Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-06-25
OPERATION Of GERMAN SUBMARINE
DESCRIBED BY A NAVAL OFFICER
Report of Cruise by Tells Of Grim Work in
the North SeaHow the Deadly Craft Slipped Out of the Ne
Canal and Torpedoed Destroyer and Crept Back to Friendly
Waters-Tense Moments When the Enemy Is Sighted,

We begin to feel the famous motion
Of that body of water Waves rush
overheard, and SO we descend through
the manhOle and take our places in
side. The steady vibration and the
noise of the exhaust and of the en-
gines, and the not at all appetizing
smell of oil and gasoline and also the
rocking OF the boat make the interior
by no means pleasant place for any
one who is not accustomed to it. The
only exit, our manhole. is being
screwed down and made air and water
tight. Since men have to do their ut
most under such conditions, you can
well imagine that 1t takes will power
and energy. And the men have it.
Our air pump for the rear ballast
tank begins to show a little trouble
and Immediately one of the mechanics
Is underneath it to make repairs. He
is working hard in space where
there is no room to turn around. lying
between moving engine parts, soaked
with oil and gasoline, but it is done
willingly at a moments notice. The
captain has taken his place in the
chart room, the most important part
of the submarine. He is intently study
ing the planes of the periscOpe, the
only eye of the submarine.
Mechanism of the Torpedoes.
There are different styles of peri
scope in use. Ours extends approx
mately sixteen feet above the upper
deck and gives a very clear picture
of the surroundings.
The torpedo, the most splendidly
worked out weapon, but also the most
dreadful, may be called a small boat
in itself. OF a cigarlike shape, the
outer shell, built of steel and bronze.
conceals the finest and most accurate
mechanical works, machinery and air
chambers, besides the deadly explo-
sive, one of the most important Sc
crets. There are at the rear Of the
torpedo two propellers driven by COM
pressed air and dial to be used for
setting the range the torpedo has to
travel. For instance, IL we fire the
torpedo at a target 1000 yards away,
We set dial at $500 yards. Then IL
the torpedo has travelled 1900 yards
and has not hit the target by that
time, food valve opens, thus allow
ing the water to enter the torpedo
and sink 1t, removing all danger for
shipping and preventing the enemy
from making studies of the most Sc
cret weapon of every navy.
When the torpedo Is fired 1t is
forced out of the tube under water by
compressed air Of $50 to 300 atmos-
pheres, approximately 1000 pounds to
the square inch. / will mention that
on torpedo boats we carry a small
sized torpedo which is fired from a
tube above the water level and which
drops under water after leaving the
tube. Up to the present time we have
not been able to make use of this
type on submarines, for the reason
that we must keep the gravity point
of the boat as low as possible. This
disadvantage Is noticed when reload
ing the torpedo tube on submarines.
1t requires the work of an excellently
trained crew to bring an 5000 pound
torpedo into the tube correctly on q
moving boat and within as small space
as is available for the torpedo room.
Getting Ready to Attack the Foe.
After travelling for hours we are ap-
preaching the line Of torpedo boats Of
the enemy on guard against us and
now every precaution must be taken.
The order, Clear for action!" is 60
ing through the boat. Everybody at
his place has done his duty for the
last twelve hours without rest and
everybody knows that chances for
rest are not very frequent. And yet
our captain takes care of that; he has
studied his maps and knows the depth
Of the water. Orders go through and
within fifteen seconds our boat Is