Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 11, 2025
And in the eyepiece at its base Metcalf beheld a thin thread of light, of such dazzling brilliancy as to momentarily blind him, stretch over the sea; but he put on his smoked glasses and turned the apparatus, tube and all, until the thin pencil of light touched the end of the torpedo-boat's signal-yard.
Why, if it's so, the President will rank you over us all. Mr. Smith came in with the prisoners, but he said nothing of an invisible light only of a strong searchlight with which you set fire to the signal-yard." "I did not tell him all, admiral," answered Metcalf, a little hurt at the persistence of the feeling. "But I'm satisfied now. That fleet is coming on with incompetents on the bridge."
Signal him by the International Code to put out his light, and to heave to, or we'll sink him." Mr. Smith bowed to his superior, found the numbers of these commands in the code book, and with a string of small flags at the signal-yard, and every man aboard viewing the world darkly through a smoky film, the torpedo-boat approached the stranger at thirty knots.
Further conversation was out of the question, for at this moment there came the boom of a gun, followed by a string of flags fluttering up to the signal-yard of the Ting Yuen, which, interpreted, signified that the flagship's anchor was up and that she was under way.
Before doing so, however, he enjoyed one good look at the Japanese fleet, far ahead and to port. The line of formation was broken, staggered, and disordered; and, though the big ships were making good weather of it, they were steering badly, and on one of them, half-way to the signal-yard, was the appeal for help that ships of all nations use and recognize the ensign, upside-down.
He was aroused from his somewhat gloomy reverie by observing a signal fluttering up to the signal-yard of the flagship.
You, or your confrères, did this before a declaration of war. You are a pirate, and I could string you up to my signal-yard and escape criticism." "I was under orders from my superiors, Captain Metcalf." "They shall answer to mine. You shall answer to me. How many boats have you equipped with my light?" "There are but three. It is very expensive."
By this time, however, the gig had reached the Chih' Yuen, and Frobisher was unable to spend any more time watching the strange game that seemed to be going on, being fully occupied as soon as he got on board in giving orders to his officers to prepare the ship for proceeding to sea, the signal for which, as Ting had said, was now flying from the signal-yard of the Ting Yuen.
At the same time a string of small flags arose to the signal-yard, and when Captain Bacon had found this combination in his code-book, he read with amazement: "Heave to or take the consequences." By this time the cruiser was squarely across his wake, most certainly rounding to for an interview. "Heave to or take the consequences!" he exclaimed. "And he's firin' on us.
The news of the intended expedition travelled quickly through the fleet, and it soon became known that volunteers were needed for a desperate undertaking. From the Iowa’s signal-yard quickly fluttered the announcement that she had 140 volunteers, and the other ships were not far behind. On the New York the enthusiasm was intense.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking