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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 1915)
THE SUNDAY." OREGOXTA3T. PORTLAND, MARCH 21, 1915. c E AND -lw ea ' 'f r 1 1 51 i 4 p?31"-'-' rr-iiJfaj! flfe-fifc - 2?--" , 5r-- izr.. Tr-.i--, .r ,.tma ,rr--- . -..ri. 1 1 -.ariMsW1 C ' -J - GERMAN "SUBMARIHES. l- LIGHT CONDITIO tj a- awash: '3 SUBMERjSED. TIMKLT to the very tip of the ln- terrogation point is Charles W. ' Domville-Fife's book, "Subma rines. Mines and Torpedoes In the War," Just brought out in America by the George H. Doran Company. Germany, with her battle fleet be . hind her coast defenses, has proclaimed a war zone which practically means a blockade of Great Britain. She de pends upon her under-sea fleet to starve the British despite their cordon of massive battleships, through which It Is doubtful if the surface craft of any navy in the world could break. Will Germany succeed? What are these lighting engines which may fair ly blow the United States, against the will of her people, into a war which has already assumed almost world pro portions? How are these sub-sea mon sters operated? How do they attack? What can be done in defense against them? Will Germany be able to cripple, , perhaps annihilate, British trade? These questions are on thousands of lips and Mr. Domville-Fife's book an swers them all except the first and the last. Some idea of the importance of this comparatively new branch of the naval service may be gained from figures cited by Mr. Domville-Fife in his in troduction. He says that no fewer than 264 under-water fighting craft are en gaged in the present conflict and that though in the more recent vessels of the nearly 20,000 highly trained men are British, American and French navies required for their manning, repairing, this danger has been minimized by en- - i3 w t, i- '. . y Viaa :- :rj-115tc i 1 m liyLUNCHifcr& a .gzkman TBcmn:!1 rROM 190BMAR INE3,MINC3 AND TORPtbOES M THE WAR. ATGESMAN "SUBMARINE. TROTYL MINE- ONVTHE ': DECK. OF & TT?ONt 3UBMAR1 NES,MI NHS KD TGHHEDOES )M THE. WAR" i1 1 win jjf itHnnwii i 1(11. -i. . i ,f I ship's most reliable defense, and. when combined with a frequent change of course, would greatly reduce the chancoa of a successful under-water attack. Should hostile submarines be on the line of advance they would not know whether to wait and chance the enemy approaching within torpedo range or whether to run to starboard or port. That Is, If the surface warship was steaming In an erratic course not a slgzag course, for then It might be pos sible to estimate, within torpedo range, the po.jltlon of the ship at a given point If the 'tacks' were reRular. "Should submarines be seen approach ing a surface vessel would do well to turn her stern to the attacking flotilla, presenting as small a target as possible, and deflecting the torpedoes by her pro peller race." In addition to submarines, the Ger mans are counting on submarine mines to make effective the blockade of tbe British coast. "The system of defense consists of the mooring of mines in such positions as to make It almost impossible for hostile ships to pass without either striking or coming within the destruc tive zone of one or more of them. What are known as floating mines are those set adrift to be washed about by the tide. They explode Immediately on be ing struck by a passing vessel, and, of and overhauling. In what Mr. Domvllle-Fife terms the first, or submarine phase of the war, he says no fewer than eight warships have been sunk by submarine torpe does. All of these were perhaps not fired from submarines, but technically they come under the heading of sub surface attack. In a chapter on the construction of submarines the author says: "It may sound ridiculous, in face of the many accidents which have occurred, to say that one of the greatest difficulties is to make a submarine sink sufficiently quickly, and one of the easiest opera- closing the batteries in airtight cases. "Perhaps the ' greatest difficulty which has beset both submarine con struction and navigation is the puzzle how to see when submerged. This is now accomplished by means of peris copes or tubes extending up from the roof of the submarine to a height of several feet above the surface not un like hollow masts. By a series . . of lenses and reflectors a picture . of the surface is thrown . down these tubes onto reflectors inside the submarine. A man with . his eyes at the bottom of the periscope can see the surface clearly. Although it may project above tlons to make her rise, and yet such tne water when the whole submarine Is undeniably the case. is submerged, it is far too small an "When a Submarine is traveling on object to be easily seen moving through the surface she is in what is technic- tne -water and extremely difficult -to ally called the light condition that is njt by gun fire. to say, with her water ballast tanks "The latest panoramic periscope, two empty but when it is required to sink cf which are fitted in . modern sub her so that only the tiny platform, or marnes nas a fiei Cf vision of about deck, and conning tower are above the 60 degrees. surface water is let into these ballast ..Tne chJe( armament of all sub tanks and the additional weight causes marines is the torpedo, which, is ex her to sink into the sea until her back pelIed by a blast of compressed .