The Spectator., 1915-06-01
OPERATION OF GERMAN SUBMARINE
 DESCRIBED BY A NAVAL OFFICER
Report of Cruise by Engineer Lieutenant Tells of Grim Work in the North Sea-How the Deadly Craft Slipped Out of the Ke Canal and Topedoed 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- zines, 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 it 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 a 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 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 approXi- 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 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 se- 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, if we fire the torpedo at target 1000 yards away, we set dial at 1.500 yards. Then if the torpedo has travelled l500 yards and has not hit the target by that time, a flood valve opens, thus allow ing the water to enter the torpedo and sink it. removing all danger for shipping and preventing the enemy from making studies of the most se- cret weapon of every navy.
 When the torpedo is fired it is forced out of the tube under water by compressed air of 250 to 800 atmos- pheres, approximately 4,000 pounds to the square inch. l 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 It requires the work of an excelently trained crew to bring an 5000 pound torpedo into the tube correctly on a 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 go 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