FIERCE FIGHTING IN THE CHANNEL.
In the Channel disastrous events of a most exciting character were now
rapidly occurring.
Outside Seaford Bay, Pevensey Bay, and off Brighton and the Mares at
Cuckmere Haven, the enemy's transports, having landed troops and stores,
rode at anchor, forming a line of retreat in case of reverses, while
many fast French cruisers steamed up and down, keeping a sharp lookout
for any British merchant or mail steamers which, ignorant of the
hostilities, entered the Channel.
The officers and crews of these steamers were in most cases so utterly
surprised that they fell an easy prey to the marauding vessels, many
being captured and taken to French ports without a shot being fired.
Other vessels, on endeavouring to escape, were either overhauled or sunk
by the heavy fire of pursuing cruisers. One instance was that of the
fast mail steamer _Carpathian_, belonging to the Union Steamship
Company, which, entering the Channel on a voyage from Cape Town to
Southampton, was attacked off the Eddystone by the Russian armoured
cruiser _Gerzog Edinburskij_. The panic on board was indescribable, over
a hundred steerage passengers being killed or mutilated by the shells
from the bow guns of the cruiser, and the captain himself being blown to
atoms by an explosion which occurred when a shot struck and carried away
the forward funnel. After an exciting chase, the _Carpathian_ was sunk
near Start Point, and of the five hundred passengers and crew scarcely a
single person survived.
This terrible work of destruction accomplished, the Russian cruiser
turned westward again to await further prey. As she steamed away,
however, another ship rounded the Start following at full speed in her
wake. This vessel, which was flying the British flag, was the
barbette-ship _Centurion_. Already her captain had witnessed the attack
and sinking of the _Carpathian_, but from a distance too great to enable
him to assist the defenceless liner, and he was now on his way to attack
the Tsar's cruiser. Almost immediately she was noticed by the enemy.
Half an hour later she drew within range, and soon the two ships were
engaged in a most desperate encounter. The gunners on the _Centurion_,
seeing the Russian cross flying defiantly, and knowing the frightful
havoc already wrought on land by the enemy, worked with that pluck and
indomitable energy characteristic of the Britisher. Shot after shot was
exchanged, but hissed and splashed without effect until the ships drew
nearer, and then nearly every shell struck home. The rush of flame from
the quick-firing guns of the _Centurion_ was continuous, and the firing
was much more accurate than that of her opponent, nevertheless the
latter was manipulated with remarkable skill.
The roar of the guns was deafening. Clouds of smoke rose so thickly that
the vessels could scarcely distinguish each other. But the firing was
almost continuous, until suddenly a shell struck the _Centurion_ abaft
the funnel, and for a moment stilled her guns.
This, however, was not for long, for in a few moments she recovered from
the shock, and her guns were again sending forth shells with regularity
and precision. Again a shell struck the _Centurion_, this time carrying
away one of her funnels and killing a large number of men.
The British captain, still as cool as if standing on the hearthrug of
the smoking-room of the United Service Club, took his vessel closer,
continuing the fire, heedless of the fact that the Russian shells
striking his ship were playing such fearful havoc with it. Every
preparation had been made for a desperate fight to the death, when
suddenly a shot struck the vessel, causing her to reel and shiver.
So well had the Russians directed their fire that the British vessel
could not reply. One of her 29-tonners had been blown completely off its
carriage, and lay shattered with men dead all around, while two of her
quick-firing broadside guns had been rendered useless, and she had
sustained other injuries of a very serious character, besides losing
nearly half her men.
She was silent, riding to the swell, when wild exultant shouts in
Russian went up from the enemy's ship, mingling with the heavy fire they
still kept up.
At that moment, however, even while the victorious shouts resounded, the
captain of the _Centurion_, still cool and collected, swung round his
vessel, and turning, touched one of the electric knobs at his hand. As
he did so a long silvery object shot noiselessly from the side of the
ship, and plunged with a splash into the rising waves.
Seconds seemed hours. For a whole three minutes the captain waited;
then, disappointed, he turned away with an expression of impatience. The
torpedo had missed its mark, and every moment lost might determine their
fate. With guns still silent he again adroitly manoeuvred his ship. Once
again he touched the electric knob, and again a torpedo, released from
its tube, sped rapidly through the water.
Suddenly a dull and muffled explosion from the Russian cruiser sounded.
Above the dense smoke a flame shot high, with great columns of spray, as
the guns suddenly ceased their thunder.
