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 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.

In issuing these commands the British Government was actuated simply by
motives of humanity and common sense. The British fleet was thoroughly
prepared for ordinary naval warfare, but an enemy had inaugurated
another kind of naval warfare, for which it was not prepared. It was,
therefore, decided to withdraw the ships until they should be prepared
for the new kind of warfare. To allow ironclad after ironclad to be
disabled and set adrift, to subject every ship in the fleet to the
danger of instantaneous destruction, and all this without the
possibility of inflicting injury upon the enemy, would not be bravery;
it would be stupidity. It was surely possible to devise a means for
destroying the seven hostile ships now in British waters. Until action
for this end could be taken, it was the part of wisdom for the British
navy to confine itself to the protection of British ports.

When the fleet began to move toward the Isle of Wight, the six crabs,
which had been lying quietly among and under the protection of their
enemies, withdrew southward, and, making a slight circuit, joined the
repeller.

Each of the disabled ironclads was now in tow of a sister vessel, or of
tugs, except the Llangaron. This great ship had been disabled so early
in the contest, and her broadside had presented such a vast surface to
the north-west wind, that she had drifted much farther to the south
than any other vessel. Consequently, before the arrival of the