Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-30
STRAY MINES TO
MENACE SHIPPING
FOR MANY YEARS
Thousands of Engines Of De-
struction Get Away From
Their MooringS and Drift
Out Into Open Sea,
tsssoclatcd Press Correspondence. }

Paris. April i9.-Gcrman suhma-
rines ana minc-layers place an esti-
mated number Of 1000 mines each
month IN the waters Of the entente
allies The question as TO what be-
comes Of the great majority those
which do not accomplish the object
for which they were posteG---is dealt
with interestingly IN q report prepared
by Renr Admiral Degouy after eare=
fnl calculation which includes figures
as 60 tho mine carrying capacity of
submarines the number OF voyages of
submarines and mlnc-layers, ana the
nunfl er % mines located and de-
stfoyed Admiral Degouy believes
that the presence OF these engines OF
destruction viii be formidable dan-
ger for ships for several years after
peace comes
Quantities OF mines this naval
official declares, ARE carried away
j from their anchorage by the currents
/ into Wide ocean, perpctuatine the
+ danger perhaps but diminishing I'M
+ mediate risks quantities of others
+ drift ashore whore they are immedi-
/ ntelN made harmless, the fishermen.
whether they like or not. and often at
their great peru, capturc great num-
/ Der in their nets
Adjustment Not simple.
/ The adjustment OF the exploding
/ apparatus Of the engine Is not so sim.
I pie aud It's apparatus for stability at
/ the proper depth doesn't always work.
TO produce its full effect the mine
must be held at depth OF from three
! To FIVE yarda. If the stnbilizlng APP
paratus doesn't work, II will descend
too deeply or viii come 10 thu surface
where II will he readily discovered
and destroyed Where no stabilizlng
apparatus is used. flo0ters are re-
CURED and they also are easily dis
/ VoVerahle by good observers More
over mines too close 10 the surface
! have not the maximum destructive eff
+ feet.
4 Notwithstanding the conditions
/ tha4 reduce 10 very small proportions
+ the mines that really explode cut Of
the twelve thousand laid each year.
J they constitute "A formidable danger
that VIII not disappear FOR several
Nsars ntfer FhN war ~ over An the
MINES that DRIFT 60 sea risk some daV
/ 80 Nthew nNroup' a~i~~ a shin Snch
F*fNfHFfRtF ftlNt tilfNNN N'tNAifN us TT
rase 80 the t'rcnch tnttleship
liouvet destroyed by a floating mine
at the 1ardanelios
The logical defense auninsi sewing
~ mines broadcast would be to so
70 the origin OF the evil~t strike che
lfietmans IN their own pnris-~d emol-
ish their pirate nests and blockade
their coasts 90 closnlv that nn mino-
LAYER coula pass The allies howev-
er, have adopted plan ~ action that
particular circumstances have dletat-
ed and II n prohallv the most effect
irH possible On gnito 81 logical specu-
laiiens thai might indicate to the
] contrary History alone can decide
between the partisans Of am active aud
an eNpective attitudc
As to the tloatinr mines sci adrft
/ In contradiction Co the conventions af
/ The HAGUE. Il would he well to watch
more closely every supposed neutral
cargo boat coming from northern Eu-
ropean waters. crossing the waters
of the entente powers or touching at
err ports Marry mines also. at high
tide and with the AID of properly ar
ranged nets can he drawn into some
/ ~ the streams flowing into the sea- Is