A NAVAL FIGHT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
"The great naval force of the Tsar, with which we were now face to
face," continued Lieutenant Ingleton in his narrative, "consisted of the
new battleship _Petropavlovsk_ of 10,960 tons, with a speed of 17 knots;
the great turret-ship _Dvenadsat Apostoloff_ of 8076 tons; the two new
barbette-ships _Kama_ and _Vologda_ of the _Cizoi Veliky_ type; the
_Tchesme_ of 10,181 tons, the _Gheorghy Pobyednosets_ of 10,280 tons,
and the powerful _Tria Sviatitelia_ of 12,480 tons; the two enormous new
cruisers _Tiumen_ and _Minsk_, both of 17,000 tons, and running at 20
knots; the _Vladimir Monomach_ of 5754 tons; the armoured gunboat
_Otvazny_, and the new rams _Admiral Seniavine_ and _Admiral Uschakoff_,
with thirty torpedo boats, including the _Kodor_, _Reni_, _Anakria_, and
_Adler_, the latter being able to run at 27.4 knots.
"Against such a gigantic force as this our small force of vessels and
torpedo boats presented but a sorry appearance. Nevertheless we had
fired the first shot, and were now determined to die rather than haul
down our colours. As our guns thundered, those of the _Jupiter_,
_Repulse_, _Sans Pareil_, _Undaunted_, _Orlando_, _Diana_, _Scout_, and
_Gannet_ joined in noisy chorus. The 12-inch guns in the turrets of the
_Petropavlovsk_ and the four big guns in the barbettes of the _Tria
Sviatitelia_ crashed out together, and almost immediately afterwards we
found ourselves being swept from stem to stern by the enemy's shells.
The Russian battleships were all well armoured, and had a much heavier
shell fire than the vessels of either France or Britain. We were both in
columns of divisions in line ahead, but from the first moment of the
engagement our position was critical.
"A terrific and deadly storm burst upon us from the enemy's tops, while
his heavy guns kept up an incessant thunder. With such an enormous force
against us, it was apparent to every man on board that disaster was
imminent. It had, alas! never been graven sufficiently deep upon the
public mind how absurdly weak we were in the Mediterranean. Here, as in
all other squadrons, every grade of officer from commander downwards was
deficient in numbers, and the ships in commission had for years been so
much below their complement that the work had only been carried on with
great difficulty. Other ships at home had been obliged to wait until a
sufficient number of merchant seamen and half-trained engine-room staff
could be scraped together to provide the semblance of a crew. In fact,
successive British Governments of both parties had subordinated national
necessities to a desire to evade a material increase in taxation, and
now at last our Mediterranean Squadron were compelled to face the
inevitable.
"The insidious cunning and patient methods to which the Russians resort
in order to attain their aims and break their boundaries had once more
been illustrated. They had, by dint of extraordinary chicanery, secured
absolute possession of the small Turkish peninsula known as Mount Athos.
Situated near the entrance of the Gulf of Salonica, it was a paramount
strategical position, and its possessor was now enabled to keep watch
upon Macedonia, and in the meantime be very near the Dardanelles, and
also Asia Minor. The possession was accomplished in a curiously secret
manner, showing to what extent Russian foresight and artifice is
carried. For years past the _Societe Slav de Bienfaisance_ had been
sending, through a bank in Salonica, large sums of money to further the
aim. To the casual observer there was nothing extraordinary about this,
for the Russians had established on the lofty heights several
monasteries, converting the place into a clerical settlement. This fact
was pointed out by the _Pall Mall Gazette_ as far back as 1893, but the
British public at that time failed to detect any Russian intrigue.
"Gradually, however, Muscovite roubles purchased the surrounding
property, and Greek convents were reduced to poverty while Russian
institutions flourished and increased. But, strangely enough, the
inmates of these monasteries were suddenly discovered to be mock
clerics, and then it was disclosed that under the cover of monastic
garments and robes were to be found the Tsar's soldiers, performing a
three years' special and specific military service!
"Yet, owing to the Sultan's weakness, to the almighty backsheesh, and to
the shortsightedness of Turkish statesmen, the Russians were not
dislodged, but the position was actually ceded to them, with the result
that they had now firmly established themselves where they were enabled
to counteract British action and influence. A naval station had been
established for their Mediterranean Squadron at Poros, off the eastern
coast of the Peloponnesus, some fifteen miles due south of the island of
AEgina. Here there were three miles of deep water safe from sea attack,
with an arsenal and dockyard, on the very weakest point along the line
of our highway between England and India! Such was the manner in which
our power in the Mediterranean had been undermined!
