Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-05-27
CREWS SLEEP As
SUBMARINES lie
ON OCEAN FLOOR

The following article WAS Nii'tci w ="
German officer to popularize the SUB
marine in Germany in view OF 'he
blockade" of Great Britain. 1t has APP
reared In several German newspapers;
IN will take in provisions and clear
for sea. Extreme economical radius
A first lieutenant, with acting rank of
commander, takes the order in the gray
dawn of n February day. The hulk of
an old corvette with the Iron Cross OF
1870 on her stubby foremost is his quart
ers in port. and on the corvette's deck he
is presently saluted by his first engineer
and the officer of the watch. On the
,,ier the crew of the III await him. At
their feet the narrow gray submarine
lies alongside, straining a little at her
cables.
srNVell we've our orders at last be-
gins the commander, addressing his
crew of 10, and the crew grin. For this
is IT-i7's first experience of active SER
vice She has done nothing save trial
trips hitherto. and has Just been over
hauled for her first lighting cruise Her
commander snaps out number or ord
ers Provisions are to be taken in up
to the neck fresh water is to be put
aboard, and cnglne-room supplies to be
supplemented.
A mere plank is the gangway to the
little vessel AS the commander, FOL
lowed by his officers, comes aboard.
sailor hands to each ball of cotton
waste the sign and symbol OF n submar-
inc officer which never leaves his hand
For the steel walls of his craft, the
doors. and the companion ladder all
sweat oil, and at every touch the hands
must be wiped dry. The doorways are
narrow round holes. Through one of the
holes aft the commander descends by
breakncck iron ladder into the black
hole lit by electric glowlamps The air
is heavy with the smell of oil, and to the
unaccustomed 'longshoreman it is almost
choking. though the matches are of. Inc
submarine man hreathes this air as If 1t
were the purest ozone. Here in the en-
gine-room aft men must live and strain
every nerve. even if for days at time
every crack whereby the fresh air could
get in is Theoretically sealed. on their
tense watchfulness 80 lives depend.
ENGINES AND ARMAMENT.
Here, too. are slung some hammocks,
and in them one watch tries and, what
is more, succeeds in sleeping though the
men moving about bump them with head
and elbow at every turn, and the 10"
and narrow vault is full Of the hum and
purr of machinery. In length the vault
is about ten feet. but if man of nor
NAL stature stands in the middle ant
raises his arms to about half shoulder
height his hands will touch the cold
moist steel walls on either side. y net
work of wires runs overhead, and Their
Is a juggler's outfit of handles levers
and instruments. The commanderinspect
everything infinitely, then creeps into
hole into the central control station
where the chief engineer is at his post
with just about enough assistance t
run a fairly simple machine ashore tn
chief engineer of a submarine is expect
ed to, control, correct and, If necessary
repair at sea an infinitely complex ma
chinery which must not break down 70
an instant if 80 men are to return aliv
to the hulk.
The commander pays visit of in
specton to the torpedo-chambor an
strokes the smooth steel of the dead
silver fish" His second-in-commanC
who is in charge of the armament, join
him here and receives final instruction
regarding the torpedoes and the stowin
of explosives. For the torpedo is No
only an extremely complicated weapon
mands very thorough Apprenticeship
Forward is another marrow steel Vau
serving at once engine-room an
crews quarters. Next to it is a plae
like cupboard, where the cook has jul
room to stand in front Of his dolls hou:
galley stove 1t Is electrically heatt
that the already oppressive air may m
be further vitiated by smoke fume
\ German submarine In any case smel
perpetually of coffee and cabbage. Tv
little cabins of the size of n dcce
clothes chest take the deck and ongin
room officers. four of them. Anoth
box cabin is reserved for the command
when he has time to occupy it.
THE CRUISE BEGINS.
At daybreak the commander comes
deck In coat and trousers of blac
leather lined with wool protecti'
against oil, cold and sea water. ri
crew at their stations await the cor
mand of cast off. Machines clear
calls voice from the control static
and Clear ship" snaps the order fro
the bridge Then "Cast-off" The cabl
slap on to the landng-stage. the engin
begin to purr, and U-i7 slides away In
open water.
y few cable lengths away anoth
submarine appears homeward bour
She is the U-9O returning from a lo
cruise in which she succeeded in sinki
a ship bound with a cargo of froz
mutton for England Good luck.
sheep-butcher." sings the commander
Ui7 rs the sister ship passes within ha
The seas are heavier now, and L
rolls unpleasantly she makes
lightship and answers the last SAIL
from friendly hand The two offic,
On the bride turn once to look at t
ughtshp already astern, then their eN
look seward.
IT Is rough stormy weather If
cgg-shell goes ahead two or three da
without stop. the officers in char
will get no sleep for just that long.
it gets any rougher they will be tied
the bridge rails to avoid being sw
overheard If they are hungry pla
Of SOUP will be brought to them on
bridge, and the North sea will attend
it's sailing for them.
Just as the commander is trying
balance II plate with one hand and us
spoon with the other, the watch ca
smoke on the horizon off the
bow"
The commander drops his plate, sho
a short, crisp command, and an cleo
alarm whirrs inside the eggshell
ship buzzes like a hive Then water
gins to gurgle into the ballast tanks,
U.47 sinks until only her per3cOpe sho