The Washington times., 1916-07-10
Real Mystery Lies In Purpose Of
Voyage, American Officers
Declare.
DOUBT BIG CARGO SPACE
Crossing Of Atlantic Doesn't In.
dicate Presence Of Any
Novel Device.

Naval Experts who know something OF
the possibilities Of submarine construc.
ton, although disposed TO look on the
voyage Of the Deutschland as a spec
tacular achievement, do not regard II
involving any secret invention or me-
cha appliance not know to naval
constructors the world over.
The mystery Of the Deutschland from
the point Of view Of naval officers does
not lie in the fact that she was able TO
cross the Atlantic and elude the en-
tentes war vessels. but In the purpose
OF the extraordinary voyage. II has not
been regarded as a difficult problem to
construct n submersible vessel with
70 extended a cruising radius.
Naval experts arc skeptical of the re-
ported cargo capacity OF the German
submarine. They are yet TO be con-
WINGED that she can carry In SUFFICIENT
quantity any product to the United
States to Justify the risk Of the voyage.
Some are convinced that her capacity
would be taxed to carry enough supplies
The most crcdulous do not believe
there Is room on board to give basis for
the assumption that the problem OF
running the blockade of the allied war
ships has at last been solved The gem
eral opinion seems to be that the Ger
man government has far to go before
II will succeed In establishing fairy
constant water WIN biho
outside world.
Mr.. Lakes Proposal.
Crossing the Atlantic with sub
marine has been mechanically possible
for some time" said the chief con-
structor. David Taylor. Of the navy. to-
day. las n matter of fact. American
inventors at the outset of the European
war offered to build such vessels. Mr..
Lake was one who proposed such
plan"
Testifying before the House Naval
Committee several months ago. Rear
Admiral Grant. who has charge OF the
submarines of tho United States navy.
said:
THE radius of action depends up n
| the fuel a vessel can carry, and no mat.
ter what the hull may be. II you install
| the necessary machinery that goes into
1t there is always left tank space
enough to give you a reasonable amount
| OF fuel; and IL you do that In subma-
rines of the large sizes you can obtain
| u radius of action of almost 1000 or
| 5.0C0 miles without any trouble at all
| Naval experts expressed the opinion
| todny that the Deutschland docs not
materially differ In construction from
the submarine in use In the various ma
vics. BY sacrificing submerged sped.
| which Is one of the necessary military
charn cteristcs of the submarine. but
! which would not be an essential guam
| tlty in q merchant vessel. II would be
possible. from their point OF view. to
| modify the lines of the hull. to provide
| for n small amount OF additional spa CO.
The slower vessel would not necessar-
| lily be long and narrow as are the ~nr
| submarines. Some room would be af-
| forded by utilizing the space given over
ton supplies.
Want To Be Shown.
Such notifications, however. would
not It is believed. provide suffic Ont
cargo space to Justify the belief that
the submarine can be used advantage
ousiy for that purpose. and naval Off
GERS await further information concern
Ing the Deutschland's cargo before
committing themselves to such a boz
lief
| IN other respects n Is not regarded
| as probable that the Deutschland GifYsrs
from other submarines. These are
equipped with internal combustion en-
gines, usually OF the Diesel type. for
surface navigation. and storage bat
the most part the hull IL filled with
| the propclling mechanism.
| Naval designers have struggled with
out success to provide moro space for
best are very unsatisfactory. They
doubt that the Deutschland has over
come this great difficulty. As tho siEo
| Of the vessel Is increased conditions nre
improved but rot to the extent that
there is any available space for carry
ing supplies other than those needed
for the crew.
The best record made by United States
submarines was the voyage Of the X
boats from the Pacific coast to Homo
lulu q distance o. $500 miles Expcri-
erce has demonstrated that they can
carry necessary supplies for only ton
days Mt sea.