Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 132, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1917 — Page 3

& - I Human 2 ingenuity has 'V / been taxed the limit in \ I developingtheseinstru- ] I ments of destruction I \ and finding means / \ to overcome / X. them x n n / n n - uZ u

r ' OR many months after the outbreak of the war abroad the submarine mine was a close second to the torpedo in achieving the destraction of all kinds of shipping. Thereafter the mine fell somewhat behind, not because it lacked power to do harm, but for two 4 other reasons —first, the wholesome dread Inspired by the prescribed mined , areas and next because of the various expedients adopted by the belligerents to neutralize these subaqueous ■weapons. Even so, the mine-is playing a big part In marine warfare, and we shall have to count •with It and against it now that we have joined forces with the entente allies. It is a matter of record that the Germans got the jump on the British by their prompt and even daring employment of the submarine mine. Within a very short time after the declaration of war Teuton mine planters were operating on the English and Scottish coasts and were busily engaged in sowing these weapons at the very entrance of enemy ports and rivers. For this purpose it was rather easy then td have recourse to North sea fishing craft that had all the outward complexion of Innocence; indeed, for weeks these boats went about their work wellnigh unsuspected.. It was only when British battle craft were mysteriously damaged and sunk that ttye British authorities awakened to their peril. Even then the belief prevailed that the damage was more or less a matter of sheer chance — chance in the nature of a friendly defense mine that had gbt adrift. Then the next explanation was that a particularly daring U-boat commander had managed to get within striking distance, and finally it dawned upon the British coast patrol that enemy mines were being freely planted right under their very noses. Every fishing boat was then an object of suspicion, and prompt investigation proved in a great many cases that there was ample warrant for this attitude. Neutral trawlers became more and more Infrequent in certain of the waters contiguous to the north and east coasts of Scotland and England, and for a time the mine menace was held pretty well in hand. The resourceful Teutons, however, were not checkmated, and it was only a question of time before they developed a method with which to offset the vigilance of the British coastal patrol. Then the German submarine mine layers got to work. How many of these the kaiser’s experts have built and sent to their fields of service in the waters of the North sea especially, is not known. It is safe to say too many of them have been built and dispatched upon their missions and the general character of them all is probably much akin to that of the U-C-5, which was captured and taken into a British port. K By chance a British destroyer discovered the U-C-5 on the surface and in distress at some point along the east coast. When summoned by megaphone to surrender the crew of the submarine mustered on deck and held qp their hands in * token of submission, but curiously before a relief boat could be sent to them they jumped overboard. The cause of their action was soon explained. Another member of the submarine’s complement suddenly appeared upon deck and threw himself into the water and almost immediately afterward there were a number of violent explosions w’lthin the U-C-5. The last mam had- exploded- bombs which blew holes in the craft. But for prompt action on the part of a British sublieutenant, who, protected by a gas mask, went dauntlessly down into the Injured U-boat, the mine planter would have filled and gone to the bottom in water too deep*for her recovery.

As it was, she represented a desperate task for her would-be salvors and it was necessary to secure a couple of mines within the boat that had been set free by the explosions before it was safe to tow the submarine into harbor and to dock her. Upon examination this new order of submarine was found to be charged or laden with a dozen powerful contact mines housed in six vertical wells passing directly from deck to bottom of the craft Each well held two mines, one on top. of the other, and both were kept in their places by locking devices which could be released from within the submarine. The controlling station for this operation was found to be in the conning tower, so that the commander of the boat with only her periscopes above water could see just where to sow his weapons. Tn this way the Germans have been able upon many occasions to approach certain sections' of the waters about the British isles arid to plant there mines that have accomplished the destructive work cut out *for them. How many ships ha ve_been sent to the by mines sown by boats of this sort is, of course, a matter of conjecture, but there can be no doubt that submarine mine planters are actively employed today. One thing about them that makes them of special interest, even concern, to us is that there Is nothing to prevent their operating In a similar manner upon our Atlantic coast. What is to prevent a submarine somewhat after the order of the Deutschland from being equipped for work of this nature? Instead of carrying some hundreds of fobs of commercial freight she could just as 1 easily divide that weight among mines, mlne-plant-

