Throwing back a watertight sliding-door in the port fore and aft bulkhead Captain Restronguet signed to the sub to enter. Hythe found himself in a small compartment on the walls of which were several articles and gear. No space was wasted on board the "Aphrodite."
In the centre of the floor was an oval-shaped aperture, sealed with a rubber-lined lid, that by means of double levers could be opened from either above or below. As the hatch opened Hythe saw a portion of the well-lighted interior of the lower deck, access to which being gained by means of a vertical steel ladder.
The for'ard compartment, extending the whole length and breadth of the foremost section of the submarine, with the exception of the space taken up by the diving-exit, was as far unlike the forehold of a ship as the sub could possibly imagine. The cement-cased walls were distempered a pale green; thick corticene--a kind of linoleum used in the Navy--covered the floors; alongside the after bulkhead were two arms-racks filled with automatic rifles and pistols, and other modern small-arms. Secured to the deck was an automatic one-pounder field-gun. Towards the bows were two long narrow tubes, the external diameter by less than seven inches, while a seemingly complicated arrangement of double-locking doors, electric wires, trippers and gauges suggested to the sub that these instruments were torpedo tubes.
"Quite right," said Captain Restronguet in reply to Hythe's question. "A pair of six-inch tubes firing electrically directed torpedoes. They will never miss their target, I can assure you, even at five miles range, if controlled from a lofty station. Here we are limited, but so long as we can see our target by means of our flexibly attached periscope, there is a million chances to one on the weapon striking the mark. But listen!"
The hiss of a powerful water jet was just audible through the double plating of the submarine's hull.
"Merely a precautionary measure to clear the holding plates of mud and seaweed," explained Captain Restronguet. "If the spades, as I might term them, do not fold absolutely flush with the vessel's bottom, there's bound to be a tremendous resistance to the water and consequently a serious loss of speed. Now the jet is turned off. Listen again and you will hear the anchor plates come home."
"That they are!" exclaimed the sub, as a distinct thud shook the plates under his feet. "I suppose they are lifted by metal rods working in water-tight glands?"
"Oh, no; merely by the attraction of electromagnets. Every valve and door in this vessel is electrically controlled, although in some cases, such for instance the hatch by which we gained this compartment, manual power can be used. When next an opportunity serves I will show you the engine-room, but we are about to rise now. I must go to the for'ard conning-tower. You may come, too, if you feel inclined, or if you prefer there is a private cabin at your disposal."
"How does the submarine rise, might I ask? By means of horizontal rudders?"
"Yes and no," replied Captain Restronguet. "But before I explain perhaps this might interest you."