Some of the passengers were of opinion that this firing came from
Shoeburyness, until it was noticed that it was growing louder.  At the
same time, far away in the southeast the masts and upperworks of three
ironclads rose one after the other out of the sea, beneath clouds of
black smoke.  But my brother's attention speedily reverted to the
distant firing in the south.  He fancied he saw a column of smoke
rising out of the distant grey haze.