Читать книгу The Rival Submarines - Percy Francis Westerman - Страница 5

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Before night the news of the event that caused the manoeuvres to be hurriedly abandoned had been published in the papers. Most of the journals contented themselves with a brief account of what had transpired, based upon reports that had been obtained from men serving in the Fleet; for although liberty men were not landed communication with the shore had to be maintained. Other papers enlarged on the actual facts, and announced in double-leaded columns that a foreign submarine had attempted to fix mines to the hulls of the ships at Spithead.

Never had there been such conjectures since the time when some years previously an airship of unknown nationality had sailed over Chatham and Sheerness. People asked what was the use of making elaborate defences against aircraft when a submarine could unseen enter the most strongly fortified roadstead in the world and coolly tamper with the moorings of the Fleet?

Meanwhile the Naval authorities at Portsmouth, who regarded Captain Restronguet's visit as a slur upon their capabilities, lost no time in prosecuting their investigations. A stupendous obstruction, formed of several old torpedo nets fastened together, was thrown across the Needles Channel between Cliff End Fort in the Isle of Wight and Hurst Castle on the Hampshire shore; while a similar defence net was placed between the seaward extremities of the two new breakwaters on the eastern side of Spithead. All homeward bound shipping was forbidden to make for any of the ports within these obstructions, while an embargo was placed upon all merchant vessels about to leave Southampton, Portsmouth and Cowes, and their outlying ports. It was a drastic order, and quite unnecessary, but the country was almost in a state of panic.

Into the enclosed area every available trawler suitable for mine-sweeping, as well as all the dockyard hopper-barges fitted with appliances for "creeping" were kept busily at work, till hardly a square yard of the bottom of the Solent was left unexplored, and not until this particular work was completed did the authorities agree that the mysterious submarine might have left these waters almost as soon as Captain Restronguet had left his new-fangled cards upon the officers commanding H.M. ships at Spithead.

While these dragging operations were in progress the force of the tide through the Needles Channel, which often exceeds seven knots, tore away the nets thrown across that passage. Two days later the easternmost netdefence was removed, and it was then found that a rent thirty feet in length had been made in the steel meshes. Whether this was done by human or natural agency could not be determined, a minute examination of the fracture ending in nothing but heated arguments between the experts who had been called in to make a report.

On the same day that the torpedo net defences were removed the master of SS. "Barberton Castle" reported sighting two submarines lying motionless on the water, about fifteen miles S.S.E. of the Lizard. He stated that owing to the submarines being against the light he was unable to see them at all distinctly, yet he felt certain that they were of a totally different type from those of the British and French navies. They were so close together that the bows of one overlapped the quarters of the other, and thinking that they were in distress, he ordered the "Barberton Castle's" head to be turned in their direction. Directly the tramp answered to her helm both submarines dived simultaneously, and were lost to view.

The next morning Reuter's published a telegram from their agent at Cherbourg, announcing that the mysterious Captain Restronguet had brought his submarine into the harbour and at high tide had placed three dummy mines at the entrance to the docks in the naval arsenal. To each of the mines was a tablet on which was painted "Avec les assurances de ma plus parfaite consideration--Restronguet, capitan de sous-marin."

With the fall of the tide, that here exceeds twenty feet, these disquieting evidences were discovered, and within a few hours Captain Restronguet was the talk of all the cafés of Paris. The French, pioneers in submarine warfare, were now at a loss to explain how a submerged craft could, in broad daylight, enter the breakwater-enclosed harbour and run alongside the caissons of the docks without being discovered, while to deposit three bulky "mines" in water of not more than three fathoms in depth was an exploit that required a lot of explanation as to how it was done.

The transference of Captain Restronguet's attentions to the other side of the Channel relaxed the tension on the British shore. But, bearing in mind that Cherbourg is only a few hours' distance from Portsmouth, the naval authorities at the latter port were still on tenter-hooks.

A week passed. The First Battle Squadron of the Home Fleet still remained at Spithead, although under orders to proceed to the Nore at an early date.

At 11.15 one morning a startling incident occurred that, rightly or wrongly, was attributed in some manner to Captain Restronguet.

It was on Southsea beach, almost midway between the pier and the castle. The beach and parade were thronged with people, mostly visitors who had taken advantage of the Fleet's presence to enjoy the view of the ships. The sea was perfectly smooth, being unruffled by the light off-shore breeze; the tide was, however, running very strongly, for it was about the fourth hour of the ebb.

Suddenly a succession of shrieks from a group of children paddling in the water attracted the attention of persons in the vicinity, and to the astonishment of every one the head and shoulders of a man encased in a dull green metal helmet emerged from the waves.

For a few moments the man hesitated, then staggered out of the water. At the edge of the beach he sat down and began to remove his head-dress, that the onlookers noticed was unprovided with air-tube or life-line. He was apparently quite independent of an outside air-supply.

