The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1913-10-23
SUBMARINES At WORK
FORECAST or NAVAL War IN,
THE COMING YEAsS.
New Types Of Destroyer, When Ger
tain Enolnes Are Developed, VIII
Possess Powers Of Hldeous
oestructivoness,

The destroyer 10 doomed shortly d
disappear, or, II you like. she viii IN
future be invested with the power "a
dive. The types. 1T any rate. will b
amalgamated. It 10 . matter Of Per.
fecting the Observation-Disclosures enginu
for marine purposes. Afterward the
submarine may attain the power OF
flying AZ we'll. and we shall have Z
ship possessing all the qualities Of the
wild duck, except that Of sitting on
eggs and reproducing herself. This
forecast is made by Gerard Fennes
who writes of the work Of the subma
rine in the Pail Mall Magazine:
1T is the darkest hour. the heur be.
fore the dawn. The hostile fleet lies
in its harbor, behind the boom and
under the shelter of the forts. It has
suffered damage in an encounter with
superior force, but is still in being
The beams Of the searchlights wheel
and cross and seesaw up and down;
the guarding destroyers prowl hither
in the outer harbor. OF q sudden
there is rush from seaward of black
h1lls and flaming tunnels. No con
cealment is attempted; it would be
useless. The attackers creep, upper.
ceived, near enough to make their
rush. In an instant the scene is ablaze
with quick.firing guns, hurting shell
on friend and foe alike. The assail.
ants hold on. One boat after another
sinks, but ever fresh squadrons rush
In to the attack. A dozen, 20, 30 boats
will be we'll lost II the attempt sue.
ceeds.
1.-THE boom which protects the har.
Dor mouth is made Of huge baulks OF
timber, wound and wound with stout
steel hawsers. From its low edge
hang torpedo nets. It would be vain
to charge 1t as the Polyphemus years
ago charged the boom ct Portsmouth
for an experiment, and got over. It
must be blown up. A rending crash.
followed by another, proclaims the
failure Of the trusted defense. The
boom Is in splinters; the destroyers
which wrecked It actually make their
way to safety amid the smoke and
confusion caused by the explosions
Now the fast-breaking dawn disclosea
number of slim poles cutting the sur.
face Of the water. Again the crash OF
the fire breaks out. II 10 futile, but
the nerves Of the gunners will not
| stand inaction. The defending de.
stroyers charge the submarines, try.
Ing to knock away their periscopes
and to explode mines close to their
hulls. Here and there they succeed
A whalelike snout is thrown out OF
the water and sinks again forever
There is whirr Of wings overhead
The aeroplanes are up. Soon foun.
tains Of water are spouting from
where their dropped bombs explode
But above all the din there arises q
dull, muffied roar-a second. q third
Some Of the battleships are hit. One
torpedo which missed its mark de-
stroys the caisson Of the dock in which
the flagship 10 lying for repairs. Worst
Of all. the feet has lost ito sense Of
security It must 30 out and tight a
any cost. What the Areships were
designed to do In the old wars, and
seldom did. the submarine can accom-
plish. at least, II she justihes the
! hopes Of those who believe in her.