The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-19

The British naval authorities have
taken measures to guard British ship
ping In the English Channel, by stretch
tlcularly In the narrows. as possible.
This news was brought here by Capt.
+. II. Claret of the Atlantic Transport
liner Minnehaha. which arrived from
London yesterday. The M%innehaha while
In the Channel passed through a net
guarded space where the narrows were
no, more than a third Of n mile wide.
Only naval ofncers know OF the open
spaces between these nets, and 1t is abso-
lutely necessary that a vessel should be
piloted by a naval man to &c through
safely. This has been done TO set traps
for submarines. and II Is the first time
that open water. like the English
Channel. has been 80 guarded.
Many II the more important harbors
are guarded by nets and traps. particu-
larry naval bases. A few weeks 9
a submarine was found in one Of these
nets on the Firth OF Forth. All on board
were dead and among the bodies were
those of two Scotch fishermen. who pre-
sumably were taken by the Germans to
pilot the submarine through he nets. but
who had sacrificed themselves In order
TO destroy a vessel OF the enemy.
Nets Protect Transports.
a few weeks ago. too. a French sub
marine was caught In a net on the
Adriatic. This was the SAPPHIRE. After
trying until they were nearly exhausted
to liberatc the vessel the men were COM
PEELED to abandon the submarine and
come to the surface. when they were
captured by the Austrians.
The object OF these nets in the Eng
lilh Channel is particularly to protect
the many transports that arc crossing
the English Channel every day. taxi
ing soldiers and supplies to the British
base as Havrc.
The nets are made OF links OF steel.
These links are about six or eight
Inches In diameter and made OF one-half
inch steel. The nets are similar to
lsoF itt y W ~
ships and large cruisers. but which
have now been discarded because "a
torpedo will. puncture the net and the
! second torpedo. which Is fired only "A
second or two after the first. will 20
| through the hole made by the first and
reach the hull Of the vessel.
These chain nets are moored very
securely and nave buoys at the upper
edges to hold them in position. Of
80, sAn.. ara .At t,,uf ~ HSt,r,nap
sets his nets. When the submarine,
like a fish. gets In the pound 4. can
not get out. and those in the vessel
| must either die there or take chances
on reaching the surface and swimming
to shore.
II takes very little TO disable a sub
! marine. The hull Is Of comparatively
thin steel which is easily punctured
and the propeller when caught IL alb
solutely useless. Even an ordinary fish
erman's net will disable "A submarine.
and should one get fou OF such a net
the chances Of getting clear are very
slim.
a submarine when submerged In
handled mechanically. Those In charge
cannot see where the vessel In going.
The officer In charge steers according to
the ranges he has taken when On the
surface, and 1t In absolutely impossible
TO see INSTRUCTIONS that may be ahead.
II is impossible to see another sub
marine unless the two are floating near
the surface and In bright daylight.
For this reason II IL impossible for one
submarine TO fight another when sub
merged.
Capt Claret OF the Minnehaha Is a
| commander In the Royal Naval Reserve.
He said he did not see n signs OF
submarines on the trip Just ended. Com
men,ing on the nets he said they would
keep the German submarines from
reaching the open sea by way OF the
Channel and force them to go around