The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-04
DENIES MYSTERY IN
GERMAN SUBMARINE
English Writer Says Engines
Built for Other Navies
Are Being Used.
10 NEW BOATS SINCE JULY

LoHooS. March ia-The Daiiy Mol
prints an interesting article on Ger
A. y. Chaiklcy, editor Of the Motor SHIP
eva Motor Boat:
There is not really much mystery
surrounding the German submarines.
even Of the latest type. and prior to the
outbreak Of war It was probably easier
for Interested parties to gain irforn,a-
ton concerning the German vessels than
any important details relating to the
corresponding British craft.
AS everyone Is aware VINO IA ac-
auainted with the design 81 modern sub
marines. the chief problem in the con-
struction lies in the oil engines used
for propulsion on the surface. The
motors for the German boats which for
the past two or three years have been
exclusively Of the Diesel type. using
heavy oil. are built only by two Arms,
Krupp Of Kiel and the Maschincnfabrik
Augsburg Nuremberg.
~ short time ago an account was
given IN the German papers Of he
maiden voyage OF U-i7. and II was
stated that this boat started on her
hrs, trip some time IN February. pre-
eumabiy toward the end. II 10 not to
be inferred definitely from this that the
boat represents the forty.seventh ac.
tually built, since. apart from the fact
that she may have been Intentionally
wrongly numbered. II Is not at all necse.
sAry that the vessels should he com.
Vleted strictly In rotational order.
Nevertheless. although the twenty
seventh German submarine was only
completed in July last. and r. the ordi-
nary way II would be impossible TO build
twenty new craft in eight months. it is
quite likely that more than half this
number has been commissioned The
reason for this state Of AFFAIRS Is inter-
estinE.
Orders for other Navies.
"Tne hull and general equipment Of a
submarine can be built fairly rapidly
and the longest time is required for the
DIESEL engines The two Arms previously
mentioned. however. had on order Cor
the Russian and other navies large
number of submarine engines. which
were presumably acquired by the Ger
man naval authorities Immediately wal
broke out.
"On one occasion on passing through
the erecting shop a; Krupps I noticed
At least thirty submarine engines OF the
latest type practically complete. repre-
senting the installations for fifteen sub.
marines 1.-TWO cnsines TO a submarine)
whereas certainly not half this number
was to the order OF the German Ad.
riralty. Perhaps this explains why ths
German manufacturers are encouraged
to build for foreign uavies.
These boats displscC Just under 200
tons of water when fully submerged an.
about $40 tons when running on th'
surface this being slightly In excess ~
the British T. class. whose displacement
In $40 tons submerged. They are. OF
course. twin screw vessels and tive
Diesel engines. each developing about
500 to $50 n. h. ~, are installed fol-
driving the boat on the surface. givinl
maximum speed of nearly seventeen
knots.
The engines are six or eight cylinder
machines. according to the type. and
use heavy oil to the extent OF about
100 gallons an hour at full speed
They are able to carry abou. $4,000
gallons of fuel, which gives them a
radius of action of somewhere in the
neighborhood OF 1000 sea miles.
''They carry four torpedo tubes, two
forward and two aft. while they ar,
also armed with two fourteen FOUNDER
guns, which are housed within the sub
marine itself when not In use and car
be brought into action within about
minute IL the boat is on the surface
Electric motors are of course employed
for propelllng the boats when under
water.
designed for 1900 Horsc-pOwer
Recent events have shown that th'
submarine Is practically useless agains
vessels capable of higher speed thar
Itself. and this explains Why II II
that such urgent attempts have beer
made 10 develop an underwater Graf
with q surface speed OF ~ least twent!
knots. With this end in view, the Ger
man naval authorities had ordered sub
marine engines from the two manufac
turers mentioned above designed TO de
velop 1900 horsepower.
1T was anticipated that with thi
mower and q well designed hull 'h'
speed of twenty knots would he reached
These engines were certainly being bull
before the war commenced, but fhe'
must he looked upon mainly az eN
perinentsl and for several reasons II v
improbable that they have been installed
In an actual submarine,
Il. is very significant fact tina
the German naval authorities are no
concentrating their attention upon tn
construction OF large seagoing subma
rines only. since they have placed or
ders for number of small craft q
about $50 tons, IN he used solely 70