Finght the Deadly Sea Mine and Submarine

ing apparatus and an Increased supply of fuel and food which would make ft possible for her to. perform her sendee for longer periods and over wider zones of action. The whole subject of submarine mines, offensive and defensive, and the subaqueous protection against enemy submarines is one wfjh which our naval and military authorities are deeply engaged. ' It is safe to say that we are going to see some remarkable developments, and largely because our allies are going to give us the benefit of their own experience so that native ingenuity can start to Improve upon the fruits of the labors of others. Indefed, our subaqueous defenses must of necessity be of the best types possible because of the extent of our seaboard and the comparatively limited number of vessels that the navy has for patrol work. The recent presidential order prescribing defense zones at the approaches of certain ports and waterways had to do with the army’s part primarily in this matter of subaqueous safeguards. The mine fields controlled by the military authorities, those of the Coast Artillery corps, are as a rule protected by observation mines or electric contact mines that are made active or inactive by the operation of a switch. That is to say, the .vitalizing current comes from a central station ashore, and neither of these types of mines will explode unless the electric current reaches them by way of a submerged cable. In the case of the contact mine with the current turned on the mine will explode when bumped and tilted over to a prescribed angle. The observation mine, on the other hand, does not have to be touched by the enemy craft, but is subject to the will of an observer on shore. Observation mines are planted in groups and are laid out in definite checkerboard areas, and each group is set off. separately and simultaneously. The observer, by means of range marks or bearings, knows just when the approaching foe reaches any one of these squares, and accordingly the one within which the enemy lies at the moment determines the group of mines to be detonated. The contact mine, as may easily be understood, does its work where an observer might fail, after dark, and for that reason the electric current is turned on with set of sun and the whole area so sown becomes instantly a menace to friend or foe. It Is quite likely that observation mines were employed by the Turks at the Dardanelles, and therefore by approaching from under water it was .possible for the British submarine B-ll to dive beneath \ five rows of mines, probably shoving their cables aside and tilting the weapons, and then pushing on so that she could rise to the surface and torpedo the Turkish battleship Messudiyeh, which was stationed to guard that very mine field. < Had those mines been of the contact sort, the displacement of.their cflble» would probably have caused their detonation and likewise the destruction of the B-11. Other British submarines succeeded in passing submerged through those Turkish defenses, the enemy observers being unable to see the underwater boats. It was the exploits of the submarines at the Dardanelles that disclosed to the British the weak spot in their own mine defenses and led a short while afterward -to the development bf other protective agencies in dealing with the German underwater boats. Unquestionably the most spectacular part of submarine mining Is that- in which the weapons. are resorted to in open waters, especially Inthose offshore areas where - a defense of that sort is not ordinarily employed. The Italians were the pioneers in this order of subaqueous warfare, and they developed the art in peace to such a point that other nations realized that the mine was no longer limited in its potential usefulness either to the defense of a port or for blockading the ships in an enemy harbor. The Italians showed,that the submarine mines could be used offensively, so to speak, if planted secretly and placed where by strategy the unsuspecting Yoe could be lured over and into them. The Japanese during, their war with Russia made good use of what the Italians had taught them, and when the present conflict began Germany was fully prepared to carry the practice still further. » German mine layers were ready and numerous on August 1 three years ago; and as we now know the kaiser’s navy lost Co time in mining the marine approaches to the fatherland. Not only that, but these craft, in various guises, planted mines over ,wide wrens in the North sea and in the waters of the British isles. The Hague convention of 1907 among other things' provided that “it is forbidden to lay anndtored liaHmatfc cantact mines which do not become harmless as soon as they have broken loose from their moorings and It was also prescribed

