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might yet gaze proudly at his floating flag； even if his own ship should be
drifting broadside to the sea。 The line of torpedo…boats； slightly curving
inward； had advanced about a mile； when Repeller No。 11 awoke from her
seeming sleep； and began to act。 The two great guns at her bow were
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trained upward； so that a bomb discharged from them would fall into the
sea a mile and a half ahead。 Slowly turning her bow from side to side； so
that the guns would cover a range of nearly half a circle； the instantaneous
motor…bombs of the repeller were discharged； one every half minute。 One
of the most appalling characteristics of the motor…bombs was the silence
which accompanied their discharge and action。 No noise was heard； except
the flash of sound occasioned by the removal of the particles of the object
aimed at； and the subsequent roar of wind or fall of water。 As each motor…
bomb dropped into the channel； a dense cloud appeared high in the air；
above a roaring； seething cauldron； hollowed out of the waters and out of
the very bottom of the channel。 Into this chasm the cloud quickly came
down； condensed into a vast body of water； which fell； with the roar of a
cyclone； into the dreadful abyss from which it had been torn； before the
hissing walls of the great hollow had half filled it with their sweeping
surges。 The piled…up mass of the redundant water was still sending its
maddened billows tossing and writhing in every direction toward their
normal level； when another bomb was discharged； another surging abyss
appeared； another roar of wind and water was heard； and another mountain
of furious billows uplifted itself in a storm of spray and foam； raging that
it had found its place usurped。 Slowly turning； the repeller discharged
bomb after bomb； building up out of the very sea itself a barrier against its
enemies。 Under these thundering cataracts； born in an instant； and coming
down all at once in a plunging storm； into these abysses； with walls of
water and floors of cleft and shivered rocks； through this wide belt of
raging turmoil； thrown into new frenzy after the discharge of every bomb；…
…no vessel； no torpedo； could pass。 The air driven off in every direction by
tremendous and successive concussions came rushing back in shrieking
gales； which tore up the waves into blinding foam。 For miles in every
direction the sea swelled and upheaved into great peaked waves； the
repeller rising upon these almost high enough to look down into the awful
chasms which her bombs were making。 A torpedo… boat caught in one of
the returning gales was hurled forward almost on her beam ends until she
was under the edge of one of the vast masses of descending water。 The
flood which； from even the outer limits of this falling…sea； poured upon
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and into the unlucky vessel nearly swamped her； and when she was swept
back by the rushing waves into less stormy waters； her officers and crew
leaped into their boats and deserted her。 By rare good…fortune their boats
were kept afloat in the turbulent sea until they reached the nearest torpedo…
vessel。 Five minutes afterward a small but carefully aimed motor…bomb
struck the nearly swamped vessel； and with the roar of all her own
torpedoes she passed into nothing。 The British Vice…Admiral had carefully
watched the repeller through his glass； and he noticed that simultaneously
with the appearance of the cloud in the air produced by the action of the
motor…bombs there were two puffs of black smoke from the repeller。 These
were signals to the crabs to notify them that a motor… gun had been
discharged； and thus to provide against accidents in case a bomb should
fail to act。 One puff signified that a bomb had been discharged to the north；
two； that it had gone eastward； and so on。 if； therefore； a crab should see a
signal of this kind； and perceive no signs of the action of a bomb； it would
be careful not to approach the repeller from the quarter indicated。 It is true
that in case of the failure of a bomb to act； another bomb would be
dropped upon the same spot； but the instructions of the War Syndicate
provided that every possible precaution should be taken against accidents。
Of course the Vice…Admiral did not understand these signals； nor did he
know that they were signals； but he knew that they accompanied the
discharge of a motor… gun。 Once he noticed that there was a short cessation
in the hitherto constant succession of water avalanches； and during this lull
he had seen two puffs from the repeller； and the destruction； at the same
moment； of the deserted torpedo…boat。 It was； therefore； plain enough to
him that if a motor…bomb could be placed so accurately upon one torpedo…
boat； and with such terrible result； other bombs could quite as easily be
discharged upon the other torpedo…boats which formed the advanced line
of the fleet。 When the barrier of storm and cataract again began to stretch
itself in front of the repeller； he knew that not only was it impossible for
the torpedo…boats to send their missives through this raging turmoil； but
that each of these vessels was itself in danger of instantaneous destruction。
Unwilling； therefore； to expose his vessels to profitless danger； the Vice…
Admiral ordered the torpedo…boats to retire from the front； and the whole
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line of them proceeded to a point north of the fleet； where they lay to。
When this had been done； the repeller ceased the discharge of bombs； but
the sea was still heaving and tossing after the storm； when a despatch…boat
brought orders from the British Admiralty to the flagship。 Communication
between the British fleet and the shore； and consequently London； had
been constant； and all that had occurred had been quickly made known to
the Admiralty and the Government。 The orders now received by the Vice…
Admiral were to the effect that it was considered judicious to discontinue
the conflict for the day； and that he and his whole fleet should return to
Portsmouth to receive further orders。 I