Page:America Fallen!.djvu/100

 IX

INDEMNITY OR BOMBARDMENT

the coming of the dawn of April 1st, the mantle of clouds which had helped to obscure the fateful events of the night broke and scattered before a fresh wind out of the northwest. Over sea and land and city the sun shone brilliantly in that crystal-clear atmosphere, which is the sure accompaniment of a northwest breeze.

And as the sun came up, there lifted over the eastern horizon the van of a stately column of warships—the dreadnought fleet of the Imperial German Navy. Into the Ambrose Channel they headed, led by the Koenig, flagship of Admiral Buchner, commander-in-chief of the German expeditionary fleet. Well off shore, the Admiral had waited through the 88