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 pa.s.sing 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 antic.i.p.ated, 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 sh.e.l.l 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_, _Ja.n.u.s_, _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_.
[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 sh.e.l.ls falling upon them every moment, and their decks swept by the withering fire of machine guns. Suddenly, after a sh.e.l.l 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 sh.e.l.ls 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.
Hoa.r.s.e 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 sh.o.r.e. Yet, without exception, all these succ.u.mbed 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 sh.e.l.l 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 gla.s.ses 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.
CHAPTER XIV.
BATTLE OFF BEACHY HEAD.
The sun at last broke forth brilliantly, betokoning another blazing day.
Having regard to the fact that both the Channel Fleet and the reserve had been sent on futile errands by our enemy"s secret agent, and the superior forces against which the British had all along had to fight, they had most a.s.suredly shown what tact and courage could effect.
Opposite the Belle Tout lighthouse a disaster occurred to the _Narcissus_. During the fight one of her engines had been injured, and this being now strained to its utmost limit had suddenly broken down altogether, with the result that the vessel gradually slackened speed, and the _Sfax_ and _Alger_ bore down quickly upon her, pouring into her a heavy fire from their 5-tonners. The reply was a weak one from her quick-firing guns, her heavy arms having nearly all been disabled.
Onward steamed the _Galatea_ and _Hannibal_, keeping up a running fire with the four vessels pursuing them, while the two cruisers engaging the _Narcissus_ continued their strenuous endeavours to silence her guns.
The British sailors, however, still undaunted, quickly showed their opponents that all the arms workable would be brought into play by directing a most vigorous fire upon their pursuers, blowing away one of the funnels of the _Alger_, and disabling one of her large bow guns.
Just then, however, while the _Narcissus_ was discharging a broadside, a torpedo boat crept under her stern and sent forth its submerged projectile. For a moment there was a hush of expectation, then a dull explosion sounded as the cruiser, apparently rent in twain, plunged stern foremost into the sea, and with her ensign still flying gradually disappeared without a soul on board being able to save himself.
Meanwhile the _Galatea_ and _Hannibal_, with their torpedo boats, were sustaining serious injuries from the heavy bow fire, and there seemed every possibility that they too would share the same terrible fate as the _Narcissus_, when suddenly one of the officers of the _Galatea_ discovered three vessels approaching. The "demand" was immediately hoisted, and responded to by both vessels running up private signals.
With an expression of satisfaction he directed the attention of the captain to the fact, for the flags of the first-named vessel showed her to be the British turret-ship _Monarch_, and those of the second the great barbette-ship _Rodney_, while a moment later it was discerned that the third vessel was the _Gorgon_.
Even as they looked, other masts appeared upon the horizon, and then they knew relief was at hand. Both vessels ran up signals, while the men, encouraged by the knowledge that some powerful British ironclads were bearing down to their aid in indented line ahead, worked with increased vigour to keep the enemy at bay.
It was a fierce, sanguinary fight. Fire vomited from all the vessels"
battered works, and the scuppers ran with blood. The French vessels, having apparently also noticed the relief approaching, did not seem inclined to fight, but were nevertheless compelled, and not for a single instant did the firing from the attacked vessels cease. Their guns showed constant bursts of flame.
Soon, however, the _Rodney_ drew within range. A puff of white smoke from her barbette, and the _Cecille_ received a taste of her quick-firing guns, the shots from which struck her amidships, killing a large number of her men, and tearing up her deck. This was followed by deafening discharges from the four 25-ton guns of the _Monarch_, while the _Gorgon_ and a number of other vessels as they approached all took part in the conflict, the engagement quickly becoming general. With great precision the British directed their fire, and the French vessels soon prepared to beat a retreat, when, without warning, a frightful explosion occurred on board the _Hirondelle_, and wreckage mingled with human limbs shot into the air amid a great sheet of flame.
