Page:The Siege of London - Posteritas - 1885.djvu/41

 suddenly the silence was broken, and the suspense ended, for the startling news was received of—

GREAT NAVAL BATTLE AT THE MOUTH OF THE BRISTOL CHANNEL. TWO FRENCH MEN-OF-WAR RAMMED AND SUNK. A FRENCH IRONCLAD BLOWN UP BY TORPEDOES. MAGNIFICENT VICTORY FOR THE ENGLISH FLEET.

This news was received with the wildest manifestations of delight, which was mingled with exasperation, when a few hours later it was announced that several homeward-bound British merchantmen had been captured in the chops of the Channel by the French, in spite of the fact that four English men-of-war were cruising about at the entrance to the Channel to protect in-coming ships. Later information confirmed the English victory in the Bristol Channel; a French fleet having attempted to force its way up to Bristol, but was overtaken and beaten by the Channel Squadron. Later still it was announced that an engagement had been fought between a French and English ironclad off the Land's End, and that the English vessel had been very seriously damaged, but had succeeded in withdrawing under the shelter of the guns of the Plymouth fortifications. The newspaper offices were now besieged with anxious, excited, and clamouring mobs. All the London daily papers issued editions as fast as news was sent in, and very soon it became evident the French were displaying remarkable activity all round the coast. Rumours also reached the country that a flotilla of torpedo vessels was lying in Boulogne and Calais harbours, waiting for an opportunity to issue forth and to attack any English vessels in the Channel. An extraordinarily audacious attempt was also made by two heavily-armed gunboats, which, steaming out of Boulogne Harbour, crossed the Channel until they were within range of Dover, when they attempted to bom-