"There was, however, no time for reflection amid the deafening roar.
This Black Sea Fleet that had burst its bonds and passed through the
Dardanelles intended to sweep us from the sea. Yet, notwithstanding the
terrible fire pouring upon us from these great and powerful ships, each
fully equipped with the latest and most improved arms, fully manned by
well-trained men, and fresh for the fray, we held our quarters,
determined to show the forces of the Tsar defiance. Even though every
man of us might be sent to an untimely grave, the Russian flag should
never surmount the White Ensign of Britain. We were determined, so we
set our teeth, and showed a firm and vigorous front to the foe.
"Our two 22-tonners rendered admirable service, and the cannonade kept
up from our 3 and 6-pounder quick-firing guns was playing havoc with the
Russian belted cruiser _Vladimir Monomach_ lying on our port quarter.
The vessel was slightly larger than ourselves, carrying much heavier
armaments, including four 13-ton guns, and twelve 4-tonners. She was
indeed a very formidable opponent, nevertheless we did our best, and,
blazing away at close quarters, soon succeeded in silencing the
starboard 13-tonner nearest us.
"Just at this moment I found we were being attacked on the port bow by
the enormous new turret-ship _Petropavlovsk_ and the _Dvenadsat
Apostoloff_. Two of the heavy 12-inch guns of the former thundered
almost simultaneously, and both shells striking us almost amidships,
caused us such a shock that for a second I stood breathless.
"In a few moments, however, it was reported that our 'vitals' had
fortunately escaped, and we continued firing as if no catastrophe had
occurred. As a matter of fact, the damage caused by those two shells was
appalling.
"The _Jupiter_, steaming about two miles away on our starboard quarter,
was apparently holding her own against the barbette-ships _Tchesme_ and
_Gheorghy Pobyednosets_, the cruiser _Tiumen_, one of the largest in the
world, and the new ram _Admiral Seniavine_. The four attacking vessels,
as seen through the dense smoke, were pouring into the British ship a
deadly fire; yet, judging from the fallen tops and disabled engines of
the _Gheorghy Pobyednosets_ and the wrecked superstructure of the
_Tchesme_, the _Jupiter's_ heavy armaments were executing good work,
notwithstanding the strength of the _Tchesme's_ six 50-ton guns,
admirably arranged in pairs in the centre of the vessel.
"The _Diana_ and _Sans Pareil_, lying near to one another, were
desperately resisting the vigorous attack made by the _Admiral
Uschakoff_, _Minsk_, _Otvazny_, _Kama_, and _Vologda_; and here again,
amid smoke and flying debris, I could distinguish that the 67-tonners of
the _Repulse_, in co-operation with the lighter weapons of the
_Undaunted_, were giving the enemy a taste of what British courage could
accomplish.
"The sea around us simply swarmed with Russian torpedo boats, and it
required all our vigilance to evade their continued attacks. Before an
hour had passed we had succeeded in sinking two by shots from our 6-inch
guns, and several more were sent to the bottom by well-aimed projectiles
from the _Dido_ and _Jupiter_.
"As for ourselves, projectiles were sweeping across our deck like hail,
and under the incessant and fearful fire we were suffering frightfully.
Over sixty of our men and a sub-lieutenant had been killed, while
forty-nine were severely wounded. Once I had occasion to go below, and
between decks the sight that met my gaze was awful.
"Around two of the quick-firing guns on our port quarter lay the guns'
crews, mutilated by shells from the _Vladimir Monomach_. They had been
killed almost instantly while standing bravely at their posts. The scene
was appalling. The mangled masses of humanity amid which the surgeons
were at work were awful to look upon, and I rushed up again with the
terrible scene photographed indelibly upon my memory.
"Meanwhile the ship was in the greatest peril. The continual bursting of
shells upon her shook and shattered her, and she trembled violently as,
time after time, her own guns uttered their thundering reply to her
enemies. Heeling now this way, now that, as the helm was put hard over
to avoid a blow, the situation on board was intensely exciting.
"Those were terrible moments. The captain suddenly noticed the movements
of the _Vladimir Monomach_, and divined her intentions. She had ceased
firing, and by a neatly executed manoeuvre was preparing to ram us. In a
moment our helm was put over again, and the _Edgar_ answered to it
immediately.
