crew
must
inevitably
be
smothered
.
But
the
brave
captain
did
not
know
that
the
condensed
-
air
chambers
of
the
crabs
would
supply
their
inmates
for
an
hour
or
more
without
recourse
to
the
outer
air
,
and
that
the
air
-
pipes
,
furnished
with
valves
at
the
top
,
were
always
withdrawn
under
water
during
action
with
an
enemy
.
Nor
did
he
know
that
the
glass
blocks
under
the
armour
-
plates
of
the
crabs
,
which
were
placed
in
rubber
frames
to
protect
them
from
concussion
above
,
were
also
guarded
by
steel
netting
from
injury
by
small
balls
.
Valiantly
the
boats
beset
the
crabs
,
keeping
up
a
constant
fusillade
,
and
endeavouring
to
throw
grapnels
over
them
.
If
one
of
these
should
catch
under
an
overlapping
armour
-
plate
it
could
be
connected
with
the
steam
windlass
of
the
Adamant
,
and
a
plate
might
be
ripped
off
or
a
crab
overturned
.
But
the
crabs
proved
to
be
much
more
lively
fish
than
their
enemies
had
supposed
.
Turning
,
as
if
on
a
pivot
,
and
darting
from
side
to
side
,
they
seemed
to
be
playing
with
the
boats
,
and
not
trying
to
get
away
from
them
.
The
spring
armour
of
Crab
K
interfered
somewhat
with
its
movements
,
and
also
put
it
in
danger
from
attacks
by
grapnels
,
and
it
therefore
left
most
of
the
work
to
its
consort
.
Crab
J
,
after
darting
swiftly
in
and
out
among
her
antagonists
for
some
time
,
suddenly
made
a
turn
,
and
dashing
at
one
of
the
boats
,
ran
under
it
,
and
raising
it
on
its
glistening
back
,
rolled
it
,
bottom
upward
,
into
the
sea
.
In
a
moment
the
crew
of
the
boat
were
swimming
for
their
lives
.
They
were
quickly
picked
up
by
two
of
the
other
boats
,
which
then
deemed
it
prudent
to
return
to
the
ship
.
But
the
second
officer
of
the
Adamant
,
who
commanded
the
fourth
boat
,
did
not
give
up
the
fight
.
Having
noted
the
spring
armour
of
Crab
K
,
he
believed
that
if
he
could
get
a
grapnel
between
its
steel
ribs
he
yet
might
capture
the
sea
-
monster
.
For
some
minutes
Crab
K
contented
itself
with
eluding
him
;
but
,
tired
of
this
,
it
turned
,
and
raising
its
huge
nippers
almost
out
of
the
water
,
it
seized
the
bow
of
the
boat
,
and
gave
it
a
gentle
crunch
,
after
which
it
released
its
hold
and
retired
.
The
boat
,
leaking
rapidly
through
two
ragged
holes
,
was
rowed
back
to
the
ship
,
which
it
reached
half
full
of
water
.
The
great
battle
-
ship
,
totally
bereft
of
the
power
of
moving
herself
,
was
now
rolling
in
the
trough
of
the
sea
,
and
a
signal
came
from
the
repeller
for
Crab
K
to
make
fast
to
her
and
put
her
head
to
the
wind
.
This
was
quickly
done
,
the
crab
attaching
itself
to
the
stern
-
post
of
the
Adamant
by
a
pair
of
towing
nippers
.
These
were
projected
from
the
stern
of
the
crab
,
and
were
so
constructed
that
the
larger
vessel
did
not
communicate
all
its
motion
to
the
smaller
one
,
and
could
not
run
down
upon
it
.
As
soon
as
the
Adamant
was
brought
up
with
her
head
to
the
wind
she
opened
fire
upon
the
repeller
.
The
latter
vessel
could
easily
have
sailed
out
of
the
range
of
a
motionless
enemy
,
but
her
orders
forbade
this
.
Her
director
had
been
instructed
by
the
Syndicate
to
expose
his
vessel
to
the
fire
of
the
Adamant
’
s
heavy
guns
.
Accordingly
the
repeller
steamed
nearer
,
and
turned
her
broadside
toward
the
British
ship
.
Scarcely
had
this
been
done
when
the
two
great
bow
guns
of
the
Adamant
shook
the
air
with
tremendous
roars
,
each
hurling
over
the
sea
nearly
a
ton
of
steel
.
One
of
these
great
shot
passed
over
the
repeller
,
but
the
other
struck
her
armoured
side
fairly
amidship
.
There
was
a
crash
and
scream
of
creaking
steel
,
and
Repeller
No
.
7
rolled
over
to
windward
as
if
she
had
been
struck
by
a
heavy
sea
.
In
a
moment
she
righted
and
shot
ahead
,
and
,
turning
,
presented
her
port
side
to
the
enemy
.
Instant
examination
of
the
armour
on
her
other
side
showed
that
the
two
banks
of
springs
were
uninjured
,
and
that
not
an
air
-
buffer
had
exploded
or
failed
to
spring
back
to
its
normal
length
.
Firing
from
the
Adamant
now
came
thick
and
fast
,
the
crab
,
in
obedience
to
signals
,
turning
her
about
so
as
to
admit
the
firing
of
some
heavy
guns
mounted
amidships
.
Three
enormous
solid
shot
struck
the
repeller
at
different
points
on
her
starboard
armour
without
inflicting
damage
,
while
the
explosion
of
several
shells
which
hit
her
had
no
more
effect
upon
her
elastic
armour
than
the
impact
of
the
solid
shot
.
It
was
the
desire
of
the
Syndicate
not
only
to
demonstrate
to
its
own
satisfaction
the
efficiency
of
its
spring
armour
,
but
to
convince
Great
Britain
that
her
heaviest
guns
on
her
mightiest
battle
-
ships
could
have
no
effect
upon
its
armoured
vessels
.
To
prove
the
absolute
superiority
of
their
means
of
offence
and
defence
was
the
supreme
object
of
the
Syndicate
.
For
this
its
members
studied
and
worked
by
day
and
by
night
;
for
this
they
poured
out
their
millions
;
for
this
they
waged
war
.
To
prove
what
they
claimed
would
be
victory
.
When
Repeller
No
.
