South Bend news-times., 1915-09-10
lift VEIL FROM
NAVAL WORKINGS
Correspondent is Permitted to
Visit British ShipyardSA
Results Are Told.
By Frederick Palmer.


great naval bases.
At one naval base / saw dry docks
pable OF docking the largest dread
naUgh built since the war began. 1
Was shown maps marking the points
where German submarines had been
sighted and the results OF attacks
classified under captured" supposed
sunk" and sunk" When bubbles
are observed rising for a long time
in the same spot in smooth water, il
is taken FOR granted that the career
of q submarine has ended.
When officers were asked How did
YOU get them 2" the answer was
some times by ramming. some times
by Gun fire, some times by explosives
and in other ways we cannot tell"
All the officers aboard the battle
ships and armed cruisers are envi-
Gus of those engaged in the subarine
hunts. which are regarded as great
sport.
Professional opinion expressed as to
the reason the Germans are ready 70
fOrcgO their submarine attacks on
liners is that they want their SUI b.
marines and their personnel TO carry
on campaign.
The admiral commanding at one Of
the important naval bases stated that
England had 2,3OO trawleds mine
swecpers and other auxiliaries out
side Of the regular services on duty
ade from the British channel to Ice
land and keeping the NOorth sea
clear. He said their reseTviSt crews
haC been most Jealous in their i'm
port part in overcoming the kind of
naval warfare GGermany has waged.
AS our destroyer after the cruise
at sea. following the coast turned
the headland in the harbOr where the
grand fleet was anchored l saw a
target being toWed in the customary
manner FOR the firing practice of
some OF the cruisers
I'VE keep at it all the time" an
officer explained.
The cruiser practice finished. they
took their places in fleet formation
among the immense field of gray
shapes at anchor in precise order,
which. as we drew nearer became
line after line of dreadnaughts.
In that tint that seemed TO melt
into the sea even the Queen Eliza
beth. back from the Dardanelles,
looked small for her tonnage and gun
powder until compared with the In
flexible. the flagship Of the Falkland
islands battle. or the vessels of the
light cruiser squadron which had
just come from sweeping" the North
sea, as scouting is called.
Every deck was stripped for action, !
steam was up in every ship and as
our destroyer threaded its way among
the ships Of the fleet. in the turrets 4
were seen turning guns being elevat- /
ed and lowered in the course of
drills
The seaplanes, which were sailing /
over the fleet had their home on a !
famous Atlantic liner, which has car /
Tied many thousands of passengers.
The "Cat Squadron"
In their places in the battle cruiser |
squadron. which is known in the navy |
-
and the Tiger. which sank the Bleu- |
cher in the North sea battle.
This seems sufficient denial of the |
German report that the Tiger is at |
the bottom of the sea-" said an Off |
Ger
Looking strange among the homo I
genous tvDes of 10 gun ships which /
belonged TO the regular British navy /
was a Turkish 12-inch dreadnaught /
taken over at the outset of the war.
AS we approached the flagship of |
the commander-in-ch an officer /
pointed out Sir John JellicOe as one |
Of two officers prOmenading the quar- |
ter deck. He carried a telescope un- /
der his arm. From the quarter deck /
he can keen an eye on all these gray |
monsters which form the fighting |
part OF his command while others of |
his host are abroad on different err
rands.
Distinguishable onlv by a single
band of gold braid from the other
officers, sir John met his guests - the
gang plank.
Whether it was Beatty. Sturdee or
any other OF his squadron command
eTS that one met their youth was
most striking. JellicOe at 81 is the
senior of them all, which includes
vice-admirals at Al. He is never
without that telescope under his arm.
officers say. when he is on deck. and
nothing which the young officer on
watch sees misses his eyes.
Admiral Escorts Guests.
The admiral escorted his guests
through the snip. showing the men
at drill and was interested in calling
attention to a special machine for
practice by gun spoilers in firing
where the results Of each shot were
displayed.
This is the bes. we have until the
German heet comes out and gives us
a chance for the real thing"
stepping into a. small room where !
telegraph keys clicked and compact
wireless apparatus was hidden behind
armOr the correspondent saw the
workings of the station which brings
Sir John word OF any submarine
Sighter or any movement in all the
seas around the British isles and car
ries the cOmmander-in-chi orders
far and near.
BlucjacLets Are sturdy
The bluejackets invariably are
sturdy long service men Of mature
years who have been kept drilling in
the same ship since the war began.
Their health is better than in times
Of peace as they are kept aboard un
der strict discipline with sufficient eX-
erCiseS and plenty OF good food. Mis-
demeanors Of all sorts have de-
creased since the war.
one eature OF the usual routine
only has been changed. The decks
are not washed every day. but twice
week. as the daily washing down
gave the men less freedom OF move
ment and kept their surroundings
too moist
The aim is 20 keep the men al
ways up 20 the maximum of efficien-
cy the officers explained and not TO
overtrain 90 the point of staleness or
permit any slackness. was amazed
NJ the patience and application Of the
a. / e