The Rival Submarines

by Percy F. Westerman

  CHAPTER IX.

  THE FIRST DAY IN THE "APHRODITE."

  A bell rang out sharply in the captain's cabin of the "Aphrodite," andone of the electric indicators oscillated rapidly.

  "Accumulators charged," announced Captain Restronguet laconically.

  "It is a revelation to me," said Hythe. "And when one comes to considerthat at every hour of the day hundreds, nay thousands, of ships arestraining idly at their moorings, it is certainly remarkable that nosatisfactory attempt has hitherto been made to harness the tides."

  "That's only one of the many lessons you will learn," remarked theCaptain. "But we are getting under way once more. Perhaps you wouldlike to see the mechanism on Number Three Platform?"

  "Most certainly I should," replied the sub.

  In the alley-way they encountered a short, broad-shouldered man who hadto set his back against the metal wall in order to allow his captain topass.

  "All correct, sir," he said saluting.

  "Right, Mr. Devoran. Who's in the conning-tower?"

  "Mylor, sir."

  "Good. I will take the 'Aphrodite' up the river. You need not turn outtill midnight. I shall want you then."

  "That is my chief mate, Mr. Devoran," remarked Captain Restronguet,after the man had gone to his cabin. "A truer-hearted comrade one couldnot possibly desire. He is the only man on board beside myself whothoroughly understands the whole of the complicated mechanism of mymasterpiece. There are others who are capable of manoeuvring the'Aphrodite,' but they do not understand how to handle her for offensivepurposes."

  Throwing back a watertight sliding-door in the port fore and aftbulkhead Captain Restronguet signed to the sub to enter. Hythe foundhimself in a small compartment on the walls of which were severalarticles and gear. No space was wasted on board the "Aphrodite."

  In the centre of the floor was an oval-shaped aperture, sealed with arubber-lined lid, that by means of double levers could be opened fromeither above or below. As the hatch opened Hythe saw a portion of thewell-lighted interior of the lower deck, access to which being gained bymeans of a vertical steel ladder.

  The for'ard compartment, extending the whole length and breadth of theforemost section of the submarine, with the exception of the space takenup by the diving-exit, was as far unlike the forehold of a ship as thesub could possibly imagine. The cement-cased walls were distempered apale green; thick corticene--a kind of linoleum used in theNavy--covered the floors; alongside the after bulkhead were twoarms-racks filled with automatic rifles and pistols, and other modernsmall-arms. Secured to the deck was an automatic one-pounder field-gun.Towards the bows were two long narrow tubes, the external diameter byless than seven inches, while a seemingly complicated arrangement ofdouble-locking doors, electric wires, trippers and gauges suggested tothe sub that these instruments were torpedo tubes.

  "Quite right," said Captain Restronguet in reply to Hythe's question."A pair of six-inch tubes firing electrically directed torpedoes. Theywill never miss their target, I can assure you, even at five milesrange, if controlled from a lofty station. Here we are limited, but solong as we can see our target by means of our flexibly attachedperiscope, there is a million chances to one on the weapon striking themark. But listen!"

  The hiss of a powerful water jet was just audible through the doubleplating of the submarine's hull.

  "Merely a precautionary measure to clear the holding plates of mud andseaweed," explained Captain Restronguet. "If the spades, as I mightterm them, do not fold absolutely flush with the vessel's bottom,there's bound to be a tremendous resistance to the water andconsequently a serious loss of speed. Now the jet is turned off.Listen again and you will hear the anchor plates come home."

  "That they are!" exclaimed the sub, as a distinct thud shook the platesunder his feet. "I suppose they are lifted by metal rods working inwater-tight glands?"

  "Oh, no; merely by the attraction of electromagnets. Every valve anddoor in this vessel is electrically controlled, although in some cases,such for instance the hatch by which we gained this compartment, manualpower can be used. When next an opportunity serves I will show you theengine-room, but we are about to rise now. I must go to the for'ardconning-tower. You may come, too, if you feel inclined, or if youprefer there is a private cabin at your disposal."

  "How does the submarine rise, might I ask? By means of horizontalrudders?"

  "Yes and no," replied Captain Restronguet. "But before I explain perhapsthis might interest you."

  Stepping over to where three levers stood in the centre of thecompartment the captain thrust one hard down. Instantly a portion ofthe floor opened. Another lever caused a corresponding part of theouter plating to slide back, revealing an observation plate of aboutthree feet by two through the double skins of the starboardbilge-plates.