"'Ready bow tube!' I heard the captain shout hoarsely. He waited a few
moments, allowing the Russian ironclad to partially perform her
evolution, then just as she came almost into collision with us he
shrieked 'Fire bow tube!' at the same time bringing us over further to
port.
"The seconds seemed hours. Suddenly there was a loud explosion, a great
column of water rose under the Russian's bow, and we knew the torpedo
had struck. At that moment, too, even while the water was still in the
air, one of our torpedo boats which had crept up under the _Vladimir
Monomach's_ stern sent another torpedo at her, which also hit its mark
and ripped her up. Turning our guns upon the armoured cruiser, we poured
volley after volley into her, but she did not reply, for her men were
panic-stricken, and she was sinking fast.
"The _Petropavlovsk_, leaving us, endeavoured to rescue her crew, but
ere a dozen men were saved, she settled down bow foremost, and
disappeared into the deep, carrying down with her nearly five hundred
officers and men.
"The _Dvenadsat Apostoloff_ kept up her fire upon us, and a few moments
later I witnessed another disaster, for a shot from one of her bow guns
struck the torpedo boat that had just assisted us, and sank it. A few
minutes later a loud explosion in the direction of the _Sans Pareil_
attracted my attention, and, turning, I saw amid the smoke-clouds debris
precipitated high into the air. A shot from one of her 111-ton guns had
penetrated to the magazine of the _Admiral Seniavine_, which had
exploded, causing a frightful disaster on board that vessel, and just at
the same moment a cheer from the crew of one of our 6-inch guns prompted
me to look for the cause, which I found in the fact that they had shot
the Russian colours completely away from the _Dvenadsat Apostoloff_.
"Again another frightful explosion sounded loud above the incessant din,
and to my satisfaction I saw a great column of water rise around the
_Admiral Uschakoff_, which, fighting at close quarters with the _Dido_,
had apparently been torpedoed. Not satisfied with this, the captain of
the _Dido_, keeping his machine guns going, turned his vessel and
discharged a second Whitehead, which also struck with such terrible
effect that the Russian ship began at once to sink, and in a few minutes
the blue waves closed for ever over her tops, ere a score or so out of
her crew of 300 could be rescued.
"It was nearly three bells, and the sun was setting. A galling fire from
the machine guns in the foretop of the _Dvenadsat Apostoloff_ suddenly
swept our deck, killing a dozen poor fellows who were at work clearing
away some debris, and at the same moment a shot from one of her 52-ton
guns crashed into our port quarter, and must have caused terrible havoc
among the guns' crews. A moment later we were dismayed by the report
that our steering-gear had been broken. For a few seconds we were
helplessly swinging round under the awful fire which was now pouring
from the great guns of the Russian ironclad, and our captain was making
strenuous efforts to recover control of the ship, when I saw the torpedo
boat _Anakria_ shoot suddenly across our bows, then quickly slacken as
she got to starboard of us.
"A second later I realised her intention, and shouted frantically. A
line of bubbles had appeared on the surface advancing swiftly towards
us. She had ejected a torpedo straight at us, and I stood petrified, not
daring to breathe.
"A moment later there came a terrific explosion right underneath us,
followed by a harsh tearing sound as iron plates were torn asunder like
tinfoil, and the ship's side was ripped completely up. The _Edgar_
heaved high and plunged heavily, a great column of water rose high above
her masts, and the air seemed filled with flying fragments of iron and
wood. The vessel rocked and swayed so that we could not keep our feet,
and then gradually heeling over, causing her guns to shift, she went
down before a soul on board could launch a boat.
"At the moment of the explosion I felt a sharp twinge in the back, and
found that I had been struck by a flying splinter of steel. The strain
of those hours had been terrible, and of the events that followed I can
only recollect two things. I remember finding myself struggling alone in
the water with a shower of bullets from the _Dvenadsat Apostoloff's_
tops sending up little splashes about me. Then I felt my strength
failing, my limbs seemed paralysed, and I could no longer strike out to
save myself. Abandoning all hope, I was sinking, when suddenly a rope
was flung to me. I remember how frantically I clutched it, and that a
few moments later I was hauled aboard a torpedo boat; but for days
afterwards I lay hovering 'twixt life and death, oblivious to all. I
was one of the thirteen only who were saved out of a crew of 327 brave
officers and men."
