The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1916-06-14
GERMAN U BOATS
May COME HERE
Plan to Break Blockade Dy
Use Of Submarines.
FROM HAMDURG TO NETWORK

Would Enable Germany to Ship Some
Chemicals and Jewels Here WithCrt
Fear Of English lnterferenee-Msy
Also Carry Passengers IL First Tri2s
Are Successful.
The establishment of transatlantic
service between New York and Ger
many, to be carried on by giant sub
marines, is a possibility of the near
future. This was the announcement
of a prominent New York shipping
man who has just returned from Ham
burg. For obvious reasons his name
cannot be used.
These great submcrSiblc "liners" are
the largest undersca boats that have
left Germany. They have been d.
verted from the purposes Of war and
will be classcd as commercial vessels
only. according TO the information OBJ
tained. Germany's object in this is to
break the British blockade and also
to re-cstabliSh a regular mail service
between the two countries.
"Wcaricd by continuous interference
with mails, the German government
has decided to try this method of
Transporting letters to America ard
also small but valuable cargoes OF
chemicals which it is now impossible
to export because of the British block
ade." said this man. Some of these
chemicals are now worth many times
the original value, and the delivery Of
even small quantity would pay a
big profit
"These supersubmersibles. 40 feet
long with a surface speed of fourteen
knots, will be regarded as merchant
men by the Berlin government. They
will be armed for defense only and 1t
is expected they will receive the same
treatment from this government as the
merchant vessels of the allied nations
which have entered and cleared Ameri-
can ports armed for defensive purposes.
May Carry Passengers.
AS commerce destroyers the big I'M
dersea craft carry eighteen or twen-
ty torpedoes, but as mail boats they
will have no torpedoes or tubes. The
only armament will be two small guns
In the coming tower to be used for de-
Tense. The space thus made available
through the ..bsence Of torpedoes Will
be used for mails and valuable mer-
chandise.
Init nj
II Is probable that small number OF
passengers will be carried. Assured
that the passage would not be inter-
fered with by the British, there are
many persons who would pay a large
amount for transportation across the
Atlantic at this time. AS many as ten
passengers could be carried by the big
submarines"
The Question of Fuel.
Capable of carrying enough oil to
propel them 6,0O0 miles, the new trans
atlantic submarines would be able to
make round trip If necessary, it was
said, without taking fuel here. IL they
were regarded as merchantmen. how,
ever. it Is believed there would be 10
objection to their taking fuel and sup.
plies at an American port at any time.
II a speed Of fourteen knots were
maintained the German engineers fig
ure that the voyage from BreruerhsveI
10 New York would be made in just
under ten days They - not expect
however, to accomplish he first voy
ages in less than twelve days
\ description OF the new "underset
liners" will give an idea Of their capa
bilitics. With length Of 80 feet tn
vessels viii have Il beam Of 10 fe"t. anC
there will be "superimposed deck
which viii give additional space 20
living quRr ters AMI in which there vii
be staterooms with ports. Above vii
be the coming tower. the bridge o
which will be thirty feet above the nor
NAL water line. There will be q crev
OF fifty 70 sixty men.
Value of Line to Germany.
1--WE cannot overestimate its value t
Germany II this idea can be pu
through" said German shipping ma
recently. at will not only effectivel
break the British blockade. but max
the delivery Of German mails not Onl
possible, but regular Also there woul
be the morai effect of knowing tina
Germany had armed ships for defens
only and would not attempt to d.
stroy enemy merchantmen unneces
sarily with these transatlantic sui
marines"
An Indication OF the great value Q
even IA small cargo carried by tn
transatlantic submarines may be ha
through the following figures: tn
German chemical homatropine hydro
bromide is now worth S14s.50 an ounc,
or $2,3TG pound. more than thre
times Its value two years ago. In th
case OF atropine It has advanced TO 81
an ounce. or sl.4i0 pound. abor
forty times its former normal value.
1t Is believed by German shippin
men that the freight money on care
OF such valuable commodities woul
be enough practically TO cover the e.
pense of the voyage. There are otht
small but valuable articles which coul
be included at great profit in the man