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V g p , TIvIE‘1FATHERLAND , v
f SUBMARINES-AND THE NEW MEANING OF NAVAL POWER
By the Naval Expert of’THa FATHERLAND
M OST laymen seem to have a very hazy idea of the nature of
the submarines which have been arousing fear and admira-
tion in the world for the past two years. The submarines were
started as tiny vessels, fragile and difficult to control. An impres-
sion of helplessness and-danger for those traveling in submersibles
is the one uppermost in the mind of most people who forget what
strides have been made in the last two years in the evolution of
this new sea-weapon. Little is known of their carrying capacity and
the safety they present at the present day. Armed with guns and
torpedoes of terrible destructivencss, equipped with engines produc-
ing a propelling power of thousands of horscpowers, provided with
fuel for many hundreds of miles and with provisions capable to ,
sustain crews of fifty or slpcty men for a number of weeks the
submarine has outgrown its infancy and must be ranked among the
most seaworthy carriers and most powerful nghting units.
The newest submarines have a total capacity up to 2,300 tons, are
280 feet in length, 25 feet in width, and 20 feet in depth. The last
I figure, of course, does not include the height of the conning tower.
The surface engines produce up to seven thousand horsepowcrs and
a speed of twenty-two miles. That is to say, a submarine can ac-
company or pursue a battleship on the surface. Even when sub-
merged they are able to keep up with a battleship, since their speed
under water is as high as fourtccn knots, which approximates the
medium speed of a dreadnought. VVhat is of supreme ‘importance,
however, is the extraordinary increase of the submarine’s radius on
the surface, which allows of an uninterrupted voyage of 6,500 miles
without need of taking over new supplies of fuel or provisions.
Enough food, fuel, lubricating oil and other supplies for six and
even eight weeks may be carried.
The submarines are equipped with from eight to ten torpedo
tubes, 21 inches in diameter, and, below deck, with from four to
eight disappearing guns of light and medium caliber, which may
also be used for defense against air-craft. When not in use they
are in'thc hold below deck. When they are to be made ready for
action all to be done is to open the hatch of each gun and .to push
back a bolt. The gun then rises automatically into position by
‘means of a spring. This entire operation, including the adjustment
of sight and shoulder-rest, requires only twenty seconds. The same
time is required for the removal of these parts and the stowing
of the gun.
The deck and conning tower, aswell as those parts of the sides
which project above water when the submarine travels on the sur-
face are protected with armor-plate. Two small lifeboats are kept
‘ in the side tanks. To guard against the danger of running aground
in case water shoiild enter or because of incautious steering under
water every submarine has a. safety or dummy keel of lead up to
‘eighteen tons in weight, which can be removed in an extremity.
In contrast to the former models the hull of the vessel no longer
‘ V consists of a hollow cylinder with relatively light tanks built on the
’ sides, but of a single hull in the conventional shape of a ship made of
strong steel plates and greatly reinforced inside and which is tested
with a. double and treble safety margin to resist a water pressure
of over fifty atmospheres. The newest submarines can, therefore.
submerge to a depth of 350 feet without any danger of being
crushed in. At such deep level they can pass under wire nets which
may be placed as a protection against them before the entrance of
harbors and elsewhere and which do not, of course, extend so far
down.
In the hull, which converges slightly fore and aft, are the quarters
for oflicers and crew. In the how are the main torpedo chambers,
behind them the engines, while the numerous appliances for signal-
ling, steering, etc., are placed in the armor-plated conning tower
which is nearly fifteen feet in height. Of these appliances the peri-
scopc, submarine bells, apparatus for the wireless telegraph and
telephone and telephone buoys for communication with the surface
in case the submarine should sink, constitute only a small part.
There are many more practical contrivanccs to be found on a modern
submarine too complicated to describe and which rcP"e5"‘t qlliie 3
. museum of the newest inventions of all sorts.
