The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-07-24

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The lieutenant knew the limitations of
his terrible little animal It's kiss could
draw a 10000 ton ship into the abyss,
but the woven Irvine would laugh at
torpedoes.
It's nose could cut through them like
the threads that they were. But the
torn ends would catch coming tower
and masts and periscope tubes Even
II It tore away from them the whirl of
the propeller remained to renew the
danger, sucking the trailing cords to
itself and in one instant switching
them around and around the spinning
shaft.
With the propeller blocked the sub
marine must rise, for only with its
propeller thrusting and its horizontal
fms set to hold 1t down can the sub
marine stay under. It submerges not
by sinking, but by diving with main
strength.
Another rather vivid picture flashed
into the lieutenant's mind. 1t was not
picture this time of wolf among
sheep. 1t was a picture OF a sudden
epormous commotion among those
quiet net boys, as OF something strug-
! Cling down below, and then of vio-
lent surge as the tangled nets were
carried to the surface by a helpless
submarine held fast by the tail.
A breeze arose with the rising sun,
and the water roughened. The subma-
rfne stopped. It could not meet rough
water while it was awash. Although
its buoyancy when it was sealed was
such that its propeller had to thrust
full speed to make it dive, yet with its
matches open 200 gallons of water, far
less than is contained In a single big
wave, would send it down like tin
can.
The commander held on as long as
he could, watching the whitening wa
ter In the east and watching the trans
ports. He saw that at a thousand
yards distance around them Gust
what he would have chosen as neat
torpedo range there lay a little feet
OF gunboats, all thrusting out booms
with steel nets that made them look
eddy, as IL they were hoped and
Wide skirted. Disposed in an oval
they guarded the transports with q
second wall OF steel wire.
And overhead. soaring In spirals,
never flying far away and always re-
turning, were three naval planes. The
commander Of the Me- knew that they
we're waiting and watching for just
one thing-the shadow Of a sub
merged submarine.
TTrom an altitude Of 1900 feet the
movements Of a submarine torpedo
boat may be easily observed unless the
water IL very muddy.-Captain v. e.
Clark, Aviation Corps, U. s. A., De-
cernber issue, Coast Artillery Journal ]
This enemy plainly was taking no
chances. The feet had power and
time. It bent them to one object-to
land its men safely. It would not en-
gage the harbor defenses and so open
itself 70 the risks Of plunging IRE and
torpedo stack. It would not blockade
harbors and so make itself a chosen
mark for such terrors as Mo.
Very scientifically, very thoughtfully
had the enemy staked out the vital spot
e which he had decided to strike
Here, facing each to each almost like
the salients of fertilization, lay three
harbor gates to the northeastern United
States-Buzzards bay, gashing deeply
into Massachusetts,; Narragansett bay
b almost cutting Rhode Island in two
and the eastern entrance to Long Is
land sound and the cities OF Connects
cut
Open any one Of these gates, and Il
opened the way at one blow to botl
Z New York and Boston.
These three sea sahents were greatly
armed for defense. In each harbor Lar
batteries of fourteen and twelve incl
all steel rihed cannon. Hidden undel
facings of earth, steel and concrete
they sat on disappearing carriages ant
pneumatic gun lifts that would swins
them up as If they weighed ounces in
stead OF tons and instantly plunge then
back again into cover after firing.
Deep under earth entertainments
squatt1ng in concrete lined graves
twelve inch mortars, sixteen to
group. stared upward at the patches O
sky over their heads, which was al
that their men would see while the,
were fring, however bitter the Ugh
might be.
A single shot from one Of the long
graceful rifles might sink ship If i
were well placed. A single salvo from
the moftars. the sixteen firing together
assuredly would. And they could d
It. Aimed by mathematics. they wer
sure to strike the spot. A score o
serving devices IN the defenses wer
slaves TO the steel champions. Search
lighta in arxnor waited like men at arm
to point with q long white finger a
their prey. Mine fields and emplace
rnents and cable conduits were there +
forco the ships to steer where the gum
could strike them most surely. MAske'
by trees and mounds. concealed by ev
cry device against betrayal, were rang
finders and fire control stations.
Here sat experts who had studied tn
- y