The Washington times., 1915-06-03
Jules Verne's Nautilus
Is a Dream No Longer
German Submarines Now Approaching Perfection
Novelist Fancied and Many Expect to See
Commercial Under Water Boat.
By JUDSON C. WELLIvEK.

face speeding, one Of two r,pes Of en-
gine; either an explosive gasolene af-
fair. or a steam engine operated from
oil-heated boilers. 1t being possible to
out the fires, the waste of oxygen Is
thus reduced to a minimum. To this
oil burning type, however, there are
serious objections yet to be overcome.
destroys some of the oxygen. but makes
the submerged boat almost uninhabi-
table.
SO Ear as invention and experience now
point the way, the ideal submarine Will
have one set Of engines. operating from
storage batteries. Until such a develop
ment OF the storage battery Is possible:
II will be necessary to use two sets OF
at work on the problem. and Edison
has largely eliminated the most imme.
date trouble, which Is the danger of
spilling chemicals from the batteries
and thus generating chlorine gas: This
Is the great horror Of the submarine.
Germans Far Ahead.
There is every reason to believe that
the Germans now are far ahead of all
the other naval powers in submarine
construction. They are believed to be
putting out submarines of about 1,5cC
tons. while the American navy is build
ing them of 1000 tons. The Germans
| have developed q type of the Delsel
engine for surface navigation that Is
not much understood, because for about
three years they have been particularly
secretive concerning all naval matters
The submarine performances in the
present war have only recently begun to
surprise our naval officers. Even now
the astonishment is not at the things
which the public finds difficult to ex-
plain. There is not much surprise a,
the efficiency that submarines have
shown in their particular sphere of OPP
Grafton. The wonder Is at the lors
navig alton radius of the larger German
| submarines, and at the apparent mum.
| Der of them and their ability to make
| their kind of warfare so persistent and
effective. Naval officers say that It Is
| pretty well settled that the larger Ger.
| man craft of the undersea type cal
remain away from their bases as Ions
as two weeks, and travel around the
| British islands. This means that they
cut and the "trip back. which gives then
week for active service. The mum
| ber OF them Is one of the wonders ot
| the present phase of war; but this 1;
not so impressive. because of the long.
maintained secrecy about all German
plans and operations.
Not At Top of List.
| At the beginning of the war German,
was not near the top of the list of ma
4 tions in the showing of subma rint
power. 1t was credited with twenty
seven boats built and eighteen building
while the United States showed thirt,
built and nineteen building. England
had seventy-iive built and twenty-tw,
building. France was far ahead O
Germany. with sixty-four built an,
twenty-five building; even Russia le,
Germany. on paper. showing thrt.
built md nineteen building.
Italy. the newest addition to the lis
of warning nations, was credited with
nineteen submarines in commission anC
eight under construction. All the ante
neiium neures are now set aside as o.
Etue Significance. There is a genera
belief that Germany had more sub
marines than she admitted; that sh,
mas put In commission an astonishin,
number since the war began, and. final
~, that she is relying on the subma
rines much more than is any othe
country. to determine the last test o
naval power. The British expect tha
test to be made in a great clash q
battle fleets. The Germans are seem
lngiy counting on another way of de
ciding the issue. 1t begins to daw
OH the naval sharps that Germany be
ieVes she has a chance to win In a wa
/, OF endurance, and that in such a WA
che can make her submarine serve tn
NAL purpose OF driving her enemy
commerce on the seas, as the enemy
cruisers In the beginning drove he
merchant ships out of commission.
AS to guarding against the sui
marines-but that's another story. on
navy has It's own ideas about the rich
method, and Is working on them.