There was a dead stillness, broken only by the wash of the sea.
Then the smoke clearing showed the debris of the _Gerzog Edinburskij_
fast sinking beneath the restless waters. Some splinters precipitated
into the air had fallen with loud splashes in every direction, and amid
the victorious shouts of the British bluejackets the disabled ship, with
its fluttering Russian cross, slowly disappeared for ever, carrying down
every soul on board.
The torpedo, striking her amidships, had blown an enormous hole right
through her double bottom, and torn her transverse bulkheads away so
much that her watertight doors were useless for keeping her afloat, even
for a few minutes.
Partially crippled as she was, the _Centurion_ steamed slowly westward,
until at noon on the following day she fell in with a division of the
Coastguard Squadron, which, acting under the fictitious telegraphic
orders of the French spy, had been to Land's End, but which, now the
enemy had landed, had received genuine orders from the Admiralty.
Compared with the number and strength of the French and Russian vessels
mustered in the Channel, this force was so small as to appear ludicrous.
To send this weak defending division against the mighty power of the
invaders was sheer madness, and everybody on board knew it. The vessels
were weaker in every detail than those of the enemy.
At full speed the British vessels steamed on throughout that day, until
at 8 P.M., when about twenty miles south of Selsey Bill, they were
joined by forces from the Solent. These consisted of the turret-ship
_Monarch_, the turret-ram _Rupert_, the barbette-ship _Rodney_, the
belted cruiser _Aurora_, and the coast defence armour-clads _Cyclops_
and _Gorgon_, together with a number of torpedo boats. The night was
calm, but moonless, and without delay the vessels all continued the
voyage up Channel silently, with lights extinguished.
Two hours later the officers noticed that away on the horizon a light
suddenly flashed twice and then disappeared.
One of the enemy's ships had signalled the approach of the defenders!
This caused the British Admiral to alter his course slightly, and the
vessels steamed along in the direction the light had shown.
In turrets and in broadside batteries there was a deep hush of
expectation. Officers and men standing at their quarters scarcely spoke.
All felt the fight must be most desperate.
Presently, in the far distance a small patch of light in the sky showed
the direction of Brighton, and almost immediately the Admiral signalled
to the cruisers _Aurora_, _Galatea_, and _Narcissus_, and the new
battleship _Hannibal_, built under the 1894 programme, to detach
themselves with six torpedo boats, and take an easterly course, in order
to carry out instructions which he gave. These tactics caused
considerable comment.
The orders were to make straight for Eastbourne, and to suddenly attack
and destroy any of the hostile transports that were lying there, the
object being twofold--firstly, to cut off the enemy's line of retreat,
and secondly, to prevent the vessels from being used for the purpose of
landing further reinforcements.
Soon after 2 A.M. this gallant little division had, by careful
manoeuvring, and assisted by a slight mist which now hung over the sea,
rounded Beachy Head without being discovered, and had got outside
Pevensey Bay about eight miles from land. Here a number of Russian
transports and service steamers were lying, among them being the
_Samojed_ and _Olaf_, _Krasnaya Gorka_ and _Vladimir_, with two smaller
ones--the _Dnepr_ and the _Artelscik_.
Silently, and without showing any lights, a British torpedo boat sped
quickly along to where the dark outline of a ship loomed through the
mist, and, having ascertained that it was the _Olaf_, drew up quickly.
A few minutes elapsed, all being quiet. Then suddenly a bright flash was
followed by a fearful explosion, and the bottom of the Tsar's vessel
being completely ripped up by the torpedo, she commenced to settle down
immediately, before any of those on board could save themselves. The
enemy had scarcely recovered from their surprise and confusion when
three other loud explosions occurred, and in each case transport vessels
were blown up. British torpedo boats, darting hither and thither between
the Russian ships, were dealing terrible blows from which no vessel
could recover. So active were they, indeed, that within the space of
fifteen minutes six transports had been blown up, as well as the
first-class torpedo boat _Abo_. The loss of life was terrible.
Simultaneously with the first explosion, the guns of the _Aurora_,
_Galatea_, and _Narcissus_ thundered out a terrible salute. The bright
search-lights of the Russian cruisers and of the battleship _Navarin_
immediately swept the sea, and through the mist discerned the British
ships. The lights served only to show the latter the exact position of
the enemy, and again our guns belched forth shot and shell with
disastrous effect.