  "I can see nothing," said Hythe, as he strove to peer through the glass."It is perfectly dark."

  "There ought to be sufficient light at this depth to see fairly well,but since the 'Aphrodite' is still on or nearly on the bottom of TheNarrows, the hull intercepts what little light there is to penetrate thewater. Now look!"

  Touching a switch Captain Restronguet caused a strong search-light toshine vertically downwards. About a fathom of water lay between herkeel and the floor of the sea. She was slowly moving under theinfluence of the young flood tide. The bed was shelving steeply fromone hundred and twenty feet to less than ninety. Hythe could see theseaweed waving in the current and the fash, mostly of the flat-fishtribe, darting rapidly towards the dazzling light.

  "What's that?" he asked, as two objects, resembling barnacle-coveredpipes passed slowly across the field of light.

  "Telephone cables between the Victualling Yard and Mount Edgcumbe,"replied his companion. "If I felt inclined, what is to prevent me fromsending out a man and tapping those wires? All submarine cables areentirely at my mercy. If I wished I could create a greater panic thanthe Stock Exchange, the Bourse, or Wall Street ever yet experienced.But I must switch off the light and close the panels now. I am wantedin the conning-tower."

  As the sub followed his companion he could not help noticing thefreshness of the atmosphere. Compared with the nauseating reek of thesubmarines he had served in the interior of the "Aphrodite" was aswholesome as could be. There was, moreover, a sting in the atmospherethat recalled the health-giving breezes of the Scottish moors.

  "All right, Mylor, you carry on," exclaimed the captain to the helmsmanin the conning-tower. "Starboard your helm a bit--go!"

  Forty feet beneath the surface the submarine swung round the sharp bandformed by the high ground of Cremyll and Mount Edgcumbe. Close to theheavy mooring-chains to the south of the Rubble Bank she glided, tillher course, almost due north, lay right up the land-locked Hamoaze.

  "Why, we're going up the River Tamar!" exclaimed Hythe, glancing at thecompass. His knowledge of the intricacies of Plymouth Harbour and theHamoaze, and the compass course told him that, for nothing was to beseen through the conning-tower scuttles save an expanse of pale greenwater.

  "Yes, that is so. I am just running up to Saltash in order to pick up aman returning from leave," replied Captain Restronguet with a laugh. Hespoke as casually as if he were the coxswain of a British battleship'sliberty-boat. "We are now passing the South Yard of Devonport Dockyard.But excuse me, I have something to attend to in the after conning-tower.You won't mind remaining here, I trust? Keep her as she is, Mylor; I amgoing to reduce speed to five knots or even less."

  Hythe sat down on a folding seat fixed below the port scuttle, whence hecould see either ahead or on his left. The helmsman's head andshoulders obstructed the view to starboard.

  It was fascinating work watching the sea swirl past, and noting thechanges as the "Aphrodite" passed through patches of various colouredwater, for the tide was beginning to stir up the dark brown sedimentbrought down from the Devonian Hills by the swift-running Tamar, and theresult was a constan
t kaleidoscope. But after a while, finding thatnothing else was visible, the sub transferred his attention to theinterior of the conning-tower.

  Presently a bell gave forth a warning note and the helmsman promptlytouched a lever. The depth according to the gauge diminished to lessthan thirty-five feet.

  "Is that an automatic sounding machine?" asked Hythe.

  Mylor, still keeping his eyes fixed in front of him, shut his lipstightly, and Hythe, thinking that he had not caught what had been said,repeated the question.

  "Cannot say, sir," said the helmsman decidedly. "It's against orders.For any information ask the cap'n."

  "That's a staggerer," thought the sub. "One thing about it the fellow'strue to his master."

  Meanwhile Captain Restronguet had retired to his cabin, where he drafteda communication to the Commander-in Chief of the Devonport Command.This done, he ascended to the after conning-tower where two seamen wereon duty.

  "Ship the periscope, Carclew. Directly you sight any small Governmentcraft bearing down this way let me know. And Gwennap, get this letterready for delivery."

  The periscope consisted of a double-wedge shaped instrument connected tothe top of the after conning-tower by means of a flexible armouredinsulated wire. Carclew, by switching off the current from anelectro-magnet, allowed the float to rise to the surface, where, owingto the comparatively slow rate of the submarine, it was towed withoutbeing dragged under. As soon as this was done another switch wasmanipulated, and instantly a reproduction of the surrounding objects wasfaithfully projected by an advanced form of telephotography upon a dullwhite board fixed to the wall of the conning-tower.

