The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-05-02

Pressure gauges show how deep tho
vessel Is below the surface, ana an
there are at least two OF three OF tbeae
gauges, the danger Of ever getting far
enough below the surface TO crush mo
sides of the vessel by water pressure Is
practically nil. The pressure per sausre
inch on the hull when submerged de.
ponds on the depth below the surface,
u amounts TO about half a pound pe1
square foot of depth, so that vessel a
hundred feet down would have a press.
ure on her sides of about fifty pounds
per square inch. Most of them are de-
signed to go as deep as $50 feet; some
to a depth as great as 900 feet.
The danger to it's own crew in
operating a submarine was for a long
time the principal reason why under
water boats were not built Some of
the first ones built were lost principally
through inexperienced of the crew, but
the United States Navy has never had
fatal accident. There has never been
the slightest trouble in getting volun-
teer crews for the under water craft.
During the first term of President
Roosevelt the enlisted men of these
boats We're given extra pay for the extra
hazard they took upon themselves. and
this still holds; but the officers have
never been given extra pay for sub
marine work. and there are probably
none of all the submarine crews who
considers the navigation of sub
marine any more dangerous than that
of surface craft Great improve
ments in construction of hull and ma
chinery and large increase of know
ledge of the handling of the boats have
brought about the confidence in the use
Of them.
Solving Mysteries.
Perfection of submarines is so recent
that very little has ever been done with
them in actual warfare. Once or twice
they were used successfully during the
civil war by the Confederates. One of
them went. down with its victim, it is
true, but " the game was worth the
candle.'
The introduction of oil fuel has given
the submarine practically an unlimited
RADIUS of action. All that is necessary
is that a mother ship go along and
carry Oil enough to replenish the sup
ply. BY means of long hose this can
be accomplished in almost any seaway.
There is plenty of space to carry
practically unlimited supply of food
for the crew, aud they can sleep aboard
with some degree of comfort. The
chances of breakdown are no more than
/ in battleship, and in case of break
down the submarine cam be towed with
little difficulty until repairs are made.
| For offensive action in warfare the
latest submarines are armed with five
or six torpedoes, which have range of
about two and quarter miles. ANY
one of these torpedoes would sink any
/ battleship afloat if it hit her in vital
spot. On account of the perfection and
comparatively small cost of these tiny
craft, blockades are thing of the past.
The successful naval commander in
chief of the future will be the one who
/ has the. best luck or best Judgment in
working out the objective of the
enemy. If he succeeds in that it is al
most certain that he can make an at
/ tack with submarines prior to battle
ship action. On sighting the enemy,
the submarines, running submerged,
take up position about mile from
) the course of the enemy, and as the
enemy passes torpedo him. Tt is prob
! able that the submarines would not be
discovered before the damage was done.
Even if discovered. the only course
open to a battleship feet against sub
marines is to run away at full speed.
Submarines are destined to play a
unique and most important part in the
next great naval war. They will add
manv gray hairs to the heads of the
battleship captains, and win send many
tar to the :" locker of Davy Jones. /"