one o'clock
Great countries are not provisioned by small steamers . I kept the engines running at the lowest pace which would hold our position under water , and , moving slowly across the estuary , I waited for what must assuredly come . I had not long to wait . Shortly after one o'clock I perceived in the periscope a cloud of smoke to the south . Half an hour later a large steamer raised her hull , making for the mouth of the Thames . I ordered Vornal to stand by the starboard torpedo-tube , having the other also loaded in case of a miss . Then I advanced slowly , for though the steamer was going very swiftly we could easily cut her off .