The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
oERATING THE SUBMARINE IN MODERN WARFARE
One of Greatest Difficulties for Com.
manders Is to Make Their Craft Sink
Quickly---How the Grew Live

this means Is more easily realized
when 4, Is stated that the earlier types
of submarines could scarcely cross the
English Channel and return without
taking I'm supplies of fuel, and Ia rough
weather were forced to remain In har-
bor. whereas the modern vessel can go
from England TO Newfoundland and
Jack without assistance n a re-
main nj sea IN almost any weather, as
was first demonstrated by the success
fIi voyage Of the British submarines
AE-1 and AE-2 to Australia. and has
since been proved by the operations
of the British submarine notila in
the North Sea.
In addition to the cruising range
there ~. however, the question OF
Availability. In this respect tho prog
ress has been equally as rapid. In
the older boats no sleeping
dalton IA provided for tho crew and
food supplies and fresh water suit
cient only for n rev days were carried.
Il the latest British. French and Ger
man vessels proper sleeping and mess
ing accommodations are provided, and
supplies of all kinds and in sufficient
quantity to last . month are carried.
Although work on these crafts ia stu
very cramping for the crow. the in
crease In the deck space and In the
surface buoyancy has greatly mini
mized the discomforts Of service in
the submarine notilla.
with regard to safety &. has already
been shown that r submarine Is only
held below the surface by the power
of her engines ard the action OF the
water on her diving rudders. This
means that In the event Of anything
going wrong inside the vessel she
would automatically rise TO the sur
face. but should the hull be pierced
In any way, either by shot or by COL
.ision. and an overwhelming thrush Of
water result-overcominC no buoy
ancy quickly obtained by blowing out
the water ballas- tanks-then the veg
So, must inevitably sink. and the ques-
ton OF whether or not the crew can
save themselves becomes a problem 10
which no definite answer can he given,
although a special means is provided
In all modern vessels belonging TO the
British navy. Speaking generally, II
may. however. he said that II the dis
as or occurs suddenly and the vessel
sinks INTO very deep water rapidly tho
chances OF life saving are extremely
small. but II tho water Is compare
lively shallow. as along tho coast 900
- $50 feet). the likelihood Of many of
The crow being able 70 save them
selves. with the aid Of the special es-
cape helmets and ar locks. IL fairly
good.
We row come % the most important
Improvement made In the lighting
qualities Of these vessels since first
they came into being. VIZ. the wonder
ful increase in the surface II sub
merged speed. Ir the older craft the
surface speed did not exceed 2 TO 10
kno-s an hour. whereas II now
amounts 10 Ii TO 30 knots. and the
Submerged speed has risen from 5
knots 20 10 to ~ knots. II Is a little
difficult for any but a naval mar to
realize exactly what this Increase in
The speed Of submarines really mems.
and Il is equally difficult 20 ade-
Guately describe 1t here in ron-tech-
meal language. L IL a mere plat!tudc
{, say that f. order TO attack a sur
lace NtI~Nln Ilt Su0Tl'T ne must uTSI
81 within torpedo range ~ f.. and yet
- is o, tnlS very point that the
strategy ard tactics " submarine war
fare rcvolye. \ clever naval tactician
once described he submarine ga a
cha d.,apu,l torpedo boat" The two
points on which ho based this opinion
were the ,thenl SLOW speed Of these
vessels compared with That OF the sur
face wlrrh.p and It's almost total blind
moss when submerged. Taes" We de-
foctS wor" Tor some years the princ!-
pc drawbacks Of al he submarines
lli'at. but since that naval expert pro-
couaCcd submarines TO he hand
capped torpedo boats" great changes,
great improvements. have been made.
THE speed II submarines has in
crease. %, over 100 por cent. ana they
hay" been eiyeu longer and wider
range Of vision by the Introduction u
'Wo l'; 'N'c, approved periscopes in
stead uf y elementary instrument.
Nevertheless av speed difficulty IS still
% very real one. as VII readily he seen
whoa It IS tik'n into consideration
that the speed of a submarine when