Such a ghastly disaster could only produce profound dismay among those
who manned the remaining British vessels. Straining every nerve to
uphold the honour of Britain, the guns' crews of the _Jupiter_, _Sans
Pareil_, _Repulse_, and _Undaunted_, with smoke-begrimed hands and
faces, worked on with that indomitable energy begotten of despair.
Regardless of the awful rain of shot and shell, they reloaded and fired
with calm, dogged self-possession, the officers on all four vessels
inspiring their men by various deeds of valour, and preserving such
discipline under fire as none but British sailors could. The British
naval officer is full of undaunted defiance and contempt for his foes;
but, above all, he is a strict disciplinarian, and to this our country
in a great measure owes the supremacy our Navy has hitherto enjoyed upon
the seas. During the fight the vessels had been moving in a
north-easterly direction, and although the Russians were unaware of the
fact, Her Majesty's ships had therefore continued in their course.
Hence, just as a cool breeze sprang up at sundown, soon after the
_Edgar_ had sunk, a line of low dark cliffs was sighted ahead.
The officers of the _Diana_, watching anxiously through their glasses,
distinguished the distant crest of Mount Genargentu gradually appearing
against the clear evening sky, and then they knew that they were off
Sardinia, outside the Gulf of Oristano.
Altering their course, they headed due north, still keeping up a running
fire, but the Russians prevented them making headway.
All our vessels were suffering frightfully, when there was a sudden
explosion, and, to the Englishmen's dismay, it was seen that a torpedo
had struck the _Undaunted_ nearly amidships. Still the doomed vessel
managed to evade a second attack, and by a desperate manoeuvre the
captain succeeded in turning and heading for land.
The remaining ships, in their terribly crippled condition, would, the
Russians anticipated, soon fall an easy prey. Nevertheless, with their
crews decimated, their guns disabled, and their machinery damaged, the
British vessels still continued firing, the men resolved to go down at
their quarters. They knew that escape was hopeless, and every moment
they saw their comrades being swept away by the great exploding
projectiles of the Tsar's heavy guns. But they were not dismayed. To do
their utmost for the defence of Britain, to keep afloat as long as
possible, and to die like Britons with faces towards the foe, was their
duty. Pale and desperate, they were fighting for their country and their
Queen, knowing that only a grave in the deep and the honour of those at
home would be the reward of their bravery--that at any moment they might
be launched into the unknown.
Suddenly there was a loud shouting on board the _Jupiter_, and signals
were, a moment later, run up to her half-wrecked top. The captain of the
_Dido_, noticing this, looked to ascertain the cause, and saw away on
the horizon to the north, whence the dark night clouds were rising, a
number of strange craft. Snatching up his glass, he directed it on the
strangers, and discovered that they were Italian warships, and were
exchanging rapid signals with the captain. They were promising
assistance!
Cheers rang loudly through the British vessels, when, a few minutes
later, the truth became known, and the guns' crews worked with redoubled
energy, while the Russians, noticing the approaching ships, were
apparently undecided how to act. They were given but little time for
reflection, however, for within half an hour the first of the great
Italian ironclads, the _Lepanto_, opened fire upon the _Petropavlovsk_,
and was quickly followed by others, until the action became general all
round.
Aid had arrived just in time, and the British vessels, with engines
broken, stood away at some distance, leaving matters for the nonce to
the powerful Italian Squadron. It was indeed a very formidable one, and
its appearance caused the Russian Admiral such misgivings that he gave
orders to retreat, a manoeuvre attempted unsuccessfully. The Italian
Fleet, as it loomed up in the falling gloom, included no fewer than
twenty-six warships and forty-three torpedo boats. The vessels consisted
of the barbette-ship _Lepanto_ of 15,000 tons; the _Sardegna_,
_Sicilia_, and _Re Umberto_ of 13,000 tons; the _Andrea Doria_,
_Francesca Morosini_, and _Ruggiero di Lauria_ of 11,000 tons; the
turret-ships _Dandolo_ and _Duilio_ of the same size; the _Ammeraglio di
St. Bon_ of 9800 tons; the armoured cruisers _Ancona_, _Castelfidardo_,
and _Maria Pia_, and the _San Martino_, each of about 4500 tons; the
gun-vessels _Andrea Provana_, _Cariddi_, _Castore_, _Curtatone_; the
torpedo gunboats _Aretusa_, _Atlante_, _Euridice_, _Iride_,
_Montebello_, and _Monzambano_; the despatch vessels _Galileo_ and
_Vedetta_; and the first-class torpedo vessels _Aquila_, _Avvoltoio_,
_Falco_, _Nibbio_, and _Sparviero_, and thirty-eight others.
