light of that view across the scarred and littered decks, in that
environment of gray water and great still ships.

[Sidenote: The three cruisers that were sunk at Zeebrugge.]

Their objectives were the canal of Zeebrugge and the entrance to the
harbor of Ostend--theirs, and those of five other veteran and obsolete
cruisers and a mosquito fleet of destroyers, motor-launches and coastal
motor-boats. Three of the cruisers, _Intrepid_, _Iphigenia_ and
_Thetis_, each duly packed with concrete and with mines attached to her
bottom for the purpose of sinking her, _Merrimac_-fashion, in the neck
of the canal, were aimed at Zeebrugge; two others, similarly prepared,
were directed at Ostend. The function of _Vindictive_, with her
ferry-boats, was to attack the great half-moon Mole which guards the
Zeebrugge Canal, land bluejackets and marines upon it, destroy what
stores, guns, and Germans she could find, and generally create a
diversion while the block-ships ran in and sank themselves in their
appointed place. Vice Admiral Keyes, in the destroyer _Warwick_,
commanded the operation.

[Sidenote: The conditions favorable for the attack.]

There had been two previous attempts at the attack, capable of being
pushed home if weather and other conditions had served. The night of the
22nd offered nearly all the required conditions, and at some fifteen
miles off Zeebrugge the ships took up their formation for the attack.
_Vindictive_, which had been towing _Iris_ and _Daffodil_, cast them off
to follow under their own steam; _Intrepid_, _Iphigenia_, and _Thetis_
slowed down to give the first three time to get alongside the Mole;
_Sirius_ and _Brilliant_ shifted their course for Ostend; and the great