About nine o'clock
Any nation could build vessels like them , and there were many means of destroying them . The spring armour was a complete defence against ordinary artillery , but it was not a defence against submarine torpedoes . The claims of the Syndicate could be firmly based on nothing but the powers of absolute annihilation possessed by the instantaneous motor-bomb . About nine o'clock on the appointed morning , Repeller No. 11 , much to the surprise of the spectators on the high grounds with field-glasses and telescopes , steamed away from Caerdaff . What this meant nobody knew , but the naval military observers immediately suspected that the Syndicate 's vessel had concentrated attention upon Caerdaff in order to go over to Ireland to do some sort of mischief there . It was presumed that the crabs accompanied her , but as they were now at their fighting depth it was impossible to see them at so great a distance . But it was soon perceived that Repeller No. 11 had no intention of running away , nor of going over to Ireland .