-air Is almost flush with the surface. This from one of tne tubes Iltted . ln , the Is known as the awash condition. bow and stern. Several torpedoes are "To many it may appear strange that usuany carrie(i by each boat, total submergence is not accomplished ..The ,atest submarines 5uiu are aIs0 by letting still more water into the bal- fitted wlth quicU.firlng ms. for use jut ia.nn.3, out entirely wiin mo hiu when these vessels are cruising on the surface. Tbe guns are arranged" so that when it is desired to sink they can be made to disappear beneath the narrow deck of the submarine. The provision of guns has been made with the object of giving these vessels a means of defence should thev.ha riin- dive beneath the surface, the horizontal co'vered Dy prowling hostile torpedo rudders are deflected when the boat Is boat destroyers or by air craft." of the propellers and rudders. A sub marine has two and sometimes three pairs of rudders; one pair of ordinary vertical ones to guide her to port or starboard, and a horizontal pair to cause her to dive and rise. "In order to make the submarine traveling at full speed. The action of the water against the rudders is such that the bows are forced down and the torpedo, more than wnoie vessel suaes unaer me sunace. "From this" it will be seen that a submarine is only held below the sur- Mr. Domville-Fife devotes a chapter to the description of the : modern 80,000 -.of which were owned by the nations- at war when hostilities commenced.' During the first few weekn of -thn tunr thA face by the action of her rudders on torpedo was responsible for. the sinking the passing water: should the propel lers driving her along cease to revolve and the vessel slow down she automat- of war craft to the value of more than 55.000,000. To quote again: "The modern torpedo varies in length . Sketch - showing - the.T essential'- parts o? ' a '"Whitehead torpedo 'i-A.- Pistols-detonator,! primer, which causes the explosion of ;vB" when the torpedo strikes an object. B.) - Explosive head, filled with et gun-cotton. (The " war- j head " is 'substituted by a weighty dummy 'during,practice.) . C. Air chamber , with . compressed air, at a pressure of : approximately i350 lbs. per square inch, for action. ,The, j chamber is tested to stand a pressure o( 1700 lbs. per square 'inch. D. Balance chamber, containing mechanism foi : -regulating the depth of submergence at which the torpedo is adjusted to run. ' E: Engine-room, containing propelling machinery (I.H. P. 60 in latest 18-in type). F. Buoyancy chamber a practically empty chamber to give the necessary buoyancy;; to the torpedo. C- Gyroscope. - An instrument for: correcting any deviation of the torpedo from the line of 'fire ; Hi Rudders. and mechanism for operating. J. .Twin-screws, operating clockwise " and ' anti-clockwise.' THF. "R-RTTISK1 TORPEDOES IN THE. WAR submarine when submerged is visible course, do not discriminate between from above. The great value of the sea- friend and foe. The systems of destroy- plane as an antidote for submarines ing hostile mine fields consists of-coun- lies, however, in the fact that the water ter mining or placing other mines in of the, open sea is usually clear and the the enemy's field and destroying it by would plow up the waters around her. suomanne snaaow is visidio irom aoovo. meir eiuoiuu .uu , If the first two torpedoes missed their and. second, in the great speed of these latter method Is the one mostly em mark the submarine might either dive aircraft, which enables them to quickly ployed in modern warfare. The boats completely under the object of attack cover miles of sea in their search for taking part in the sweep place them and then fire her stern tubes at close hostile submarines and to report their selves one on each side of the mine range or else maneuver below the sur- Presence in a given locality by wireless field and between them hangs a long face for an attack-from some other to all ships operating within range. wire rope, weighted In the center to point. ? "Many means of attack on submarines keep it well submerged. They then "The submarine and the aeroplane are have been proposed, and no doubt some move forward, sweeping the mines to the only weapons against which there ' these, in certain cases, would prove the surface and exploding them barm is no true means of defense, and yet one effective; but none can be relied upon, lessly. is beine- used as an antidote for the Therefore, one of the points In favor of "For clearing away the mines dropped the submarine still remains without Its by