For surface navigation combustion engines are chiefly used, among
, which Diesel, Kiirting or Fiat motors have been found to be the
A best. . Asa matter of fact, they have practically a monopoly in ‘his
field. Under water the submarines are propelled by electric motors,
the current being supplied by large storage batteries, which are
charged by the oil motors while the boat is on the surface. ‘
The auxiliary machines include, above all, numerous pumps for
.1-.4 N
the trimming and diving tanks, various compressors and ventila- .
tors, steering engines, windlasscs and motors for raising and lower-
ing the periscope, all of which machinery is run by electricity, '
It is obvious that such a comprehensive and complicated apparatus
cannot be handled by a lieutenant and ten or fifteen men, such as
formed the crew on the old type boats. The proper working of this ‘
huge mechanism which borders on the miraculous and the cost of -
which reaches $1,500,000,’requires three or four naval officers. two
or three engineers, a ship's doctor and from forty to fifty non-com-
missioned officers and men. '
The term “submarine" is somewhat misleading. Almost all the. ‘V
so-called submarines are submcrsiblcs, or “diving-boats." The great- ‘
est part of: the time they have to travel on the surface owing to
the kind of ‘engines used. Only a few countries, such as France and
the three northern kingdoms, ‘iise real “submarine” boats for the, -
protection of their coasts, that is to "say, vessels that navigate under
water constantly and not only part of the time, and that have the
advantage of greater speed because they are equipped only with
electric motors and are consequently lighter. 3
It is a matter of course that all the navies of the world try to
keep all technical progress and all new inventions zt strict secret.',a
But of late the rumor is becoming more and more insistent that an-
other step in advance has been made in the building of submarines.-
Two of the foremost naval powers are said to have begun to build
what would have to be termed as submarine-cruisers, submersible
craft up to 400 feet inilength, measuring 5,000 register tons and
possessing such strong arrnorplate and armament that they would
be on a par with medium-sized armored cruisers. They have 18,000
horsepower engines producing a speed of twenty-six knots on the
surface and of sixteen knotssubmerged, and it is said that they have
a surface radius of 18,000 to 20,000 nautical miles. Such submarine-
cruisers could make a trip from New York through the Mediter-
ranean and Indian Ocean to Japan without having to stop on the
way for fuel or other supplies. They are said to be provided with-, .
thirty torpedo tubes and to carry two reserve torpedoes for each
tube so that the total number of torpedoes would amount to ninety.
representing a value of about one million dollars. For battle’ with
other ships, as well as for defense against air-craft, there will be
several rapid-firing guns of small and medium caliber in a revolving
armored tower which can be telescoped into the armored hull. The
conning tower is also to be telescopic and protected by armor-plate.
The most terrible weapon which the submarine-cruisers are to have. ‘
besides the torpedoes, is a contrivance, which has already been used
with success by the German submarines, for the laying of sub-
merged contact-mines, of which these vessels are capable of carrying
from 125 to 150. These mines are stowed in a compartment in the
stern of the vessel from which they are dropped by means of sliding.
chambers.
The new submarine-cruisers will be admirably fitted for defensive
as well as for aggressive purposes, and deserve especial attention be- ,
cause they are pavingthe way for a complete revolution in the‘ V
building of warships, or rather, they will considerably hasten this
revolution which has already begun. Many naval experts predict
that naval warfare in future willvpresent a very different aspect
from the past and even the present. They maintain that the rule of i
the waves will be decided under water. One of them even goes so
far as to say that while the most terrible battles are proceeding in
the depths, the surface of the ocean will appear empty and deserted.
Great heroic deeds of perhaps universal historical importance will '1
be performed at the sea‘s-bottom and perhaps not a word, not a
sound will reach the surface to inform contemporary and future
generations. Meanwhile, it will interest many of our readers to
know that the German submarines now in service are accomplishing
the most extraordinary work. In the month of August 166 vessels
2
were destroyed by these daring under-sea boats. In nine days, from ’
September 3rd to September 11th, the T cutonic submarines sunk 33 . -
ships carrying munitions and supplies to the Allies- That is one:
reason why England will presently have official meatless days.