The Washington times., 1917-04-17
GERMANS DEVISE 2S
WAYS TO SINK SHIP
Employed 27 of Them in Send
ing Steamship Liebenfels
to the Bottom.

Divers OF the United States navy
who examined the German steamer
Liebenfels, which was sunk in
Charleston harbor on February .,
with the obvious intention of block
ing the channel to the navy yard at
that point, discovered that there were
twenty-eight ways by which water
could be admitted into the vessel in
such h way as to escape the observa-
tion of any one but an expert diver.
And, according to an article in the
current issue of the Scientific Ameri-
can, the German crew OF the vessel
used twenty-seven OF the twenty
eight possible means. The Navy De-
partment would not permit the enum-
GRAFTON OF them, all, but by way OF IL
Illustrating German mystery OF the
finer and more subtle technic OF de-
struction the Scientific American men,
tions a few OF the means employed 10
sink the ship. The article says:
"A modern ship is equipped with a
double bottom, in which space fresh
water for the boilers is commonly
kept, as well as salt water to ballast
he ship when she carries no cargo.
There is a piping system leading
from the double bottom to the boilers
and pumps to force the water to them.
There is also means Of introducing
water into the double bottom from
the sea, so that in case of emergency
salt water might be used in the boil
ers. In addition to this there is a
system of piping running to the con-
densers and also to various parts of
the ship to supply salt water.
Vessels Open to Sea.
This has direct connection with the
sea through a main sea valve. and in
addition to the system to the main con-
densers there is a system connecting
with the auxiliary condenser.
The divers found that the valves in
these systems Of piping had been tam
pered with in such a way as largely TO
escape observation. For instance. the
valve would look complete and in per-
feet condition, but when the valve cover
was lifted It would be found that the
valve disk had been removed and then
the cover replaced to conceal the mis-
ehisf Thus the entire piping system Of
the vessel was open to the sea
The manholes that open into the
double bottom Of the vessel were not d.
rectly opened, but had been Stacked on
slightly SO that there would be q con-
siderable leakage though them To all
appearances they were closed. and GER
tainly a diver working under conditions
OF semidarkness would be led to believe
that they had not been tampered with
But upon investigation 1t was found that
many Of these manholes had been drop
ped half an inch or so. so as to permit
the water to enter the hold.
Hampered Work of Divers
"In order to hamper the work of
the divers as much as possible, OBJ
structions were placed in his way
and for example. and iron ladder was
jammed up against the main sea
valve in such a way as to prevent
any one from reaching 1T The diver
had to raise the plating in the floor
OF the engine room and pass under
this through a complicated mass OF
piping to reach the main sea valve.
Everything was done in a very
thorough manner except that the
crew neglected to destroy or throw
away all. the valve disks Many of
them were found scattered about the
vessel and were fitted back in place.
In other cases wooden disks were
made to take the place of the valve
disks destroyed. In order to seal the
openings perfectly Portland cement
was used. The glands about the pro-
peller shafts had also been removed
to admit water, and there were leaks
in the boilers which would admit
water from the sea by way of the
piping system"