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

at th a t 11 m e ZZZZZr ZZZZrZi-—. that no unanchor. ed mines should be used which would be dangerous more than au hour after they had been dropped into the sea. The mines in question are self-contained contact mines that are not controlled from any shore or observing station and are well-nigh instantly menacing when cast overboard. —— Just before the war the Germans, with their usual technical cunnings, developed a naval offense and defense mine which could be used either In a fixed position or be planted hastily in water traversed by enemy shipping. This mine is the type which has done such destructive work and is designed to be fired by an electric battery placed inside of the mine, this battery being inactive until the mine has been submerged and then struck by a passing craft. A development of the contact mine which the Germans have at times employed successfully is one surmounted by a dummy or decoy periscope. The object of this ruse is to invite ramming on the part of a patrolling vessel or even a merchantman when the deceived navigator believes that the chance is good for sending a U-boat to the bottom. Of course a vessel attempting to ram that dummy periscope is sure to strike the contact mine and cause it to explode, the result being disastrous to the ramming craft. This lure has not worked so well latterly because the observer is able in a few moments to establish the fact that the periscope Is stationary, and the work of getting the underlying mine out of the way is left to the fairly safe process of sweeping—trawlers linked together by a loop of wire rope doing the work. In order to deal with both the submarine torpedo boat and the submarine mine planter the British admiralty has had recourse .to defense nets of a novel character. These have been very well described by Rear Admiral William S. Sims. According to this authority : “We did not find out for a long time what thosenets are like and I think it is necessary that it should be understood in order to realize the great danger submarines run in the presence of light surface craft. “The net is a very light one, made of little wire rope, probably not as big as a lead pencil, probably not more than a quarter of an inch in diameter.' The meshes of the net are 12 to 15 feet square. On top of this net are floats and on the bottom are little' weights. “The moment this net —‘unbeknownst’ to the submarine commander, of course —is in the w’ater in front of him, the floats keep the net on the surface and the weights keep the-'bottom down, and if he runs into it his bow goes into one of the meshes • and the net falls back around him, and it may foul his propeller or may not. “The net is 300 or 400 yards long, and as the submarine proceeds the ilrta ts will trail on the surface, so that even if he dives .deeper he leaves these on the surface and his trail is plain and there is no difficulty then in capturing him. He knows when he runs into a net that his capture is practically certain. If he goes down 200 feet the floats of the net are still on the surface.” These nets are used in two ways, either passively at chosen points in guarded waters or they are dropped overboard by patrolling vessels that discover a submerged submarine in motion. It is e fact that even though a submarine be running totally submerged 2t) or 30 feet down, ft still causes a disturbance at the surface, not a wake In the usual sense of the term, but a type of wave which is easily distinguished from the regular surface waves, and this phenomenon is readily discernible from the bridge of a ship or from a hydroplane. To return to the submarine mine. We have so far considered only that so-called offensive type which can be anchored in fairly smooth waters, such as prevail extensively in the North sea, but now let us take Up that kind which can be dropped overboard -hr much deeper water. This sort is capable of being planted from a speedy ship seemingly bent upon escaping from her pursuers, and her strategy consists in Inviting chase while dropping these stumbhngblocks right in the path of her oncoming enemies. Generally the ship, hitting weapons of this sort> does so bow on, and that part of a vessel is the least vital section. A craft may have her bow ‘blown off and yet be able to make a haven, and besides the damage may be susceptible of speedy repair. Our mines, on the other hand, have a delayed action, and after being hit by the stem of a craft roll stemward in contact with her bottom for some distance befor& they eiplode. In this way the blow, when the mine does burst strikes some vital area and the damage Li wellnigh’certain to be fatal.—New York Sun.

Kin Hubbard Essays

Jifft as Lase Bud wuz startin’ fer Silver Lake this mornin’ on his annual vacation his canoe, Minnie, wins attached fer th’ costs o’ his first divorce. Thus we’re reminded that th’ vacation season has roiled around agin. Folks that has skimped along all winter on turnips an’ watermelon preserves are checkin’ out ther savin’s fer fishin’ poles, white shoes, foldin’ cots, gasoline, cottage rent an’ boat hire, while they allow th’ easy payments on player planners, sewin’ machines an’ diamond rings t’ lapse int’ Innocuous desuetude. Pale thin husbands are borrowin’ their own money on twentyyear policies at eight per cent an’ plannin’ t’ git away an’ train back t’ ther ole forms agin. Dried up lawyers wearin’ th’ court room palor an’ alpaca coats are arrangin’ the’r vacation

Jist as Lafe Bud Wuz Startin' fer Silver Lake This Mornin’ on His Annual Vacation, His Canoe, Minnie, Wuz Attached fer th’ Costs o' His First Divorce.

Itineraries so as t’ bunjp into a few National league games. Department store girls are organizin’ int’ little clumps t’ giggle all th’ way t’ Put-In-Bay er Mommoth Cave an* back. Young wives who have tided over the’r first winter In harness are packin’ ther pasteboard suitcases fer extended visits back t’ mother where they kin git a little sympathy .an’ review th’ past in peace, while flat-bred babies are shrinMn’ an’ witherin’ fer th’ open air while ther parents are tryin’ t’ mortgage th* golden oak davenport fer enough t* git t’ th’ woods. Whether you work er live with your wife’s folks ther is no tonic like a change o’ scene. Careworn stenographers who have held t’gether on doughnuts all winter should seek th’