Quickly, however, the Russian vessels replied. Flame flashed
continuously from the turret of the _Navarin_ and the port guns of the
_Opricnik_ and the _Najezdnik_, while the search-lights were at the same
time shut off.
At first the fire was very ineffectual, but gradually as the vessels
crept closer to each other the encounter became more and more desperate.
The Russian torpedo boats _Vzryv_, _Vindava_, and _Kotlinj_ were
immediately active, and the _Narcissus_ had a very narrow escape, a
Whitehead torpedo passing right under her bows, while one British
torpedo boat, which at the same moment was endeavouring to launch its
deadly projectile at the _Navarin_, was sent to the bottom by a single
shot from the _Najezdnik_.
The combat was desperate and terrible. That the British had been already
successful in surprising and sinking a torpedo boat and six of the
hostile transports was true; nevertheless the number of Russian ships
lying there was much greater than the British Admiral had anticipated,
and, to say the least, the four vessels now found themselves in a most
critical position.
The _Navarin_ alone was one of the most powerful of the Tsar's
battleships, and, in addition to the seven cruisers and nine torpedo
boats, comprised an overwhelming force.
Yet the English warships held their own, pouring forth an incessant
fire. Each gun's crew knew they were face to face with death, but,
inspired by the coolness of their officers, they worked on calmly and
indefatigably. Many of their shots went home with frightful effect. One
shell which burst over the magazine of the _Lieut. Iljin_ ripped up her
deck and caused severe loss of life, while in the course of half an hour
one of the heavy turret guns of the _Navarin_ had been disabled, and
two more Russian torpedo boats sunk. Our torpedo boat destroyers
operating on the Channel seaboard were performing excellent work, the
_Havock_, _Shark_, _Hornet_, _Dart_, _Bruiser_, _Hasty_, _Teaser_,
_Janus_, _Surly_, and _Porcupine_ all being manoeuvred with splendid
success. Several, however, were lost while sweeping out the enemy's
torpedo boat shelters, including the _Ardent_, _Charger_, _Boxer_, and
_Rocket_.
[Illustration: SINKING OF H.M.S. "AURORA" BY A TORPEDO: "THE CRUISER
ROSE AS IF SHE HAD RIDDEN OVER A VOLCANO."]
But the British vessels were now suffering terribly, hemmed in as they
were by the enemy, with shells falling upon them every moment, and their
decks swept by the withering fire of machine guns. Suddenly, after a
shell had burst in the stern of the _Aurora_, she ceased firing and
swung round, almost colliding with the _Narcissus_. Her steam
steering-gear had, alas! been broken by the shot, and for a few moments
her officers lost control over her.
A Russian torpedo boat in shelter behind the _Navarin_, now seeing its
chance, darted out and launched its projectile.
The officers of the _Aurora_, aware of their danger, seemed utterly
powerless to avert it. It was a terrible moment. A few seconds later the
torpedo struck, the cruiser rose as if she had ridden over a volcano,
and then, as she gradually settled down, the dark sea rolled over as
gallant a crew as ever sailed beneath the White Ensign.
Immediately afterwards the _Navarin_ exchanged rapid signals with a
number of ships which were approaching with all speed from the direction
of Hastings, and the captains of the three remaining British vessels saw
that they had fallen into a trap.
The _Narcissus_ had been drawn between two fires. Both her funnels had
been shot away, two of her broadside guns were useless, and she had
sustained damage to her engines; nevertheless, her captain, with the
dogged perseverance of a British sailor, continued the desperate combat.
With the first flush of dawn the fog had lifted, but there was scarcely
sufficient wind to spread out the British ensign, which still waved with
lazy defiance.
On one side of her was the ponderous _Navarin_, from the turret of which
shells were projected with monotonous regularity, while on the other the
British cruiser was attacked vigorously by the _Najezdnik_. The
_Narcissus_, however, quickly showed the Russians what she could do
against such overwhelming odds, for presently she sent a shot from one
of her 20-ton guns right under the turret of the _Navarin_, causing a
most disastrous explosion on board that vessel, while, at the same time,
her 6-inch breechloaders pounded away at her second antagonist, and sank
a torpedo boat manoeuvring near.
Both the _Galatea_ and the _Hannibal_ were in an equally serious
predicament. The enemy's torpedo boats swarmed around them, while the
cruisers _Opricnik_, _Admiral Korniloff_, _Rynda_, and several other
vessels, kept up a hot, incessant fire, which was returned energetically
by the British vessels.