With such a force descending upon the Russian ships, which had already
been very severely punished by the vigorous fire of the British, there
was little wonder that the Tsar's vessels should endeavour to escape.
The Italian Fleet had already bombarded and destroyed Ajaccio two days
ago, and, steaming south from the Corsican capital, had anchored for
twenty-four hours off Cape della Caccia, near Alghero, in the north of
Sardinia. Then again taking a southerly course in the expectation of
joining hands with the British Mediterranean Squadron, which was on its
way from Marseilles to Cagliari, they had fallen in with the three
crippled ships.
Without hesitation the powerful Italian ironclads, several of which were
among the finest in the world, opened a terrific fire upon the Russian
ships, and as darkness fell the sight was one of appalling grandeur.
From all sides flame rushed from turrets and barbettes in vivid flashes,
while the Maxims in the tops poured out their deadly showers of bullets.
The ponderous 105-ton guns of the _Andrea Doria_, _Francesca Morosini_,
and _Ruggiero di Lauria_ crashed and roared time after time, their great
shots causing frightful havoc among the Russian ships, the four
100-tonners of the _Lepanto_ and the 67-tonners of the _Re Umberto_,
_Sardegna_, and _Sicilia_ simply knocking to pieces the _Petropavlovsk_.
The Russian ships were receiving terrible blows on every hand. With
their search-lights beaming forth in all directions, the ships were
fighting fiercely, pounding away at each other with deafening din. It
was not long, however, before this vigorous attack of the Italians began
to tell, for within an hour of the first shot from the _Lepanto_ the
fine Russian battleship _Gheorghy Pobyednosets_ and the great new
cruiser _Minsk_ of 17,000 tons had been rammed and sunk, the former by
the _Duilio_, and the latter by the _Re Umberto_, while the _Tchesme_
and the gunboat _Otvazny_ had been torpedoed, and scarcely a soul saved
out of 1500 men who were on board.
Explosions were occurring in quick succession, and red glares flashed
momentarily over the sea. Hither and thither as the Italian torpedo
boats darted they ejected their missiles, and the rapid and terrible
fire from the leviathans of Italy, pouring into every one of the
remaining ships of the Tsar, killed hundreds who were striving to defend
themselves.
Suddenly the _Sicilia_, which had been fighting the Russian flagship,
the _Tria Sviatitelia_, at close quarters, and had blown away her
conning-tower and greater portion of her superstructure, performed a
neat evolution, and crashed her ram right into her opponent's broadside,
breaking her almost in half.
A few moments later there was a terrific explosion on board, and then
the doomed vessel sank into the dark rolling sea, carrying with her the
Russian Admiral and all hands.
Quickly this success was followed by others--the blowing up of the
monster new cruiser _Tiumen_, the sinking of the _Adler_ and four other
Russian torpedo boats, occurring in rapid succession. Seeing with what
rapidity and irresistible force they were being swept from the sea, the
remainder of the Tsar's shattered fleet struck their flags and called
for quarter, not, however, before the torpedo boat _Kodor_ had been
sunk. The Russians thus captured were the battleships _Petropavlovsk_ of
10,960 tons, the _Dvenadsat Apostoloff_ of 8076 tons, the two new
barbette-ships, _Kama_ and _Vologda_, both of whose engines had broken
down, and fifteen torpedo boats.
[Illustration:
_Ruggiero di Lauria._ _Re Umberto._ _Duilio._ _Tchesme._
_Dvenadsat Apostoloff._
_H.M.S. Edgar._
HELP FROM ITALY: "WITH THEIR SEARCH-LIGHTS BEAMING FORTH IN ALL
DIRECTIONS, THE SHIPS WERE FIGHTING FIERCELY, POUNDING AWAY AT EACH
OTHER WITH DEAFENING DIN."]
At dawn most of the latter were manned by Italians, while the captured
ships, with the Italian colours flying and bearing evidence of the
terrible conflict, were on their way due north to Genoa, accompanied by
the battered British vessels.
The strongest division of Russia's Fleet had been totally destroyed, and
the Tsar's power in the Mediterranean was broken.