THE WEEK-END VISIT TO THE COUNTRY /

In an article in this month’s “Hen an’ Home” Miss Fawn Lippincut says: “With our modes of quick transportation now so available t’ all has developed a natural aversion t’ work, th’ Saturday half-holiday an’ a deep root: ed hatred fer th’ indoors. Now comes a happy solution o’ th’ unbearable monotony o’ a week-end in th’ stuffy city, with its overcrowded street cars an’ merry-go-round parks. A week-end in th’ country! This custom has been pop’lar fer ages with our English cousins. Fer one who does not care t’ tango on th’ broad verandas o’ th’ road house, er git pickled at a sticky table under a fan, ther is no diversion so thoroughly delightful as a week-end in some quiet rural retreat. So, accordin’ t’ all indications, ther seems t’ be no escape fer our country relatives. “But one should not set out on a week-end visit t’ Uncle John’s without

“Notin' th’ Etiquette o’ th’ Field Hands as They Dine al Fresco on th’ Back Porch.”

bein’ thoroughly qualified t’ look after the’r own entertainment, for th’ farm is a busy place where lulls are few an • widely scattered. Fer th’ jaded clerk, yeller stenographer an’ crusty business man ther kin be no more restful enjoyment than a quiet snooze on a barrel stave hammock In th’ cool shade o’ a taulphy hawkin tree where th’ rattle o’ th’ cash carrier an’ th’ clatter o’ th’ typewriter never penetrate—where th’ only sound that disturbs our delirium i» th' hum o’ th’ bees or th’ tattoo o’ th’ gaily plumaged woodpecker as he plugs away on th’ tin-capped cupalo o’ the farm bouse. Trier are many ways t’ enjoy one*« self on th’ farm without Interferin’

VACATION DAYS

rugged grandeur o’ th ß - mountains! where they kin familiarize'’ ’emselveei with th’ commonest rules' 7 o’ spellin’; unobserved. Th’ gnarled an’ tired! farmer, whether he be o’ broad er nar-‘ row means, should lose himself among, th’ stately sky scrapers o’ th’ congest-* ed city, fer away from th’ din atf] clamor o’ his panting’ flocks. T* most o’ us a vacation is only al change o’ venue, but even a change <r venue removes us from th’ same oil tiresome courthouse square, an’ th” same ole tiresome delivery horses, an* th’ same ole prominent citizens —th* same ole in th’ same ole* nickel the-ater o’ our daily lives. How quickly anything out o’ th’ ordinary awakens new Interest an* causes us fer th’ instant t’ fergit all th’ petty annoyances o’ th’ dally grind.

Th’ sight a’ some majestic mountain., th’ sweet strains o’ a Venetian band, er some strikin’ bit o’ architecture ’ll often transform a crusty bookkeeper;; er bring th’ luster o’ a new phaeton t* th* long dormant eye o’ th* steady employee. Even a new blond trimmer *ll quicken th’ pulse an’ cause one t* emerge from the beaten rut if only fer th’ instant. t Some folks act like they were puttin’ one over on th’ welfare o’ th’ community when they take a Ther’s never any noticeable let-up ini th’ machinery o’ business while some indispensable feller is fishin’. Progress never feels th’ vacation period, an’ yet when some fellers git back from a little outin’ they expect t’ find desolation an* ruin.

with, th’ milkin’ er takln’ Aunt Ude’s mind’ off her work. Ther’s egg huntin’ in th’ hay mow, drinkin’ butter milk from a gourd, explorin’ th’ dark recesses o’ th’ smoke house, revelin’ in, th’ mysteries o’ th’ silo, delvin’ inf th* inner workin’s o’ th’ hen house, th* charm o’ crankin’ up th’ cream separator, studyin’ th’ amusin’ contour o* a new calf, marvelin’ at th’ graceful dips o’ th’ chicken hawk, notin’ th* etiquette a’ th’ field hands as they dine al fresco on th’ back porch, an’ gatherin’ daisies along th’ mossy banks o* th’ crystal.stream aA it sings its way through th’ velvety meadow. Where no stream is available one may gather Bouncin’ Betty’s as they nod in profusion in th’ fence corners. “Indeed a bright tin whistle for Master John, a sheet o’ rag fer Annie, one er two nickel se-gars fer Uncle John, er pair o’ black lisle rnits fer Aunt Lide, is money well invested; when we consider th’ invigoratin’ air.

th’ sodtless blue heavens’ th’ towerin* biscuits with apple butter, fried Rhoda Islands an’ elderberry pie. It’s worth all th’ gasoline er ear fare it takes, believe me. " '“Ther are some things t’ remember if you are piannin* a week-end visit t* th’ country? Don’t depend on your aunt fer talcum. Milady’s week-end travelin’ bag should contain (besidea those articles which she would of course take with her on a trip T Mt Vernon, er any place which would require her f be away from her gold ftSh two or three nights) a spool o* white thread No. 60, an*, above all, a pair of wire cutters.” (Copyright, Adams Newspaper