n enemy special vessels are em- omer. .... ,,., mui. ,,. ployed. Each vessel Is Dtted on both "The seaplane may be able to distin- f"dote- This is the moral effect, for )ds wUh a curloull contrlv.nce known guish the dark patch In the sea caused " there Is no absolutely reliable means aa th9 .plcklng up Kear Thl. appar. by the hull of the submarine in clear ' defense there can be no feeling of tua Is lowered into the water and 'picks water, but she cannot destroy it, neither security for surface warships or mer- up1 any mines which may lie In the .n Bio-nnl the exact locality to an chant vessels wjien anywhere within Path of an oncoming fleet When a '"21"' dLtrover floUlla owing the. danger zone of the submarine. "line field 1. discovered by either de- accompanylng destroyer notuia, owins , ,. . . stroyers or seaplanes these vessels are to the speed with which seaplane and Let us now examine briefly what lmmediately .p.tce,, to destroy It. submarine pass over and under each practical methods of defense a modern ar)(1 they ar8 aldedi , the ca nf th. , other- furthermore, in rough weather or warship has against submarine attacks. British navy, by a large flotilla of in shallow muddy water no sign of the Great speed is undoubtedly a surfac' steam trawlers." MAY END PERILS OF RAILS knowledgement Is also recorded by the recording apparatus. The next action which may be de scribed Is when the contact shoe en gages with a partially energized con- (CQTitlnuea ' From Page 3.) . record as will provide an exnioit 01 tact rail, which Indicates caution con- 11 ' ' . . "T"-TT j timnsw tmnpvinA nnarottnn an1 Aha .... . . . . . . is that it is so constructed on a closer v . ...... r - anion, wnen tnis occurs, tne engine icarttui ! strain set for reduced idmL the flying ... i,,nt of nv Dart of ' The control of the movement of h. t.rf!n out. and th. whi.iia 14 feet.: and maintains this depth until bridge of a submarine at a distance of contact rail connec- trains is In the hands of the engineer bIow. continuously. If. In the meantime. the advance block has other obstruction has been removed, so that the next contact rail is In "clear" condition, the cab lcally rises to the surface because the from 14 to 19 feet and wcigns. up to rudders have no longer any effect. halr a ton- It nas an extreme range Ct Via manv inmn11r-ntAil rrrVi1 tm ....... surrounding submarine boat construe- andT Qui?er. There are three ?b "T?? ZZtt1' f'!",!" circuit principal, that any break, fail- servance of signal, and order. - w - ol iwpeaoes in use oy me ueets ; at engines nave ueen in me past ana are wa compressed air. eelctricity. petrol and kf TSTZLl Vnr T JT ZZtVlJZ TlL .VZ1 renv'orjany disarrangement of the lo- feting signal .provide.! for h . guM- need not be described sepa- proceeds .toward, its object of, attack at tance. On sighting her object of at- ComUttHve indications when the ately and automatically relieves hlra . .. . . -- w- ., ,!, Vrone-ht to a Stop until oi eaiu cuaicui. Jit . v . ..I r . iiilpii0rnu.ii.cii This, combined with speed,f renders it awash conditions and proceed for from " ' mada when tions permit of safely doing so, little need be said, for although given torpedo .is propelled by compressed air almost-impossible to ..destroy- an ap- two and one-half to flve . miles, as corrections r repairs are made, when P automatically a good trial, especially by the French Btored in that section of the weapon rocMne toroedo bv un Are." , nl.h , r,rtint Sh " can proceed, but under control and l . " a denth ofa few feet below the surface, tack tha submarine would sink to. the ... . . . . .n caM onntrni Am man as the condl- ... . . . . .. ' . Th.iat.t .O.,orn 18 wvii.-o . , , , , , - - train will be nrougnL to a wup um... system win oe automatically reiurnea The .latest .pattern 18-inch Whitehead Thls conjMned-with speed,, renders it awash conditions and proceed forf rem Jrs are made, when tions permit of safely doing so. the to normal.-full .need condition when It passes such contact rail and the whis tle will stop. On the other hand, if the danger con dition continues and the contact rail la df..Anitrrlxf1. ri.nnMnr dtnf.r. tha 6 . Mn.t . k i. .h.r finlnt t 1 . auto- . ... . powerful machines using heavy oil and twin screws, moving 'clockwise' and . specify. all-the submarines engaged; In -to detect the few square . inches of ade immediately by the engineer ne " ,n'uch- condition traln .W,U umc"y stoppea .lectrlcity." 'anti-clockwise.' . The -war head' con- tna DreSent war have what are called, neriscooic t'ube at a distance of three jr ut out the instrument, when the matlc appatus is in such c whea its contact shoe come. In con- i i j. . . . - - . IT T n I lf (IfiriH Llia-i, luo n"'i -v t nr. uHh this a - an at- OB aaf 1 1 1 It LSI flxprl Rubmersred tubes. . This means mnAa iia thi rilstnnfA' lCHrwS it iraiu 1.0.11 v . , , 1 j .naaH wh.n vt - - - . - , 1 moHft preue lei milieu iouucu oa-w. that the tubes; from .which the torpe- might be advisable, if the sea was very nr tha flavlca i. lts the engineer opens the throttle to prd- sticitv and adaptability to the ceed it automatically starts a whistle ter- re- . .1 -. : .1 j . . ... ... ' '- . - - - . 