, 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 h