Page:The Next Naval War - Eardley-Wilmot - 1894.djvu/50

 the injured ship, as there was great risk of her foundering in case it came on to blow hard. She, however, arrived in safety about noon, while the squadron went on to Portland.

There was great consternation throughout the country when these events became known. We had been subjected to extreme humiliation. Notwithstanding the millions spent on coast defence, we were not able to prevent a few torpedo boats entering our principal stronghold and destroying ships alongside our very dockyards. Elaborate preparations existed to encounter a hostile fleet, but no provision to meet this form of attack. Again, while all experienced officers had declared that a squadron at sea should be attended by numerous scouts to bring such assailants to bay before getting within striking distance of the main body, this obvious necessity had been neglected, with the result just related.

True, out of twenty torpedo boats fourteen had succumbed—for the two sent to the Needles, pressing the attack too close, had been disabled and captured—but our fleet had been reduced by three battleships and a cruiser; a deficiency which could not be made good within the probable limits of a war, and was out of all proportion to the loss sustained by the enemy.

There was a tremendous outcry against the War Office and Admiralty, and an excited mob could be with difficulty restrained from acts of violence.