The Washington herald., 1916-07-10
German Supersubmarine
Casts Anchor at Baltimore

The most distinctive feature about the
boat is the absence OF torpedo tubes.
The modern type Of armed German sub
marines has torpedo tubes not only near
the bow, but also in the more recent
models at the stern and at the bridge
These are completely absent from this
merchant submarine Nor DO you stub
your toe on the ugly little hummock on
deck which marks the place where the
disappearing gun Of the olo-fashioned
type Of German naval submarine is con-
cealed or, to be accurate, protected
The more modern German submarines
are provided with 1-2-inch guns such as
the German destroyers use, and these are
kept well under cover below matches that
are flush with the deck. But this boat
has no such gun. nor any ram on which
Il could be raised TO position or any com
pressed air apparatus that could do the
work Of raising.
Couldn't Fire n Torpedo.
In the interior you also miss the
mechanicism and tackle used for firing
torpedoes, the breech blocks for loading.
+, gives the torpedoes their send-o1 and
wheels which control them.
You also look in vain for the magazine
with reserve supplies Of Uorpeooes. Tne
most recent type OF submarine they had
when ! left Germany a few months ago
was able TO carry twenty reserve tor
pedoes without too much dificulty. But
/ here the spaces that would have to be oo-
cupied by those swift and fatal mechan-
teal fishes with their desly cargo OF trini-
troll toluene-arectionately known as II.
~. T."-are filed with dyes 20 gladden.
the hearts Of those who promenade Fifth
avenue and put back into American life
the color OF which the war has robbed It
! According 70 those interested in the
" L. Ma-
I the construction OF these merchant boats
/ to insure the very best possible air sup
ply. A stay OF two full days between
I the surface does not Inconvenience the
lungs or heart Of the crew in the slight
est As to the hot fetid air. which the
/ engine room carries down with II, when
/ the boat dives below the surface. this is
Z led out through pipes, put through a cool
/ ing and purifying process and led back
again as good as new"
RatIons for Months.
The food questions gave the men even
| less worry than the matter OF air. There
was enough food to last them some three
months-and then enough more among
the emergency rations'' TO last them
good while longer.
Had their pu-gstory suddenly been
turned into hell OF terror by a sudden In
( rush OF water from a leak, or a tearing
I Of the hull, they were all ready to make
dash for their emergency kits. You
/. put them on the way you do q coat and
/ fasten a respirator-a fairly complicated
apparatus, which is connected with
breathing bag carried on the back-over
the mouth-and nose II you succeed IN
getting out the buoyancy Of the swim
ming coat carries you TO the surface
and you are able to take on the mouth
ard nose piece and breathe the fresh air
Of the sea. and shout for help.
/ One OF the reasons for the choice Of the
Chesapeake as the port Of landing for
J the submarine is the absence Of any swift
current The importance Of stil water
can hardly be overestimatedg The swift
current in the Dsrdsnelles cost England
two Of her best submarines.
The submarine is a dark gray in color
and shows little signs Of rust. She has
an air whistle, which she blew nightly
as she got half vsy between Cape Henry
( and Old Point Comfort. TO tell the State
OF Maryland that she was here and
would like a Maryland pilot. Capt. KAi-
, rig showed no secretiveness toward those
who came aboard the boat, on official
4 business, allowing them 70 go through
and look her over. He stood on the
bridge when Capt Coleman came up in
| the pilot boat and shouted through
megsphone, This is the German under
water liner Deutschland"
Mr.. Paul G. L. Hinken, American man
! ager OF the New Merchants Submarine
| Company, tells me a man called this aft
ernoon, Offering to buy the whole cargo
Of dyestuTs, and added, ''If you had
another 2,ooO coming IN tomorrow I'd
] take that too"
! Mr. Hinken arrived in Baltimore from
| Old Point Comfort at S:S5 this afternoon
and went at once 70 the pier OF the East
! ern Forwarding Company at Locust
/ Point, to make sure that all is ready for
the reception Of the submarine.
When I asked him about the report
/ that Capt. Hinsch had filed code tele-
graphic message 10 Ambassador Won
| Bernstorff he denied this emphstically,
There would be no occasion for Hinsch
| to communicate with Won Bernstorr" he
4 said. since this is a purely commercial
venture. and the proper German oricisls
| IN this country to deal with II are, there
fore. the German consuls. not the am
/ bassador."
! I called Mr.. Hinken's attention 70 IN.
rumor that officers Of the Bureau OF Con-
struction and Repair OF the Navy De-
lpartment at Washington expect 70 come
: 70 Baltimore to inspect the submarine.