Over two hundred were floating around on the sea until other warships came to their assistance and picked them up.
The blowing up of the three warships created consternation among the others of the fleet, and signal after signal was displayed from the commanding officer's flagship, all reading: "Clear for sea immediately; a submarine torpedo-boat is among us. Double your watches."
Then the entire fleet began to move for the broad Atlantic, chasing the transports before them.
The torpedo-boats which had come out to do battle with the new Holland were tremendously surprised to see the strange craft slide from view, and realizing that they themselves might be blown up at any instant, they lost no time in running for their lives.
The new Holland could have given them plenty of trouble, but Captain Oscar considered his ammunition too valuable to throw away on such "small fish," as he called them.
"One of our torpedoes costs the government eight thousand six hundred dollars," he said. "Those little chaps aren't worth that to me. I am after big guns."
Considering that the new Holland had done enough for the time being, and wishing to obtain a new supply of torpedoes and dynamite bombs, the young captain now turned back to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and reported to Admiral Fielding.
The admiral had witnessed the blowing up of the three warships through a powerful field glass which was stationed in an observation tower at the top of the mainmast of the flagship, and he was highly delighted at the success of the new Holland's work.
"That craft is a marvel," he said. "The government must have more of them."
"It certainly would be a good thing," replied Oscar. "I think I've got the enemy pretty well frightened. Perhaps they think we already have more than one of these boats, having seen the work done in Cuban waters and now here."