The sight was magnificent, appalling! In the spreading dawn, the great
ships manoeuvring smartly, each strove to obtain points of vantage, and
vied with each other in their awful work of destruction. The activity of
the British torpedo boats, darting here and there, showed that those who
manned them were utterly reckless of their lives. As they sped about, it
was indeed marvellous how they escaped destruction, for the Russians had
more than double the number of boats, and their speed was quite equal to
our own.
Nevertheless the British boats followed up their successes by other
brilliant deeds of daring, for one of them, with a sudden dash, took the
_Rynda_ off her guard, and sent a torpedo at her with awful result,
while a few moments later two terrific explosions sounded almost
simultaneously above the thunder of the guns, and it was then seen that
the unprotected cruiser _Asia_, and the last remaining transport the
_Krasnaya Gorka_, were both sinking.
It was a ghastly spectacle.
Hoarse despairing shrieks went up from hundreds of Russian sailors who
fought and struggled for life in the dark rolling waters, and three
British torpedo boats humanely rescued a great number of them. Many,
however, sank immediately with their vessels, while some strong swimmers
struck out for the distant shore. Yet, without exception, all these
succumbed to exhaustion ere they could reach the land, and the long
waves closed over them as they threw up their arms and sank into the
deep.
During the first few minutes following this sudden disaster to the enemy
the firing ceased, and the _Navarin_ ran up signals. This action
attracted the attention of the officers of the British vessels to the
approaching ships, and to their amazement and dismay they discovered
that they were a squadron of the enemy who had returned unexpectedly
from the direction of Dover.
The British ships, in their half-crippled condition, could not possibly
withstand such an onslaught as they knew was about to be made upon them,
for the enemy's reinforcements consisted of the steel barbette-ships
_Gangut_, _Alexander II._, and _Nicolai I._, of the Baltic Fleet, the
great turret-ship _Petr Veliky_, the _Rurik_, a very powerful
central-battery belted cruiser of over ten thousand tons, two new
cruisers of the same type that had been recently completed, the _Enara_
and _Ischma_, with three other cruisers and a large flotilla of torpedo
boats. Accompanying them were the French 10,000-ton armoured
barbette-ship _Magenta_, the central-battery ship _Richelieu_, the
armoured turret-ship _Tonnerre_, and the _Hoche_, one of the finest
vessels of our Gallic neighbour's Navy, as well as the torpedo cruisers
_Hirondelle_ and _Fleurus_, and a number of swift torpedo boats and
"catchers."
The captains of the British vessels saw that in the face of such a force
defeat was a foregone conclusion; therefore they could do nothing but
retreat hastily towards Newhaven, in the hope of finding the division of
the British Coastguard Squadron which had gone there for the same
purpose as they had rounded Beachy Head, namely, to destroy the enemy's
transports.
Without delay the three vessels swung round with all speed and were
quickly headed down Channel, while the remaining attendant torpedo
boats, noticing this sudden retreat, also darted away. This manoeuvre
did not, of course, proceed unchecked, the enemy being determined they
should not escape. Signals were immediately made by the _Alexander II._,
the flagship, and the _Petr Veliky_ and _Enara_, being within range,
blazed forth a storm of shell upon the fugitives. The shots, however,
fell wide, and ricochetted over the water, sending up huge columns of
spray; whereupon the _Narcissus_ and _Galatea_ replied steadily with
their 6-inch guns, while the heavy guns of the _Hannibal_ were also
quickly brought into play.
In a few minutes the _Magenta_ and _Tonnerre_ with the _Alger_,
_Cecille_, and _Sfax_, started in pursuit, and an intensely exciting
chase commenced. The engines of the British vessels were run at the
highest possible pressure, but the French ships proved several knots
swifter. As they steamed at full speed around Beachy Head towards
Seaford Bay the enemy gradually overhauled them. The brisk fire which
was being kept up soon began to tell, for all three retreating ships had
lost many men, and the scenes of bloodshed on board were frightful.
Eagerly the officers swept the horizon with their glasses to discover
signs of friendly aid, but none hove in sight. All three ships were
weak, their guns disabled, with whole guns' crews lying dead around, and
many of the officers had fallen. In strength, in speed, in armaments--in
fact, in everything--they were inferior to their opponents, and they saw
it was a question of sheer force, not one of courage.
They would either be compelled to surrender to the Tricolor, or
deliberately seek the grave. With such a force bearing down upon them,
escape seemed absolutely impossible.