Semi-weekly herald., 1915-06-21

OF the sea. vi what use IS DatJlc-
ship or dreadnaught when little
vessC!= costing but two or three hun
dred thousand dollars can blow her
up with a stick Of dynamite? The
dreadnaughts and batteships dare not
20 out to sea. The German mer-
chant marine is scattered in the van-
Gus harbors of the world, also afraid
to go out for fear of the British
gunboats and battleships.
If the German navy ventured out,
the British navy could afford to do
Sc, for the reason that the Germans
would have to keep their submarines
and mines out Of the way. The Ger
mans are aware of this fact and Ghey
sent out the submarines and the mines
only.
At first mines were planted near
to harbors and were anchored. They
were tied to something and supported
as buoys are supported. Now there
is no longer any pretense of tying
them up. They are set adrift TO be in
the way of anything they may pass.
The Germans have distributed them
all around the sasoasts from the
North sea to the Mediterranean.
What is called "mine" is not
new thing. 1t is the improvement of
something that is old. Mines" so
called, were used during the American
Civil war.
Definition of n Mine.
A "mine" is a floating combus-
tible or shell, and in the water looks
like an immense copper kettle, mouth
downward. The explosive tubes on the
top of the mine might represent the
-'''-s'-'"-'--------------i---- the
cult to see them. If the commander
of vessel is informed that there is
a mine just ahead of him and thus
avoid destruction. The mine is set off
by contact with The vessel For a time
chose pr1iectiles sticking up from the
top of the mine were relied on as a
means of insuring explosion. Now
these explosive tubes are connectd by
a long bar so that if the vessel strikes
the bar, some one or possibly all of
the tubes will go off
In riding on the North sea I put
in day watching for mines, our
vessel goiue at slow sped. We dis
covered several Of them. The vessel
placed II man in the forward bow. He
sights along the surface of the water,
directly ahead Of the ship. If he dis
covers ANYTHING he gives a sign to the
man in .hc higher observatory, called
the "crow's nest'.' The man in the
crows nest communicates directly
with the captain or the pilot. The
captains and pilots who have been
running in the North sea and have
been crossing from Folkstone, Eng
land to Flushing in Holland, have be-
come expert in discovering mines and
in avoiding thcm, Not a vessel has
been sacrificed in those waters to
the floating mine.
Removing the Mines.
Great Britian has vessels specially
made for use in destroying mines.
Some Of the vessels destroy a mine
by shooting il with solid shot. This
mas been effective. Another and the
plan is to drung the sa with
a strong netting reaching from one
.mall ship to another A good many
mines have been fished out and taken
away IN nets The british have some
Submarines and mine destroyers.
which are vessels 100 feet long
built for speed These scout boats
,an run on almost any kind Of a sea
.hirty-five miles per hour. When
mines are discovered near tn English
'oast wireless kilograms are sent the
,rorer authorities nnd these fast run
'ing vessels are sent to either explode
'r gather up the mines. have [,
wondered why there were not some of
hose fast running boats in the vicin-
ty OF the Irish coast at the time of
he Lusitania wreck, That pathetic
ragedy might have been prevnted.
Submarine Life Difficult. \
l am told that service on the SUBJ
iarines is trying on the nervous sys- {
I'm. The submarine has been SO i'm :
rovod that it Is possible for such a I
essel to remain away from its source n
supplies in the way of gasoline. I
C., thirty to sixty days. The latest y
erman submarines have been so 4
langed that they can go out to sea @
I'd remain as long us any other vcs 9
!. They are not compelled to run i,
ihore for supplies nor is it necessary
7 tank boats to hunt them up to
We them new allotments of oil. The Il