The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-10-07
STEEL NETS CLOSE
MEDITERRANEAN
oNIN VEssEI.s WHICH GAN PLY
GREAT BIIE ARE THOSE
FRIENDLY rO ENTENTE.

cnrfn Sept NrNurresuondence "l
flt,. N-.aciated Press. Travel ~ IN"
GA ttst1 Mediterranean during these wia.
anya =. no ensy matter. for the nsnal
.,,i,t.a ~ travel are nov hnrred hy lnnS
live. or steel nets. SET 10 catch suhma
zines huf nt the snme time establishing
a vast labyrinth of danger and Hnst'u''
finn fi.. any sort of travel, The nets
stretch rien4 across the main channels
rrom island q island and from the
.hnre tn tbs mainland. sometimes ten
and a:trrn mites away Through these
nets the privileged steamer -tor an the
erl.a- lires are ahandoned-must pick
.fs wav during the brief interval that
An opening is made daily to permit the
massage of friendly shipping.
seen from the deck of the steamer.
these torpeIo nets stretch away FOR
r,Iles The visible part above wafer
consists OF steel cylinders, about twelve
! f.et long and three feet in diameter i'e
"A rnod sized log These are chained
toeether nhout thirty feet apart, and
A. intervals OF every 500 feet a large
,nchnred buoy holds the Chain In an
ynbroSen straight line. Thus the chain
runs for mdes>-cylinders and huoys-
with the nleshes of the steel net hang
ing under water from the chain. 10
zatfrr in submarines just as fishermen
make rheir hauls Of heriings
one gets occasional sl.mpses OF this
u,dei..y water nets as il comes 10 the sur
face on the station ships. These are
sr,au ri.awiers. or steam hsh-launches,
c,er,. mile or two apn-t, and two OF
then, are at either side of the narrow
onssase admitting friendly ships. II IS
rbei. business to raise the net at stated
Intervals. ard 70 look over the papers
Of the ships that pass.
As We moved through the passage
The steel net was. plainly visible drawn
up on the station shin. II lookeu {"
be about - 70 is feet across. The
strands OF steel wire were very heavy
abouf one-eighth inch--and the mesh
r9trer open. a. a submarine * such
larYe game that fine net IS not need
ad 10 take it. 10 was seen, tou' tna'
each Of the station ships had its own
armor Of steel nets Long iron rods
extended from the upper decks. from
which hung the nets. making curtain
~ steel. entirely circling each boat
thus protesting il from attack, while II
remained IN charge Of the nets tacn
shin too il was n0ted. had rapid
fire gun mounted fore and aft
one line 0r these nets stretched from
the upper end OF the island Of Corru
over to the mainland u Albania. II
.eer1ei endless and its further reaehes
we're rlst iu the distance Another his
swung around the harbor Of Corfu
where the allied warships are gatherea
and the government Of Serbia is l"ca'
re,l since il was driven from home
Further south "A third line u these act
extend from the southernmost point 'i
;ne island over the mainland Back ol
he nets could pe seen the huge war
,nsrs and the frowning fortresses con
struct-d on the heights b. the Nene
I .a-e. 10 seemed strange that strands
u steel wine could protect such fort
p s-cs and monster ships and it indi
Gated ~ what an extent wire entangle
uepr on land and water-has taken it.
place for the first time in this war.