Arizona republican., 1916-01-09
NEWSPAPER MEN VISIT ONE IF
 BR|TA|N'S GREAT NAVAL BASES

rines are assembled for their watch over the North Sea and from which point big oceans going submarines are sent on fOrages to the Baltic and the DardanelleS.
 It was an impressive sight of con centrated power and alert readiness, with long lines of battle scared cruis- CTS stretching seaward and headed by the famous Arethusa, back of them vast fIotilla of destroyers, then d countless number of submarines of the latest D and E type, which have re- gently performed such brilliant work from the Dardanelles to the Bosphorus and throughout the Baltic.
 The little fishing village on the coast had been transformed by the war into a vast naval rendezvous, with store houses stretching a half mile, prepared to e-equip an armada and send it back to sea within two hours of it's arrival.
 Here also were the mother ships, ranged in long lines along the quay, ready to receive back their fighting children each time they came from raid or a battle.
 The huge establishment was vibrat- ing with energy, and in the harbor mnesweepers. were coming back from their work; hydroaeroplanes were maneuvering and black smoke from the tunnels of the cruisers and de- 'stroyers told of their readiness to dash out to sea after an enemy craft.
 The Arathusa and the light cruiser squadron had just returned from scouting along the German coast in search of German fleet which was said to have ventured out from the k p1 hn1 ,f the German ships and the British of ficers-the same who had now re- ceived their stars in the famous fights under Vice Admiral Sir David Beatty were derisive at the idea that the Germans would venture forth
 One of the officers was in command of the torpedo tubes when they fired the deadly missiles which struck the German cruiser Bluecher and sent her reeling to the bottom in the great fight of last January. He pointed out these self same tubes and told how they had worked.
 First we let go that one" he said and then this one. It was this one that hit the Bluecher amidships. She was lying off there about fifteen hun dred yards. The thing that impressed me after we hit her was the deathly stiffness. It was terribly still until the great big ship threw up her bow, turned clean over and sank.
 Yes this is the one that did it." and he patted this terrible. death dealing engine affectionately, as if it were his child, as in truth, it had been since he laid the Bluecher low.
 Scars of battle were all over the ship, which the officers pointed out with the pride that Heidelberg student displays when he exhibits his wounds. A deck galley amidships had been entirely shot away, d melanite shell having exploded in it. This has been rebuilt. One dent in the side ar nor was pointed out, as big as a wash bowl. The upper works were literally peppered with shrapnel, but the scars were neatly bandaged with two-inch riveted steel plates. so that the saucy Arethusa was again as good as ever.
 The party now went aboard the latest type of big destroyers, which are here ranged in government battalions with steam up. They are very fast. some of them making 37 or 3S knots, and even touching 4 knots on meas ured mile, while all of them regularly do 8 knots on regular service Lying outside of them were the submarines of the b and E type, the latter being seaSoing craft of great radius. which are now making distant undersea vov- ages to the Baltic and the DardaneIles The smaller D boats have the neat outlines of an eighteen cared racing shell but the big new ocean rangers are as ugly as some submarine monster with a steel fin running fore and aft and camels hump amidship for a deck One of the commanders pointed out their fine qualities.
 They can stay under water for 7Z hours" he said, "yes, three days with out any inconvenience to the crew i from lack of air. The D boats are good for runs of 24 hours under water but the E boats made 72 hours | just as easily. During these long deer water runs they thread their way l through the Skagerak, or skirt around | Teneriff and past Gibraltar, with a. 1 much ease under swater as if afIoat. i The direction and proximity or dis. 1 tance from land are all determined with mathematical accuracy by tho l science of navigation and the steerina
 goes on as easily under water a! ] above"
 i There were many famous sea. l fighters among the destroyers, iscIud ! ing the Lance, which helped sink tn, l koenigen Luise off Harwich and wa i in the Helgoland battle. In fact~aI these ships had seen battle servic
 unless they had just come from tn, yards and the Arathusa men wer proud of the fact that she had gon
 from the shipyard into battle.
 Yes" said one of her officers. "w got out of the yard on a Saturday we were in the fight by Wednesda-
 and had sunk battleship and we wer
 back in the yard again by next Satur
 day. How is that for a record?"