El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-02
" YAsHINGToN, d. c.. Sept. e.
w Look out for the submarine

needed was shown incidentally 70 Inc
recent "swar game" in Long isiano
sound.
These cruisers represent the latest
develonmeY,t of the submarine boat.
They are sub-aquatic menofWar' car
| rying more than a score of persons
able to travel hundreds of miles pc
meath the sea, comfortable to live IN
armed with rapid fire guns Tor pos
sible surface fighting. and safe.
Is Formidable Affair.
Tn sbort this new type of vessel Is
., most formidable engine of offence,
as well as defence. 1t bids fair 10
make the "dreadnaughts' obsolete.
Two or three such craft in each OF
our important harbors would make our
great coast cities unapproachable by
the most powerful leet- Ine con-
rnander of the attacking fleet in the
recent "war game rear admiral Os-
terhaus. was obliged to admit In his
official report that the submarines at
tached to the defending fleet had sue
ceeded in coming within easy torpedo
ing distance of his battleships without
detection.
It is evident that in future wars the
strongest fleet will not dare TO APP
proach a hostile coast if there is rea-
son to suspect the presence of UNDER
hood. Where submarines are known
TO exist, it would be foeihardy to at
tempt to land an invading army by
sea. No transport ships under such
circumstances would venture near the
enemy's shores
May Go Unseen to Docks.
Recent experiments have proved that
submarines can be sent unseen through
narrow, tortuous passages right up to
the docks OF fortified basins wnlle
lookouts are being maintained. The
under water Cruiser" is even equipped
for carrying mines, which 1t may
plant directly under the guns OF the
most powerful forts and ships. 1t Is
able to fire simultaneously two White
head torpedoes from it's bow, and in
the very act of taking flight to dis
charge a third torpedo from tube in
it's stern.
The latest modffica ton of the peri
scope or seeing instrument, on board
the sub-aquatic cruiser, makes 1T pos
sible to run the craft below the sur
face so that not ripple is perceptible
even in smooth water-the sighting
tube in question being merely thrust
above the surface for a moment when
it is<necessary to take an observatio
and quickly withdrawn. This may be
accomplished In less than two seconds.
It would probably not be necessary to
expose the tube more than once or
twice while making a submerged at
tack
This Improvement seems to render
the submarine invincible. 1t is impos-
sible to fire at, or to make adequate
defence against, an unseen enemy. But
other notifications in such craft have
Importantly helped in Transforming the
under water boat into a most formid-
able offensive engine of warfare. One
of these is the above mentioned ar
rangement for planting mines Another
is diving compartment, which may
be used for graphing the electric ca
bles controlling fields of submarine
mines laid by the enemy.
This compartment, at the bow of the
boat, is constructed on the principle
of the diving bell The pressure OF air
inside of it is made to balance the
pressure of water outside the craft.
Thus, when the diving door" is open
ed, the water does not enter, and men
In divers dress can step out and clear
channel of buoyant mines under the
very guns and searchlfght Of vigil
liant foe.
The Aquascope.
Work of this kind is facilitated by
newly invented instrument called an
"aquascope.' which is used to examine
the bottom Incidentally, searchlights
on board the submarine are so en-
ployed as to lend a powerful illu-
, miRation. IT is obvious, of course. that
the diving compartment furnishes a
ready means of escape for the crew in
case of accidents such as, where boats
of a less advanced pattern were con-
cerned, have caused on number of
occasions Lament bic loss of life.
Originally regarded as freak"
the submarine boat has become thor
ough1y practical type of war vessel. AS
now completely developed, it is made
in several sizes. The ordinary harbor
and coast defence "submersibIe" is from
20 to 80 feet long. The small cruiser"
type has a length over all of 100 feet.
and carries II men. The large cruiser
is 140 feet long. with displacement of
500 tons. It has a speed of 16 knots
when travelling on tn surface. and sew
en- knots under water. 1t has a sur
face steaming radius of $500 knots, and
can travel under water 500 knots be-
fore exhausting its supply of electric
ity.
Gums on Larger Type.
The larger cruiser type of subna-
rine carries % men and officers. and
is provided with two rapid fire guns,
mounted in the coming tower, to repel
This motion of putting guns aboard
of an under water boat is something
entirely new, and is in anticipation of
the development Of fighting vessels
of a kind and description as yet un-
known-sma11 and speedy craft that is
to say, especially designed as sub
marine catchers." These are bound to
come, and will be the only seriously
troublesome foe of the submarines
The new style of submarine, unlike
the old, is thoroughly habitabIe and
even comfortable. Officers and crew are
housed and fed on board for weeks
together, the boat being kept under
way night and day. No mother ship"
is needed, for towing or .other care
taking purposes. There is ample living
space In this compartment upholstered
bench Seats useful for lounging in the
daytime, are swung up at night and
converted into beds. Plate glass mir
rors and electric lights lend cheeri~
nesssto the quarters, and at meal times
collapsible mess table is unfolded
and placed in position.
Next abaft the living space with a
glass paneled door, is the galley" OF