Evening star., 1915-03-08
RECENT NAVAL IMPROVE
MENTS.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

Our navy not only ranks high among
the navies of the world In size and
| strength. but it is one of the most up
| to-date in construction and armament.
| All of the methods and devices Tor
| naval warfare which the European
con. fiict is bringing into prominence
are being carefully studied by the ex-
perts of the Navy Department, and the
results used in improving our own
fleet
The tremendous destructive power of
submarines has been conclusfvely DEM
onstrated in this war, and naval ex-
perts are agreed that this is the arm
of the navy which must undergo the
most rapid development in the near fu-
ture. Experiments are constantly be-
ing carried on in this country looking
toward the improvement Of these craft
and of the defense against them.
Elaborate methods of attack by sub
marines and of defense against them
have recently been evolved. and a de-
scription Of these win help to make
clear the problems which naval invent
ors and engineers are trying to solve.
In order to locate a battleship which
it wishes to attack, submarine must
lift its peri
Must Use Periscope scope above
to Locate Battleship. the water II
the submarine is moving rapidly, this
periscope is visible at five or six thou
sand yards to the lookouts on a battle-
ship, while If the submarine Is able to
rise very quietly. it may safely come
within four Thousand yards of its In
tended victim. Having thus made OBJ
servations as to the course and speed
of the vessel, usually from two points,
the submarine goes below, comes up
within range and launches it's torpedo
so that it will intercept the vessel.
This it is able to do with great accur-
acy, provided it can get within four
thousand yards.
The chief limitation upon this method
of attack is the speed of the submarine
below water. No submarines have SO
far been developed which will make
more than fourteen knots when sub
merged, and that speed is not sufficient
to overtake a battleship. In word,
the submarine must depend upon in
tercepting the vessel 1t attacks. and
cannot pursue If the first shot fails.
1t is this fact which gives great inn
portance to the development Of sea-
going submarines which will develop a
speed of twenty to twenty-five knots
upon the surface. 1t Is reported that an
European power has constructed such a
craft, to be driven on the surface at a
speed of twenty-five knots by an en-
gine using fuel oil, while below the
surface it's motive power will be an
electrical battery, like that of all other
submarines.
The next advance in submarine con-
struction expected by naval experts
is sub
High Speed Submerged marine ca
Next Advance Expected.sohieJh,s shJ,s soe.a 0e d
below the surface This would be
about the deadliest water craft imagi-
nable, as it could pursue and harass a
battleship Indefinitely with compare
lively little risk of either attack or de-
lection.
What is needed in order to make the
construction of such a submarine pos
sib1e is an internal combustion engine,
which will develop high power without
emitting any smoke or other waste to
reveal the location of the vessel. Ex-
periments are constantly being made in
the effort to perfect such an engine. 1t
seems reasona bly, certain that the
problem Of driving a submarine At
high speed below the surface will be
SOlHed i'll tne near ana Lne HTSt
nation to develop such a craft will GER
tainIy have a great advantage in war.
The problem of defense against sub
marines has brought forth some inter-
esting devices. submarine is difficult
to destroy with an ordinary projectile,
because the projectile will glance, or
ricochet, upon striking the surface, and
will not affect the submarine, even
though the latter is very near the sur
face A projectiIe Is now being tested
by the Navy Department. however.
which has cup" nose, SO that in
stead of bouncing off the surface of the
water. it will penetrate. and at the
same time explode. The inventor claims
that this device constitutes an efficient
protection against submarines. How
ever, no report has yet been made OF
the experiments being carried on by
the Navy Department to determine the
practicabilit of this projecttle.
The only practicable method of de-
tense against submarines that has
been evolved
An,:ol rrof< 0n1u bynayal STRAIT