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useless。 Although the engines of the crab were of enormous power； the
progress made was slow； for the Adamant was being towed stern foremost。
It would have been easier to tow the great vessel had the crab been
attached to her bow； but a ram which extended many feet under water
rendered it dangerous for a submerged vessel to attach itself in its vicinity。
During the night the repeller kept company； although at a considerable
distance； with the captured vessel； and early the next morning her director
prepared to send to the Adamant a boat with a flag…of…truce； and a letter
demanding the surrender and subsequent evacuation of the British ship。 It
was supposed that now； when the officers of the Adamant had had time to
appreciate the fact that they had no control over the movements of their
vessel； that their armament was powerless against their enemies； that the
Adamant could be towed wherever the Syndicate chose to order； or left
helpless in midocean；they would be obliged to admit that there was
nothing for them to do but to surrender。
But events proved that no such ideas had entered the minds of the
Adamant's officers； and their action totally prevented sending a flag…of…
truce boat。 As soon as it was light enough to see the repeller the Adamant
began firing great guns at her。 She was too far away for the shot to strike
her； but to launch and send a boat of any kind into a storm of shot and
shell was of course impossible。
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THE GREAT WAR SYNDICATE
The cannon suspended over the stern of the Adamant was also again
brought into play； and shot after shot was driven down upon the towing
crab。 Every ball rebounded from the spring armour； but the officer in
charge of the crab became convinced that after a time this constant
pounding； almost in the same place； would injure his vessel； and he
signalled the repeller to that effect。 The director of Repeller No。 7 had
been considering the situation。 There was only one gun on the Adamant
which could be brought to bear upon Crab K； and it would be the part of
wisdom to interfere with the persistent use of this gun。 Accordingly the
bow of the repeller was brought to bear upon the Adamant； and her motor
gun was aimed at the boom from which the cannon was suspended。 The
projectile with which the cannon was loaded was not an instantaneous
motor…bomb。 It was simply a heavy solid shot； driven by an instantaneous
motor attachment； and was thus impelled by the same power and in the
same manner as the motor…bombs。 The instantaneous motor…power had not
yet been used at so great a distance as that between the repeller and the
Adamant； and the occasion was one of intense interest to the small body of
scientific men having charge of the aiming and firing。 The calculations of
the distance； of the necessary elevation and direction； and of the degree of
motor… power required； were made with careful exactness； and when the
proper instant arrived the button was touched； and the shot with which the
cannon was charged was instantaneously removed to a point in the ocean
about a mile beyond the Adamant； accompanied by a large portion of the
heavy boom at which the gun had been aimed。 The cannon which had
been suspended from the end of this boom fell into the sea； and would
have crashed down upon the roof of Crab K； had not that vessel； in
obedience to a signal from the repeller； loosened its hold upon the
Adamant and retired a short distance astern。 Material injury might not
have resulted from the fall of this great mass of metal upon the crab； but it
was considered prudent not to take useless risks。 The officers of the
Adamant were greatly surprised and chagrined by the fall of their gun；
with which they had expected ultimately to pound in the roof of the crab。
No damage had been done to the vessel except the removal of a portion of
the boom； with some of the chains and blocks attached； and no one on
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THE GREAT WAR SYNDICATE
board the British ship imagined for a moment that this injury had been
occasioned by the distant repeller。 It was supposed that the constant firing
of the cannon had cracked the boom； and that it had suddenly snapped。
Even if there had been on board the Adamant the means for rigging up
another arrangement of the kind for perpendicular artillery practice； it
would have required a long time to get it into working order； and the
director of Repeller No。 7 hoped that now the British captain would see
the uselessness of continued resistance。 But the British captain saw
nothing of the kind； and shot after shot from his guns were hurled high
into the air； in hopes that the great curves described would bring some of
them down on the deck of the repeller。 If this beastly store…ship； which
could stand fire but never returned it； could be sunk； the Adamant's captain
would be happy。 With the exception of the loss of her motive power； his
vessel was intact； and if the stupid crab would only continue to keep the
Adamant's head to the sea until the noise of her cannonade should attract
some other British vessel to the scene； the condition of affairs might be
altered。 All that day the great guns of the Adamant continued to roar。 The
next morning； however； the firing was not resumed； and the officers of the
repeller were greatly surprised to see approaching from the British ship a
boat carrying a white flag。 This was a very welcome sight； and the arrival
of the boat was awaited with eager interest。 During the night a council had
been held on board the Adamant。 Her cannonading had had no effect；
either in bringing assistance or in injuring the enemy； she was being towed
steadily southward farther and farther from the probable neighbourhood of
a British man…of…war； and it was agreed that it would be the part of
wisdom to come to terms with the Syndicate's vessel。 Therefore the
captain of the Adamant sent a letter to the repeller； in w