The Newark journal., 1917-05-31

launch her torpedo. Therefore she is
used principally as commerce raider.
If al the cruising depth the look
out sights the smoke of some vessel
the course is changed and when at
the proper distance the submarine is
sunk beneath the surface, only the
pefiscope sticking up.
"Noiselessly we slip closer and
closer in our exciting chase, the
commander of one Of the U-boats has
related. The main thing was that
our periscope should not be observed
so that the steamer would not change
her course at the last moment and
escape US Very cautiously l stick
just the tip OF the periscope above
the surface at intervals of a few
minutes, take the position of the
steamer in Il second, and, like a flash,
pull it down again.
This second was sufficient for me
to see what I wanted to see The
steamer was TO starboard and WAS
heading at q good speed across cur
bows. To Judge from the foaming
waves which were thrown off from
the bows l calculated that her speed
must be about sixteen knots.
Estimating Speed.
THE hunter knows how important
it is to have a knowledge Of the
speed at which his prey is moving.
He can calculate the speed closer
when it is wounded hare than
when it is one which in flight ut high
speed rushes past. 1t was only neces-
sary for me, therefore, to calculate
the speed of the ship, for which a
sailor has an experienced eye. l then
plotted the exact angle we needed. l
measured this by scale which had
been placed above the sights of the
periscope. Now | only had to let the
steamer come along until it had
reached the zero point on the peri
scope and fire the torpedo, which
then must strike its mark.
you see. it is very simple. | esti-
mate the speed of the boat, aim with
the periseope, and fire at the right
moment"
Submarine commanders must cal
euate well the speed of the vessel at
which they intend firing and figure
exactly where it will be when the tor
pedo shall hit it. They have instru-
ments for measuring the speed Of the
vessel. The commander who will be
successful in u surprise attack must
prove correct in his presumption that
he has not been observed. The YES
sci must continue at its usual speed.
!, +TFtt
problem, worked out with $1,000
torpedo that goes through the ocean
just few feet below the surface.
Masters Of merchantmen can escape
torpedoes if they are seen soon
enough to change their course. Speed
and quick answer to the helm are
! necessary for the successful subma-
rine dodger. Constant lookout must
be maintained for the submarines.
Submarines have greater speed than
! the average freighters. That is why
the latter are SO easily overhauled
and attacked by the deck guns with
which the larger U-boats are equipped.
When Lusitania Was Torpedoed.
When the LuSitania was torpedoed
just off of the Old Head of Kinsale,
on the south coast of Ireland. on May
T, 1915, this is what was observed by
one of the passengers, J. II. Brooks
of Bridgeport, Conn, when inter-
viewed by the London correspondent
of the World two days later:
''At about ten o'clock, ships time,
the fog lifted and our speed increased
to about seventeen knots. At two
| o'clock l finished a light lunch and
passed up on the boat deck and up
the little stairway which leads to the
hurricane deck.
CAS- l reached the corner of the
! Marconi house | looked out over the
| sea. 1t was calm as Il lake and the
/ sun was shining. Suddenly I saw the
wake of a torpedo coming toward us.
and then the torpedo itself II was
travelling, 1 estimate, about thirty
five miles an hour. The torpedo,
plainly visible about three feet below
the surface, was, I should say, about
! twelve feet long.
81 rushed to the side of the ship,
! leaned over the railing and looked
to see it strike us. l realized at once
the aim was perfect. My impressions,
as l analyze them now, were most
peculiar. My chief thought was how
beautiful the deadly instrument was
as it skinned along.
'The torpedo was fired after the
ship had passed the submarine. 1t
struck us at an oblique angle just be-
low where 1 was standing, directly
opposite the forward funnel.
"My first thought was that the fun
mel might fall; to escape this jumped
to the shelter of the Marconi house.
l had taken three steps when the
deluge of water hurled up by the ex-
plosive knocked me down and then
there was rain of debris which
seemed to have been forced up
through the decks"
The California.
When the California was torpedOed