Morgan Robertson

“ The Argyll had seventy feet beam; the bombs fell about a rod apart. Had that line of explosions crossed her hull, two at least would have struck her. Her protective deck was but two inches thick at its central and horizontal part. A solid piece of metal, falling half a mile, would go through it and her unarmored bottom; enough of them could puncture every compartment and sink her like a tin sieve. A five-million-dollar battle-ship, with every resource that modern science could put into her, would be helpless beneath a gas bag and a cargo of scrap-iron. ”

“ As it was, only one intrepid soul among those seven hundred men rose superior to this new horror of war. In the hush that followed the cheer, Finnegan's voice could be heard, disputatiously asserting that he had fired the lucky shot.
The aerostat was followed by glasses and was seen to alight in a clear spot about a mile inland, where the beach timber met the scattered bush of the foot-hills; and as the ad vantage gained was too important to be lost, a landing-party was ordered, and Mr. Clark son, after another soul-laden look into the captain's eyes, decreed that Finnegan should go with it. ”

“ As it drew near, the men on the deck of the Argyll made out details of its construction—a car formed of a boat, that would float if the contrivance should fall; a large, screw-fan wheel whirling at the rear end of the long, pointed gas-bag; a vertical and horizontal rudder behind this screw; amidships on each side of the car two large aeroplanes, or wings, evidently to draw the machine downward while under motion; and to give individuality to the whole, the blue cross of Russia flying from a flag-staff at the stem of the boat. ”

“ At full speed went the Argyll, and at full speed came the big gas-bag to meet her; but faster still came the Japanese aeroplanes, the “window-blind” in the rear of the kite, as though retarded by the increased air-friction of its fish-like hull The kite was flying higher, and at a speed that in a few moments brought it, the Russian gas-bag, and the English battle-ship in a vertical line, with an upward pelting of solid shot and a downward rain of bombs. ”

“ A stream of descending bombs crossed the bow, nearer than before, with the Argyll panting and fuming under reversed engines, and the six-inch gun voicing the ship's rage and sending upward its stream of solid shot. Back came the aerostat, still descending, and men frantically disconnected one-pounders and machine-guns, holding them in their arms while others charged and fired them. ”

“ Things promised to be more interesting; the tedium of the long blockade might be enlivened by a battle in the air. But when a later message was wig-wagged down the line that a Russian aerostat had sallied out from Port Albert, settled within the imaginary inverted cone above the flag-ship's gun-elevation, and dropped several explosive bombs, none of which, however, had penetrated her protective deck, the incident was regarded as potential. A spectacular battle of air-ships—an innovation in modern war—was one thing, but bombs from above were another. ”

“ The men of the Argyll grew serious-minded, and while the artisan class labored to elevate the trunnions of a six-inch gun-mount on the superstructure—the Argyll's preparation for the chip—the rest read old letters, wrote new ones, or entered up journals, and Old Man Finnegan, as was usual with him under conditions that would impel the average toper to heavier drinking, forswore his peculiar privilege and took the pledge. ”

“ Something—no one knew what gun sent it—hit her before the next stream began. There were only a few small flying fragments to indicate the success of the shot; but it was soon plain that vital damage was done, for the aeroplanes were straightened, the course changed, and, rising for a time at an angle of fifty degrees, the aerostat, steering wild, headed for land under full speed. A hoarse, inarticulate cheer went up from the Argyll, while some officers and a score of men throughout the ship sat down or stretched out flat. Courage is cumulative ”

“ He could hold his own with any Russian in an ordinary fight, but—there was gun-play up there—we saw the smoke—and he was very likely shot down. He had nothing but a cutlass, I suppose—like the rest. It was a mistake, Mr. Clarkson. Landing-parties should carry pistols.”
But other matters soon claimed the attention of the captain and the executive. Distant gun-fire was heard, and the signal came down for the Argyll to join the flagship Nagasaki, at the harbor-mouth. She gave steam to her engines, but there were neither gun-fire, flag-ship, nor fleet when she arrived at the harbor. ”

“ Together they reached the sea, where, after the splash, the fish-like hull could be seen floating. And, however the combat may have been continued and determined in the water by possible survivors, it was certain that these two had ceased to be air-ships; and the lesson was conclusively borne home to the interested watchers that ramming is as suicidal in mid-air as upon the surface of the sea. ”