  "There's a black pinnace with a yellow awning coming down stream, sir,"announced Carclew. "She's got the letters M.P. on her bows."

  "Police launch evidently," said Captain Restronguet. "Now Gwennap,stand by. Are we right under her course, Carclew?"

  The man Gwennap had meanwhile placed the document in an oiled coveringwhich in turn he lashed to a globular white and green buoy. This heplaced in an ejector, made on the principle of a submerged torpedo tube.

  "All ready, sir," he announced.

  Captain Restronguet held up his hand, and receiving an affirmativegesture from the seaman at the periscope-board, nodded his head. Therewas a slight, almost inaudible hiss and the buoy with the messageattached, was ejected out of the conning-tower, rising to the surfacewithin fifty yards of the on-coming launch.

  "They've picked it up, sir," declared Carclew, after half a minute hadelapsed.

  "That's well," murmured the captain, as he descended the conning-towerladder. "I wonder if the reply will be in a similar strain to the one Ireceived five years ago. Ah! I wonder."

  And with a grave smile on his resolute features Captain Restronguetreturned to his cabin.

  "Send Mr. Hythe to me," he ordered, when a seaman appeared in answer tohis summons. "And tell the diving-party detailed for duty to have theboat ready for launching; warn Polglaze and Lancarrow to stand by ateleven to-night."

  "Now, Mr. Hythe," said Captain Restronguet, when the sub was shown intothe cabin, "I may as well tell you that I have reported your presenceand that of the able seaman to the Commander-in-Chief, and doubtless Ishall have a reply before noon to-morrow. If you would like to see ourperiscope in working order now is a good opportunity. We are travellingdead slow, and there is plenty to be seen here--more so than at sea."

  "It is a picture," exclaimed the sub enthusiastically, as he gazed uponthe electrically-depicted panorama. "The whole horizon is included; buthow do you know in what direction an object is lying?"

  "Simply by the position of this board. It revolves by the same magneticinfluence that causes the compass card always to point to themagnetic-north, only here we have made corrections for the variation ofthe compass. The only drawback is that objects to the south are showninverted on the board, but with a little practice one soon getsaccustomed to this. It is like the inverted image on the ground glassof a camera, and to an experienced photographer that state of affairspresents no difficulty. Here we are: right abeam on the starboard handyou can see Bull Point, the ordnance depot. When were you last up theriver Tamar, might I ask?"

  "Quite two years ago."

  "And it is more than seven since last I saw Saltash Bridge. There havebeen vast changes, and I suppose had you been at the periscope all theway up the Hamoaze you would have noticed a difference in the aspect ofthe place."

  "I see that they've covered in the magazines with earth," said Hythe."That's for protection against attack from aerial craft."

  "And it is the same in Devonport and Keyham Yards. There's no doubt theBritish nation has developed an air-invasion panic. For instance: yearsago all the building slips in the Royal Dockyards were roofed in. I canremember the huge sloping roofs with their skylights arranged after themanner of the ports of an old three-decker man-of-war. Early in thepresent century these roofs were removed, and the slips were leftentirely open and uncovered. Now what do I see? Every dock, everyslip, every Government workshop of importance is housed in with abomb-proof steel roof. And with one touch of my little finger I coulddo more damage, and without being seen, to that place yonder than thecombined aerial fleets of Germany and Austria. But see, we are in sightof Saltash Bridge. Just below that structure I mean to bring up for thenight. I regret, Mr. Hythe, I cannot give you an opportunity to stretchyour legs upon Devon or Cornish soil, but I trust that you will realizethat circumstances prevent my so doing."

  The "Aphrodite" sank to the bed of the river between the lofty bridgeand the chains of the floating-bridge plying between the village ofSaltash and the left bank of the Tamar. Here in fifty-six feet of watershe was in absolute safety, and since there was no occasion to rechargeher accumulators, she had chosen a berth where she was partiallyprotected from the full force of the tide by water-pipes that are laidacross the bed of the river by the side of the Albert Bridge.

  Just before dinner Hythe asked if he could see his man, O'Shaunessey,and to this request Captain Restronguet made no objection. The subcould, of course, have had the Irishman sent to the cabin allotted tohis personal use, but somehow he preferred to see the man in the crew'squarters. With so many mechanical and electrical contrivances about herHythe fought shy of conversing with O'Shaunessey in his cabin; theremight, he thought, be some device whereby the captain could overhearevery word.

