Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1911-07-21
.SUB | | ! ! | ] SHIPS I 5
Life Aboard These War Craft Is
a Sequence Of Discomforts. z
%st9il5a@ 4sss
TORTURE FOR THE NOVICE.

49, 49, s~sA s'@ VSVUS@s
Between Choking For Air and suffo-
eating From the Fumes Of Gasoline
tho Agony Is Excrueiatins-Added
Terror. When Caught In a Storm.
Submarine boats have been develop
ed to the point where they can cover
on their own power radius of 500
miles in effective fighting trim. In
storm and calm the submarines are
capable Of navigating the seas with
credit to their inventors and construc-
tors. With fleet Of these vessels sta
toned in the vicinity Of any Of our
large coast cities, it would be difficult
for battleships to get within effective
striking distance.
The first impressions received on de-
scending into the hold of a submarine
are those of discomfort and suffoca-
ton. The accommodations for crew
Of thirteen seem about right for half a
dozen. One is in too close proximity
to whirring machinery, too, to enjoy
the sensation.
On all sides are arranged electrical
devices and machinery to operate the
craft and the t0rped0es. A thin shell
of steel separates the visitor from the
torpedoes, and the outside water is so
close that one can almost feel its
moisture.
When under way on the surface the
submarine huns and trembles. The
fumes of gasoline are almost suffocat-
ing. There is no escaping from them.
Some of the men contract what is call
ed @gasoline heart" If under water
too long the fumes make one sick and
dizzy.
A novice cannot remain in a SUBJ
marine under water for any great
length Of time without suffering ex-
cruciating torture. In time, however,
one gets used to it, and trip may be
one of enjoyment.
But it is when the submarine dives
that the most unpleasant symptoms
come. There are ten compressed air
tanks supplied, and these furnish SUI
good many hours.
But did you ever live on compressed
air? If not it will be new sensation,
especially if you are fifty feet below
the surface Of the water. There is a
dngling sensation all over the body;
a pounding Of the eardrums and pos
sibly sense of nausea.
AS the air is automatically regulat-
ed from the compressed air tanks one
gets his share of the oxygen, but some
times the supply may vary. 1t GER
tainly does in different parts of the
ship. One may be choking for lack Of
good air in one part and be eXhilarat-
ed by too abundant supply in anoth-
er.
Sometimes when the engines are
running to charge the batteries the
fumes of the gasoline become so strong
that men are rendered unconscious.
They must be taken up on deck then to
get Whit of fresh air.
For this reason the batteries are only
charged when above the water. But
in time of war it might be necessary
to charge them while running below.
Then, indeed, the. man aboard the sub
marine might envy the aerial navi-
gator flying above the sea with his
abundance of fresh air to breathe.
Cooking under water is pretty I'M
certain and disagreeable work. The
only appliance for this purpose is
small electric heater. This is just
about big enough to heat water to
make a cup of coffee and nothing else.
The crew have their food cooked
aboard the tender.
The submarine is built on the prin-
ciple of economizing space in every
thing. There is no room for anything
except the actual necessities. Every
inch Of space is given over to ma
chinery. This is everywhere compact
and efficient, but multiplied so often
that one wonders what it is all for.
There is machinery for running the
boat, for guiding it under water, for
controlling it when it dives, for COM
pressing the air tanks, for operating
the torpedoes and even for regulating
the power Of vision above and below
water.
When caught in a storm in a sub
marine life is really not worth living.
It consists Of series Of intense strug-
giles to prevent death by being batter
ed against steel walls or to keep from
becoming involved in whirring wheels
and dynamos. If you survive the or
deal you conclude that it Is not neces-
sary to wait for war to find hades: 1t
Is with you all the time.-Harper's
Weekly.