3 . ' ... a . . ; ., .nAArt nnlV 'Ana diuicu su.iu.c.. navai autuur.ue,. w.e, anown as tne air, cnamoer. (see Regarding submarine attack. Mr. would then submerge and steer by. her " ,vl',TA"nv r0nVtructed .o that The manner in which the purpose of some years ago in tavor or a comoina- diagram.) The air. on being released la. Domville-Fife Bays: . . . . . . neriscones. each . of which has a field wiring is epeuauy - -u . . .. , oorr,.rt nut 1a as follows: i n.l,n a .1 .llrl ...In.. 1 . 1 A .1 1 .1 .1 .. ... " ' - - - ,,,... ftF BTrOUnQS Will MU T, V . v . -i"'" """ Ul -with tne. exception. or on,or.two of vision of 60 degrees. He would be Tf reoairs cannot be When a train is standing at Kiuii. iu .u... K-w Lut-tjuimcr 6'"o wuiva operates vessels, which It would De unwise to a very keen lookout who would be able """s"' "., 7 , v th" anelneer he American Inventors are, however, tains about ZOO pounds of .wet gun- still experimenting with . air engines, cotton, which is exploded on the torpedo Steam also is again being used in cfln- striking an .object. The essential does'are' discharged-are ' fltted'lnside calm and if'the obiect of attack-was . junction with turbine engines for sur- features of the Whitehead torpedo are face propulsion. shown in the diagram. This torpedo Must Have Klectrle Engines. maintains a speed of 42 knots for 1000 yards, 3S knots for 2000 yards, 32 Knots .itself. the submarine on &llne with the center stationary, for the submarine to slacken of the boat ana cannot - De 'moved or speed, so as to prevent any spray be- stopplng will also be recorded and at the same time a chime of two whlatles 111 be sounded to warn the engineer movement of any and all kinds of in the cab. im. wnist.e cont.nues to that tM ( a .,pi,cation. If the engineer desires to proceed. mu,c"";'" " . . a .- .need reul- . . - ... . - . - . - . : ....nncf v. or' tneir motive . - aimed in any way apart irom tne ooat ing thrown oft by the periscopic, tube. """ ... tlon continues until the train contact . " "7 . .,.,, ii en Licm-j . ju" ... - - ii e must pieot uu.w.. v. - - oor, which reset, the automatio ap paratus to caution or siow speca con- -It being quite impossible, for ob- " " f . ' V ;ItselL ' " "ererore' oecomes neces- Assuming, however, that the optical ' tri n Trated shoe engages with a clear contact rail. " . ,,sa , ntirni .ni-ln. " r aarv-for the submarine ' to' De aligned th was seen bv tha enemv.- It -would worn, w..., -- , ,. .. " V . ...v .... yards. Thus if discharged at a distance , M..ri.rwidl.n'nn m. ..hw ... J(,,,. . .--bv steam, electricity, gasoline or com- r" D"'"a ., ' " , wnen ru.in.uis .UUU.BCU . ... , ,t ,.h.. ... Kl. 4 " .V"V" ."'V: ' - " " . ,nl .h.thor auch aoolica- Plies a current wnicn aets tne control nin, ra.at the Initrum.nta. from Mr. Domville-Fife's book again. " "or tac. oetore e .tp. oe are at a uistance or one or two ""- "": " ; the in position to permit the train to pro- ;rVd a. In th. flr.t In whistle. The contact with this shoe is recording apparatus, "a second motive power, an engine, with Its additional space and weight, has to be carried to drive the submarine when under water. For this purpose elec tricity Is used in almost all types. This the sea from surface or submerged tubes, and on striking the water are propelled by their own engines in an 1. extremely dangerous, for should salt target. The exact mechanism of the water in any way gain access to the submerged tube which Is used in sur storage batteries, chlorine gas would face war ships as well as in - sub be) given off In large quantities, al- marines 1 a naval secret. - When fired. Torpedoes are fired, or ejected. Into .;. iT.b. fired bv a submarine Z17 " nk.M. ; to trolley, third : rail or storage battery cee tun - " - tance. at contro,,.,. -i - Hence a submarine with a hostile war nn- of about' 2000 yards the subma- The Initial purpose Is to promote the recoraeo. r ship coming up.on.its beam Ms -com- rine would discharge her-first torpedo, safety ofrallway. operation and to ana " cab pelled-to. turn-and faceiits.opponent'foMowing-It up with another at closer eliminate all danger from lapses of tng 01 " acknowledged (or.turnlts,stern, toward her), bef ore 'range- from the 'second bow tube. A memory.on the part of the engineer or who presses a butlon .deliverlng.amattack.. .. ...... ,.rapid dive.then.would probably b,nec- others connected with- the operation by the engineer. h' a hbtt ' "Geneiauy-speakips, however, a, hos, . esSary to avoid the hall of ehot which -ot. railways., and - to noajte such, a which, puta ut the lamp and this ac- OHi, Goal 'Ixing! (Chicago Herald.) "What do you think of my football roat?" "Why do you call It that?" "Because it has a full back," -i 4
