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repeller； instead of bombarding； should send men in
boats to take possession of the evacuated
fortifications； or should attempt any mining
operations。 The gunners for this battery were
stationed at a safe place to the rear； whence they
could readily reach their guns if necessary。
The next day was one of supreme importance to the
Syndicate。 On this day it must make plain to the
world； not only what the motor…bomb could do； but that
the motor…bomb did what was done。 Before leaving the
English Channel the director of Repeller No。 11 had
received telegraphic advices from both Europe and
America； indicating the general drift of public opinion
in regard to the recent sea…fight； and； besides these；
many English and continental papers had been brought to
him from the French coast。
From all these the director perceived that the
cause of the Syndicate had in a certain way suffered
from the manner in which the battle in the channel had
been conducted。 Every newspaper urged that if the
repeller carried guns capable of throwing the bombs
which the Syndicate professed to use； there was no
reason why every ship in the British fleet should
not have been destroyed。 But as the repeller had not
fired a single shot at the fleet； and as the battle had
been fought entirely by the crabs； there was every
reason to believe that if there were such things as
motor…guns； their range was very short； not as great as
that of the ordinary dynamite cannon。 The great risk
run by one of the crabs in order to disable a dynamite
gun…boat seemed an additional proof of this。
It was urged that the explosions in the water might
have been produced by torpedoes； that the torpedo…boat
which had been destroyed was so near the repeller that
an ordinary shell was sufficient to accomplish the
damage that had been done。
To gainsay these assumptions was imperative on the
Syndicate's forces。 To firmly establish the prestige
of the instantaneous motor was the object of the war。
Crabs were of but temporary service。 Any nation could
build vessels like them； and there were many means of
destroying them。 The spring armour was a complete
defence against ordinary artillery； but it was not a
defence against submarine torpedoes。 The claims
of the Syndicate could be firmly based on nothing but
the powers of absolute annihilation possessed by the
instantaneous motor…bomb。
About nine o'clock on the appointed morning；
Repeller No。 11； much to the surprise of the spectators
on the high grounds with field…glasses and telescopes；
steamed away from Caerdaff。 What this meant nobody
knew； but the naval military observers immediately
suspected that the Syndicate's vessel had concentrated
attention upon Caerdaff in order to go over to Ireland
to do some sort of mischief there。 It was presumed
that the crabs accompanied her； but as they were now at
their fighting depth it was impossible to see them at
so great a distance。
But it was soon perceived that Repeller No。 11 had
no intention of running away； nor of going over to
Ireland。 From slowly cruising about four or five miles
off shore； she had steamed westward until she had
reached a point which； according to the calculations of
her scientific corps； was nine marine miles from
Caerdaff。 There she lay to against a strong breeze
from the east。
It was not yet ten o'clock when the officer in
charge of the starboard gun remarked to the director
that he suppose that it would not be necessary to give
the smoke signals； as had been done in the channel； as
now all the crabs were lying near them。 The director
reflected a moment； and then ordered that the signals
should be given at every discharge of the gun； and that
the columns of black smoke should be shot up to their
greatest height。
At precisely ten o'clock； up rose from Repeller No。
11 two tall jets of black smoke。 Up rose from the
promontory of Caerdaff； a heavy gray cloud； like an
immense balloon； and then the people on the hill…tops
and highlands felt a sharp shock of the ground and
rocks beneath them； and heard the sound of a terrible
but momentary grinding crush。
As the cloud began to settle； it was borne out to
sea by the wind； and then it was revealed that the
fortifications of Caerdaff had disappeared。
In ten minutes there was another smoke signal； and
a great cloud over the castellated structure on the
other side of the bay。 The cloud passed away； leaving
a vacant space on the other side of the bay。
The second shock sent a panic through the crowd of
spectators。 The next earthquake bomb might strike
among them。 Down the eastern slopes ran hundreds of
them； leaving only a few of the bravest civilians； the
reporters of the press； and the naval and military men。
The next motor…bomb descended into the fishing
village； the comminuted particles of which； being
mostly of light material； floated far out to sea。
The detachment of artillerists who had been deputed
to man the guns on the heights which commanded the bay
had been ordered to fall back to the mountains as soon
as it had been seen that it was not the intention of
the repeller to send boats on shore。 The most
courageous of the spectators trembled a little when the
fourth bomb was discharged； for it came farther inland；
and struck the height on which the battery had been
placed； removing all vestiges of the guns； caissons；
and the ledge of rock on which they had stood。
The motor…bombs which the repeller was now
discharging were of the largest size and greatest
power； and a dozen more of them were discharged at
intervals of a few minutes。 The promontory on which
the fortifications had stood was annihilated； and
the waters of the bay swept over its foundations。 Soon
afterward the head of the bay seemed madly rushing out
to sea； but quickly surged back to fill the chasm which
yawned at the spot where the village had been。
The dense clouds were now upheaved at such short
intervals that the scene of devastation was completely
shut out from the observers on the hills； but every few
minutes they felt a sickening shock； and heard a
momentary and horrible crash and hiss which seemed to
fill all the air。 The instantaneous motor…bombs were
tearing up the sea…board； and grinding it to atoms。
It was not yet noon when the bombardment ceased。
No more puffs of black smoke came up from the distant
repeller； and the vast spreading mass of clouds moved
seaward； dropping down upon St。 George's Channel in a
rain of stone dust。 Then the repeller steamed
shoreward； and when she was within three or four miles
of the coast she ran up a large white flag in token
that her task was ended。
This sign that the bombardment had ceased was
accepted in good faith； and as some of the military and
naval men had carefully noted that each puff from
the repeller wa