Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-08-23

crew keeps almost in one position. To
counteract the cold in winter there Is
| only the heat from the gasoline engine,
and then the air becomes foul and
damp Opening the little cylinder
| which constitutes the coming tower
for a fresh supply means taking the
| chance of shipping a wave and the
flooding of the whole inner compart-
ment Anything but this. So the crew
do the best they can in the close, stuff
fy quarters, chilled to the bone and
cramped to a degree Of numbness.
In cruising these under-sea vessels
are usually submerged to a depth of
,, about 15 feet, or just far enough un-
der water to be concealed and yet be
able to use the periscope-that pole
like appliance near the coming tower.
BY aid Of mirror in this periscope
the commanding officer can see above
the surface and guide his boat accord
ingly, but If it is necessary to sink
entirely out Of sight he must run by
Judgment, coming to the surface at in
tervals In sight, and then quickly
sinking again. This operation is
called by the Americans "porpoise div
ing," and is most spectacular as seen
from the surface. Lying inert upon
the surface. submarine looks fish-like
enough; but to see the craft rise and
dive on long, slanting runs, it's dull,
steel sides glistening in the salt spray,
one has the impression that it Is some
sea monster at play.
When the vessel Is running with
coming tower and deck exposed, COM
munication is by flags or "wigwag" by
day and lanterns at night. When 1t
Is submerged officers have a system in
which they use bells attached to the
outside Of the hull in such a manner
that their sound Is carried as clearly
and distinctly as the dots and dashes
Of the wireless telegraph apparatus in
air. Either the Morse or the army and
navy code Is used, and in this way the
boats Of a submerged f1otilla taking
orders from the commanding officer
can keep in line. 1t Is even possible to
communicate by means Of hammer
tappings against the steel hulls Of the
boats, and this is often done by off,
GERS who in practice wish to get in
touch with some other boat operating
in the vicinity or with the tender. The
ingenuity of these submarine officers
in rigging devices and repairing en-
gines is typical Of the resourcefulness
Of the American.
See these officers at their work in the
docks, and it is easy to picture them
at their post, when, with all lights out
and ballast tanks full. and every man
at his station, the submarine drops
like a rock in the service test. How
far they go only the man at the dial
knows. This is what takes strong
heart and perfect self-control. 1t is
the officers only means of proving the
nerve of his men, and the one unfail-
ing test to discover the weak ones.
Day after day come these tests, and he
who shows the least sign Of fear never
sets foot on an American submarine
again. The reason Is that down in the
| depths the man who loses his head Is
| a menace to craft and crew. Failure
to perform even a slight duty may be
fatal to all. The United States naval
experts believe that to this rule is due
| the fact that not a submarine boat has
| thus far been lost or sunk through an
error Of any Of the men aboard.
The feeling that comes to one in a
voyage in the under-sea Is thus eX-
pressed by the commander Of sub
marine: 1.-The first thing that you
note Is the smell. 1t isn't any differ
ent from being in the engine room OF
battleship, except that you haven't
room to turn around in. You are
jammed into hot, stuffy, uncomfort-
able hole. You don't see anything.
You don't hear anything but machin-
cry. You watch a pointer jumping OH
a dial, and move your hands according
to clocks. You are a machine, and you
are running a machine. When you sink
on a level keel you don't feel any mo-
tion When you dive you feel gentle
incline Of the floor. If you look at
the port hole a seagreen globe Of glass
confronts you. If you were about to
attack a hostile ship you would see
your mark only by means Of the peri
scope or the coming tower on the por-
poise dive. All submerging and diving
have to be done slowly and gently,
for fear of spilling the chemicals in
your batteries. But there is one time
that we all feel happy: When on a
fine day in rising we glance up
through the deck and see the under
surface of the sea. 1t is as though we
were approaching one great shining
mirror"
The very danger and hardship OF
the life seems to create an esprit de
corps among the men and a confidence
in their officers that, in the British
and American service at least, have
given the men of the submarine fleet
high standard Of efficiency and dis
cipline.-Chambers Journal