Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1916 — Submarine Destroyers. [ARTICLE]

Submarine Destroyers.

Commenting on the probable man-

ner in Which British, French and Russian naval authorities will deal with submarines of the Deutschland type in case Germany definitely decides to establish regular communication with the United States by this means, a writer in the New York Times refers to tfe efficiency of the swift motor patrol boat as an enemy of the submarine. Outside the threemile limit British and French cruisers have for some time been lying in wait for the Deutschland. Around the British isles are other cruisers assigned to the same task. But it is expected that the Deutschland will elude them. Other German submarines have risen in close proximity to British cruisers and escaped he fore the cruiser could be brought into action. But with the motor patrol boat the case is different. These boats have been constructed after the design of American build ers who are recognized by all of the European naval powers as without equals in this w T ork. It is reported that the British government has added to its fleet in British waters some 500 motor patrols. They can attain a speed of 30 miles an hour and are equipped with two small guns. Their one object is to get a clean shot at the periscope of an enemy submarine. With the periscope disabled, a submarine is all but helpless. It can do nothing but submerge, stay under water as long as possible and then return to the surface—exposing its upper works—in hope of having escaped to clear water. On the surface the Deutschland has a speed of 15 miles an hour, hence boats of this type can not expect to elude the swift motor boat. Ev •ry time they rise to the surface they risk the loss of their periscope, and without the periscope their chapce of making a safe port is very small. It is possible that the armed motor boat will become an important factor in naval warfare.-—lndianapolis News.