  The men's living-room presented quite an animated scene when Hytheentered. Tea had just been finished, and the crew who were on "watchbelow" were playing cards, dominoes, and billiards, or else reading ortalking. A large electric gramophone was reproducing the latest songs,interspersed with the old-time seamen's chanties that seemed utterly outof place within a submarine. Captain Restronguet, recognizing thedemoralizing effect of ennui, had taken every safeguard to maintain acheerful demeanour amongst his men.

  Although nearly every one was smoking there was hardly any sign offumes. Overhead three electric fans were expelling the smoke, but howthe vapour was ejected from the vessel Hythe could not imagine.

  O'Shaunessey was sitting at a table, eagerly conversing with two of thecrew. The Irishman's sense of humour appealed to his new comrades, andwith an adaptability that contrasted forcibly with his belligerentattitude earlier in the day, O'Shaunessey was cracking jokes right andleft.

  As the young officer entered, the crew stood up--not with the alacrityof naval men, but all the same with a sense of respect towards theirsuperiors in rank.

  "Carry on, men," exclaimed Hythe, and crossing over to whereO'Shaunessey stood he asked him how he fared.

  "Sure, an' I've fallen on me fate this time, sorr," replied the Irishmanwith a grin. "They are feeding me up like O'Leary's pig, an' it's adrap o' the old cratur they serve out at eight bells, which is more tome loikin' than navy rum--after the steward's wathered it."

  The men to whom O'Shaunessey had been talking smiled broadly at this,and considerately moved away so that the sub and the seam
an couldconverse in private. Hythe was beginning to be afraid that the Irishmanwas too contented to make an effort to obtain his liberty shouldoccasion arise; but lowering his voice O'Shaunessey continued,

  "All the same, sorr, it's to be back aboard the 'Investigator' that I'mwanting. 'Ave you any idea wan they'll let us out o' this?"

  "Not in the least, O'Shaunessey. Nevertheless we must try to get clearas soon as possible, unless I receive definite orders to the contrary."

  "Definite orders to the contrary, sorr? From where, may Oi make so boldas to ask?"

  In a few words the sub imparted the information that news of theirpresence within the submarine had been sent to the Admiralty.

  "St. Pathrick and the rest of the Saints be prised, sorr!" exclaimedO'Shaunessey fervently. "Sure, 'tis a load off me mind, for 'tis me ouldmother in Ballydonfin, County Wexford, that might be lamentin' for heronly son."

  "They haven't asked you to join the crew?"

  "Bad luck be on their heads if they did, by Jabers!" ejaculated theIrishman. "Sure, I'm thrue to me salt."

  "Ssh," muttered Hythe warningly, then in a louder tone he added, "Well,I am pleased to learn that you are being well looked after,O'Shaunessey. I'll look in again soon, and see how you are getting on."

  On returning to the captain's cabin Hythe found that dinner was about tobe served, and Captain Restronguet and Devoran, the chief officer, werein evening dress.

  "I am sorry I had no opportunity of bringing my mess-jacket," said thesub, half-humorously, half-apologetically. "But you see I came on shortnotice."

  "Don't let that trouble you, Mr. Hythe," replied Captain Restronguet."As a matter of fact, we invariably make it a practice of dressing fordinner. It recalls old times, doesn't it, Devoran?"

  "Rather," replied the chief officer. Hythe noticed that for the timebeing all traces of differences in rank were set aside. CaptainRestronguet and Mr. Devoran were more like staunch friends than superiorand subordinate officers; but on all other occasions the latter'sattitude was strictly conformable to etiquette afloat.

  The dinner passed pleasantly. The three men, by an unspoken yet mutualconsent, studiously avoided "shop," their conversation dwelling onordinary every-day topics. All the same Hythe could not help noticinghow conversant they both were with the latest plays, books, and theevents that afford interest to the Man-about-Town.

  After dinner Devoran left the cabin. The captain busied himself withwriting, while Hythe, selecting a book from a small library, andlighting a cigar, sought the comfort of an easy chair.

  For an hour Captain Restronguet wrote steadily. He seemed quiteindifferent to his guest's presence. Presently the sub found himselfnodding over the book. He had been up early, and had had a trying andexciting day.

  "What, nearly asleep!" exclaimed Captain Restronguet, as he set asidehis papers and writing material. "But I forgot; you must be tired. Yourbed is quite ready, so you can retire as soon as you wish."

  Nothing loth Hythe bade his host good-night, and ten minutes later hewas sound asleep in a comfortable bunk, ten fathoms beneath the surfaceof the River Tamar.