Eventhecrewsofthetorpedo-boatsanddestroyersthathadbroughttheirquick-firersuptheThamesrefusedtostop，mutinied，andwentdownagain。
Theonlyoffensiveoperationmenventureduponafterthatnightwasthepreparationofminesandpitfalls，andeveninthattheirenergieswerefranticandspasmodic。
Onehastoimagine，aswellasonemay，thefateofthosebatteriestowardsEsher，waitingsotenselyinthetwilight。Survivorstherewerenone。Onemaypicturetheorderlyexpectation，theofficersalertandwatchful，thegunnersready，theammunitionpiledtohand，thelimbergunnerswiththeirhorsesandwaggons，thegroupsofcivilianspectatorsstandingasnearastheywerepermitted，theeveningstillness，theambulancesandhospitaltentswiththeburnedandwoundedfromWeybridge；thenthedullresonanceoftheshotstheMartiansfired，andtheclumsyprojectilewhirlingoverthetreesandhousesandsmashingamidtheneighbouringfields。
Onemaypicture，too，thesuddenshiftingoftheattention，theswiftlyspreadingcoilsandbellyingsofthatblacknessadvancingheadlong，toweringheavenward，turningthetwi-lighttoapalpabledarkness，astrangeandhorribleantagonistofvapourstridinguponitsvictims，menandhorsesnearitseendimly，running，shrieking，fallingheadlong，shoutsofdismay，thegunssuddenlyabandoned，menchokingandwrithingontheground，andtheswiftbroadening-outoftheopaqueconeofsmoke。Andthennightandextinction——nothingbutasilentmassofimpenetrablevapourhidingitsdead。
BeforedawntheblackvapourwaspouringthroughthestreetsofRichmond，andthedisintegratingorganismofgovernmentwas，withalastexpiringeffort，rousingthepopulationofLondontothenecessityofflight。