Surprise had hitherto kept the spectators at a respectful distance, although their numbers were momentarily increased by others, until a deep semicircle of gaping onlookers hedged the diver in on the landward side. But as soon as he began to take off his helmet the crowd swayed nearer and nearer.

The removal of the metal head-dress revealed the features of a man of about thirty years of age, clean-shaven and with closely-cropped dark-brown hair that had a tendency to curl. Without speaking a word the unknown drew a knife from his belt and began to hack rapidly at some contrivance at the back of his helmet. As soon as he had severed the part he was attacking he stood up and hurled it far into the sea. This done he calmly began to strip off the stiff fabric that composed his diving suit.

By this time the coastguard on duty at the look-out hut had noticed the crowd congregate, and through his glass saw that something unusual was happening and that a diver had come ashore. Since there were no Government diving boats anywhere in sight he naturally thought that it was a case for investigation, and the detachment of coastguards was promptly turned out.

"Here, sir, what's the meaning of this?" demanded the chief officer, forcing his way through the crowd. "Who are you, and how did you manage to get ashore here?"

"That I can easily explain," replied the unknown. "I am an inventor, and this diving-dress represents the result of seven years' work. I walked into the sea at Gosport a couple of hours ago, but, getting caught in the strong current running out of Portsmouth Harbour, I was swept a great distance until I managed to regain my feet. By walking in a direction due north as shown by my watertight compass I came ashore here. Needless to say I do not look for publicity, and all I wish is to pack up my discarded gear and go."

The chief officer looked at the stranger with mingled astonishment, admiration, and doubt. Never before had he known of a diver covering a distance of more than two miles, and that without the assistance of a boat containing the necessary apparatus for supplying the submerged man with air.

"Hanged if I know what to make of it, Smithers!" he said in an aside to his leading petty officer. "Perhaps he's a spy, or one of that blooming Captain Restronguet's crowd. This beats all creation!"

"Can't we detain him on suspicion?" asked Smithers. "I'll swear he's up to no good."

"I've half a mind to," replied the chief officer dubiously. "But, you see, they'll come down on me like a hundred of bricks if I exceed my duty."

"Invite him to the station, friendly-like," suggested the petty officer, "then, while he's there, you can telephone for instructions."

"I'll try it, by smoke!" ejaculated the chief officer, and approaching the unknown he asked if he would like to dry his clothes at the coast-guard station, since his ordinary garments, owing to the exertion in a confined space, were dripping with moisture.

"No, thank you," replied the submarine pedestrian. "All I want is to get a taxi, and make myself scarce. The attentions of so large a crowd are really embarrassing, and I am a man of a very retiring disposition. Had I expected this reception I should have vastly preferred to have landed in a more secluded spot."

With that he ignored his questioners and began to roll his diving suit into as small a compass as possible.

The coastguards were on the horns of a dilemma. They feared to make an unlawful arrest, while they might be severely brought to book for allowing the stranger to slip through their fingers, but there was nothing in the King's Regulations to prevent a man landing on a public beach, whether from a boat, hydro-aeroplane, or otherwise.

Just at that instant a policeman strolled leisurely up, and scenting a charge, produced his notebook and pencil.

"Hi! What's this you're up to?" he demanded, but the unknown totally ignored him.

"Can't he speak English?" asked the policeman of the coastguard officer.

"Rather," asserted the other emphatically; then in a lower tone he added, "Look here, we want to detain the man, but we cannot name a charge."

"I'll see about that," retorted the policeman. "Now, sir, your name and address, please."

"Allow me to inform you, constable, that my name is not 'Hi.' Since you addressed me as such you must not be surprised that your question was ignored."

A titter went up from the crowd, which had the effect of rousing the ire of the representative of the Law.

"Now, sir, your name and address, please."

"What for, constable?"

"For bathing off a public beach in prohibited hours."

"Don't talk rot!" exclaimed the unknown indignantly.

"Very good; since you refuse I have no option--I arrest you. Any statement you make may be used as evidence against you. Come along with me."

Attended by the surging crowd the policeman escorted his charge to the road, where a cab was hailed. The chief officer of coastguards was requested to accompany the prisoner as a witness, and the three entered the vehicle and were driven to the police-station.

Here, in order to gain time, the prisoner was formally charged with unlawful bathing, and as the Court was still sitting at the Town Hall he was ordered to be taken there at once. The chief officer meanwhile communicated with the naval authorities by telephone, expressing his opinion that the diver was a member of the mysterious Captain Restronguet's submarine.

But the prisoner never arrived at the Town Hall. When the cab stopped outside the court a policeman was found insensible on the seat. The floor had been violently ripped up, and unknown to the driver and the constable on the box the suspect had got clean away. By some inexplicable agency the unknown had deprived his captor of his senses, and the mystery of Captain Restronguet had entered into another phase.