New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-11-27
SUBMARINE WORK
EXPENSE CUT DOWN.
liz Time of War Vessels WI
BE BOrrozced.
LFrora The rribune Bureau. J

trOr1 The tribune Bureau
Washington. Nov. 2s.-Ths progress which
has been made in the development Of har-
Dor defence by submarine mines in tho
last few years is hardly realized by any
who have not kept in close touch with the
administration OF the coast defence corps
under General Arthur Murray, its chief.
Up 70 a comparatively few years ago this
branch Of the coast defence had teen little
developed. and rough estimates Of ths
funds required 20 bring ia up % date called
for appsllingly large appropriations. By
the exercise OF energy and ingenuity. how
ever. the coast defence corps has succeeded
In developing a system of submarine der
fence at reasonable expense.
The first problem which confronted the
officers charged with this class of work
Was ~ secure an adequate number OF ves-
sells with which 10 teach the system and
20 perform the work Of mine planting.
Congress has been induced % provide eight
large mine planting vessels. available for
educational purposes as well for the act
uai work -Four Of these are now main
tanned the Atlantic Coast. two on tho
Pacific Coast. and two IN the Philippines
In addition seventeen smaller vessels av-
have been provided
The most carefully scaled sstimats
showed the necessity Of az least forty adj
ditiOnai vessels for is time Of war.
Apart from the cost OF construction. these
vessels would have caused an annual ex-
pense for maintenance of probably Si,l=5,-
coo. and il not deemed wise 20 ask
Congress for the necessary funds. ~
order % meet this difficulty. however. Gen
eral Murray prevailed on the Secretary OF
Commerce and Labor % designate thirty-
one lighthouse tenders for Use as mine
planters in the event of h1stilities and "a
the qUartermaster's department 20 desig-
nate ten Of its vessels for a similar puT-
pose. This much accom- phshed. the neces-
ssry Dsrsphernalia for mine planting were
manufactured htted % the vessels 50 des-
ignated. and the necessary means Of at
tachment. such as sockets. etc. placed
thereon, bUt the machinery itself is stored
in sUita Bile warehouses in The districts in
which these vessels are stationed, as are
also the mines which they would plant
should the occasion arise. BY this method
the coast artillery is saved the cost 81
maintenance for forty-one vessels whica
would however, Be imms6 atsiy svailabis
should the occasion demand
For many years the pTopOsition laid down
~ General Abbott that water more than
one hundred feet deep OF having a cur
rent greater than seven feet a second
could not be successfully mined has been
accepted without question. By expert
ments conducted by General Murray ara
Major Richmond 2 Davis IN the Race. az
the eastern end % Long Island sound. an
automatic anchor has been perfected which
overcomes difficulties caused both by depth
OF water and by current Mines have been
successfully anchOTed in the Race IN
water three hundred feet deep IN such
manner as % maintain them lust ten feet
below the surface and practically station
AIRY. The necessary supplies for mining
n ost Of the haTbOTs Of the United States
have been constructed and stored in suit
able buildings at convenient points About
FIVE thousand officers and men have been
Thoroughly drilled IN the wefk OF mine
planting
The system Of mine protection mas besn
50 far developed that the mines-each
contains about 125 pounds Of guncOttOn.
when pisnted-aTe connected by electric
cables With a casemate on shore. within
fOrtihcstiORs, and usually below ground.
and can be operated By any one Of three
methods. BY the adjustment 81 an eleC-
tric switch they can be- made 10 explode
on contact with any vessel that touches
them, a further turn OF the switch viii
cause any mine touched by a vessel % in
dictate the fact by the lighting Of al cleo
trio bulb when il can be exploded by tire
pressure OF button. finally. any one Of a
group Of mines can be exploded st the
Judgment Of the battle commander BY =
further adjustment Of the switch and ths
pressure OF a button
Experiments already made have demon
strated the feasibility of effectively mining
Manila and Subig Bayx. and work is now
going forward with view 10 devising
practical system OF liks protection tor the
swift waters OF san Francisco Bay. The
problem OF mining PJget Sound. where ths
current is extraordinarily swift and the
great depth makes even the anchOTing of
naval vessels difieulJ. will next be under
taken