The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-09-07
70 SUBMARINES
co TO ALLIES

precautions taken that until now not
person outside of those intended to
know had an inkling of what had been
done.
From every standpoint the achieve.
ment is a remarkable one, and its
chief value to Americans is in it's
demonstration of what American
naval constructors can do in strength
ening the national defense if called
upon.
Information concerning the con-
struction of these transatlantic sub
marines comes from a source which
cannot be questioned. There is not
the slightest doubt that the thing has
been done, and that the men who did
1t soon are to surpass even this
achievement by the launching of car
go submarines, which 1t is expected
will defeat any blockade of commerce
athat is attempted by any of the war
ring European powers.
Trip Without Mishap.
1t was to discuss with. officers Of
the British admiralty the possibility
of speedy construction on the Amer
lean continent of submarines that
could safely cross the ocean that Mr..
Schwab went to England last Deem
Der. Mr.. Schwab convinced the Brit
ish officials that it could be done. Con-
tracts for ten of the submersibles
were signed at once. Mr.. Schwab. re-
turned to the United States. In five
months the submarines were ready
for delivery. That is the story in
brief of the most remarkable accom-
plishment in naval construction since
warships began to be built.
1t is reported that the British ad.
miralty was thunderstruck in May
when word was received from Mr..
Schwab that the submarines were
actually completed and ready to 20
into commission. Such thing had
not even been dreamed of. The Brit.
ish officers who observed every stem
in the construction of the little under
sea boats, however, reported that they
were perfect in every, detail and the |
last word in submarines construction.
Crews were Immediately sent here, |
and within a few days after they ar
rived all of the sea terrors had passed |
out of the harbor and were ploughing |
their way through the ocean to the |
war zones. They made one stop at
Gibraltar to take on extra oil and fuel |
in case of emergency. 1t is officially |
reported that these extra supplies
were not needed and not used.
Maintaining an average speed of |
a fraction more than seven nautical
miles an hour they made their way |
unseen to their destination. New
vessels, as they were, without any ex- |
tensive testing to find possible weak |
nesses, they made their unheard of
journey without mishap.
British officials who observed the |
work were amazed with the rapidity |
and thoroughness with which it was
done and are now unstinted in their
praise of the Yankee genius that
made such an exploit possible. In !
what few tests were made of the sub, |
marines before they were despatched |
on their long sea trip it was demon
strated that they could be handled |
with an expedition and accuracy new
er attained in either undersea or sur
face boats before. To this quality is
attributed the fact that they all man
aged to work their way safely through !
the mine fields of Heligoland and in
Turkish waters.
The ten submarines are of the new.
est standard type. differing in no i'm
portant detail from those under con-
struction in this country for the Unit
ed States. They are 140 feet long and |
equipped with the Dissel heavy oil
engines. These engines were built by
the Electric Boat ComDany at it's
plant at New London, Conn. Each sub |
marine has four torpedo tubes, but |
when they left Canada they carried |
no guns. 1t is assured that guns have |
been mounted on them since, as facil-
tiles for placing light guns were pro.
vided for by the builders. Each sub
marine. however carried torpedoes
and was prepared for actual hostil- |
tiles
The little vessels cost 100000
each. This is an unusually high price
for submarines of this type and is
due to the expedition with which they
were built. Extra labor and extra
machinery had to be provided to keep /
the work going twenty-four' hours |
day, and this was added to the cos. !