The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1915-05-22
The Submarine Freight Train.

The Submarine Freight Train.
By Frank Parker Stockbridge, in the
June Popular Mechanics Magazine.
An underwater freight train that
makes it possible for submarine tor
pedo boat to operate in hostile waters
for an indefinite period has been devils
ed by Simon Lake, an American Il
ventor, VINO has designed and construct
ed submersible fighting craft for the
navies of several of the European
powers.
Just how many of these novel supply
trains are in use. and by what nations,
are military secrets. 1t has been point
ed out by naval authorities that the
German submarines which have been
operating as commerce destroyers in
the territorial waters of the British
Isles must have some means of re-
plenishing their supplies of fuel oil,
fresh water, food, and ammunition
without returning to German naval
case. Few, ii any, submarines now in
existence are known TO have cruising
radius of more than 900 miles. Ger
man submarines operating in the Irish
Sea and off the northwest coast OF
Scotland are at least 700 miles. from
the nearest German port.
By means of the submerged supply
train, however, it is comparatively easy
for fighting submarine to obtain sup
plies at regular intervals with almost
complete secrecy, for the transfer OF
stores of all kinds can be made under
water. The only way the enemy coulo
detect what was going on would be BY
observation from an aeropiane.
Two, three, or more, submersible
cars, cigar-shaped. water-tight, ana
fitted with buoyancy tanks inside ano
wheels on the lower side, make up a
submersible freight train. These cars
have no propeiiing machinery nor
quarters for crews, but are towed be-
hind self-propelIing submarine, which
may also be equipped for firing tor
pedoes.
Each of the lowed cars cars contains
compartments for fuel oil and fresh
water, each with hose connection on
the outside of the hull, and space for
food supplies and ammunition in water
tight cases. This lastnamed compart-
ment has a door opening outward, on
the bottom of the circular hull near
the keel.
Transferring supplies from the tow
ed cars to the towing craft or to an in
dependent fighting submarine is done
on the bottom of the sea, in shallow
water.
Arrived at the rendezvous, which may
be almost under the guns of the enemy's
coast Notifications and still be unsu-
spected, the submerged freight train
comes to q halt on the bottom in Is or
20 #. of water. Under the bow of the
towing vessel is a door, opening down.
ward, leading into the sea from COM
partment that is cut off from the rese
of the crafts interior by alright bulk
heads. This diving lock is another
feature developed by Mr. Lake and
used on nearly all his submarines. In
shallow water it is not difficult to
maintain, inside of this lock, either
from compressed air tanks or by the di
rect action of pump, an air pressure
that will balance the external water
pressure and keep the inside dry even
with the door wide open. The diving
compartment, in fact. is practically q
travelling diving bell. 1t is large
enough to hold ewo men, one to aid tht
aver, the otis.' in diving arnor, bein.
Tree to walk along 0he sea bottom alc
unload the towbcats. Oil and water
are transferred to the waiting subma-
inc through pipes. To get at the Stores
in the alright compartment, the diver
opens the door from outside. Air pres
sure from the pumps of the towing
vessel keeps the water out, and the in
terror is lighted by electricity, convey
ed from the storage battery of the
main craft. Food in tins, cartridges
for rifles and machine guns, even tor
pedoes. may be transferred in this way
from one vessel to another without so
much as a ripple on the SURFACE indi-
eating to an observer on shore or on a
hostile ship that anything unual is 60
ing on.