The magazine had exploded! The scene on board the doomed vessel, even as witnessed from the British ships, was awful. Terrified men left their guns, and, rushing hither and thither, sought means of escape. But the boats had already been smashed by shots from the British cruisers, and all knew that death was inevitable.
The burning ship slowly foundered beneath them, and as they rushed about in despair they fell back into the roaring flames. A British torpedo boat rescued about a dozen; but presently, with a heavy list, the warship suddenly swung round, and, bow first, disappeared into the green sunlit sea, leaving only a few poor wretches, who, after struggling vainly on the surface for a few moments, also went down to the unknown.
The carnage was frightful. Hundreds of men were being launched into eternity, while upon the horizon both east and west dozens of ships of both invaders and defenders were rapidly approaching, and all would, ere long, try conclusions.
Before half an hour had pa.s.sed, a fierce battle, as sanguinary as any in the world"s history, had commenced. The cruisers, acting as satellites to the battleships forming the two opposing fighting lines, had quickly commenced a series of fierce skirmishes and duels, all the most destructive engines of modern warfare being brought into play.
The division of our Channel Fleet that had at last returned consisted of the powerful battleship _Royal Sovereign_, flying the Admiral"s flag; the barbette-ships _Anson_, _Howe_, _Camperdown_, and _Benbow_; the turret-ships _Thunderer_ and _Conqueror_; the cruisers _Mersey_, _Terpsich.o.r.e_, _Melampus_, _Tribune_, _Latona_, _Immortalite_, and _Barham_; with the torpedo gunboats _Spanker_ and _Speedwell_, and nineteen torpedo boats.
The forces of the invaders were more than double that of the British, for, in addition to the vessels already enumerated, the reinforcements consisted of the French battleships _Amiral Baudin_, _Formidable_, _Amiral Duperre_, _Brennus_, _Trehouart_, _Jemappes_, _Terrible_, _Requin_, _Indomptable_, _Caman_, _Courbet_, _Devastation_, _Redoubtable_, and _Furieux_, together with nine cruisers, and thirty-eight _torpilleurs de haute mer_.
From the very commencement the fighting was at close quarters, and the storm of shot and sh.e.l.l caused death on every hand. With such an overwhelming force at his disposal, Admiral Maigret, the French commander, had been enabled to take up a position which boded ill for the defenders, nevertheless the British Admiral on board the _Royal Sovereign_ was determined to exert every effort to repulse the enemy.
In the thick of the fight the great flagship steamed along, her compartments closed, her stokeholds screwed down, her four 67-ton guns hurling great shots from her barbettes, and her smaller arms pouring out a continuous deadly fire upon the French ship _Indomptable_ on the one side, and the great Russian armoured cruiser _Nicolai I._ on the other.
Upon the latter the British vessel"s sh.e.l.ls played with a terribly devastating effect, bringing down the large forward mast and the machine guns in her fighting tops, and then, while the crew worked to get the wreckage clear, the Maxim, Nordenfelt, and Hotchkiss guns of the _Royal Sovereign_ suddenly rattled out, sweeping with their metal hail her opponent"s deck, and mowing down those who were cutting adrift the fallen rigging. A moment later a sh.e.l.l struck one of the pair of guns in the _Nicolai"s_ turret, rendering it useless, and then the captain of the _Royal Sovereign_, who had been standing in the conning-tower calmly awaiting his chance, touched three electric k.n.o.bs in rapid succession.
The engines throbbed, the great ship moved along at increasing speed through dense clouds of stifling smoke, and as she did so the captain shouted an order which had the effect of suddenly turning the vessel, and while her great barbette guns roared, the ram of the British vessel crashed into the broadside of the Tsar"s ship with a terrific impact which caused her to shiver from stem to stern.
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Nicolai I._ _Royal Sovereign._ BATTLE OFF BEACHY HEAD: H.M.S. "ROYAL SOVEREIGN" RAMMING THE "NICOLAI I."]