Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-06-14

dread inspired by the prescribed mined areas and
next because Of the various eXpeiients adopted
by the belligerents to nentralize these suhaqueous
weapons. Even so. the mine is playing Il big part
in marine warfare, and We shall have to count
with 1t and against /, now that we have Joined
forces with the entente allies.
1t Is a matter of record that the Germans got
the jump on the British by their prompt and even
daring employment Of the submarine mine. With
IN a very short time after the declaration of war
Teuton mine planters were operating on the Eng
lish and Scottish coasts and were huslly engaged
In sowing these weapons at the very entrance OF
enemy ports and rivers.
For this purpose it was rather easy then to
have recourse to North sea fishing craft that had
all the outward complexion of innocence; indeed.
for weeks these boats went about their work we'll
nigh unsupported 1t was only when British battle
craft were mysteriously damaged and sunk that
the British authorities awakened to their peril.
Even then the belief prevailed that the damage
was more or less n matter Of sheer chance
chance in the nature Of a friendly defense mine
that had got adrift. Then the next explanation
was that Il particularly daring U-bont commander
had managed to get within striking distance, and
finally It dawned upon the British coast patrol
that enemy mines were being freely planted right
under their very noses.
Every fishing boat was then m object OF sus-
picion, and prompt Investigation proved in a great
many cases that there was ample warrant for this
attitude. Neutral trawlers became more and more
%infrequent in certain Of the waters contiguous
to the north and east coasts Of Scotland and Eng
land, and for Il time the mine menace was held
pretty well In hand.
The resourceful Teutons, however, were not
checkmated, and 1t was only a question OF time be-
fore they developed a method with which to offset
the vigilance of the British coastal patrol. Then
the German submarine mine layers got to work.
How many of these the kaisef's experts have built
and sent to their fields Of service N the waters q
the North sea especially. is not known. IT IS sh1e
70 say too many of them have been built ana DIS
patched upon their missions and the general cnar.
acter of them al Is probably much akin to that
cs the u-C-5, which was captured ana taken into
y Rrjfisk nort '~en""-" - -.
BY chance a British destroyer discovered the
U-C-5 on the surface and in distress mt some point
along the east coast. When summoned by mega
phone TO surrender the crew OF the submarine
mustered on deck and held up their hards ~
token Of submission. but cnriously before n re''el
boat could be sent to them they jumped overheard.
The cause Of their action was soon eNplaihe"'
Another member Of the submarines complement
suddenly appeared upon deck and threw himself
Into the water and almost Immediately afterwaro
there were n number Of violent explosions w'thih
the U.C.5. The last man had exploded bomns
which blew holes in the craft. But Tor proHp'
action on the part of a British snblieutenaht' VINO
protected by a gas mask, went dauntlessiy uown
into the injured U.boat, the mine planter wou'd
hive filed and gone to the bottom In water toe
deep for her recovery.
Az II was, she represented n desperate task fo
her would-be salvors and 1t was necessary TO sc
cure n couple Of mines within the boat that MAJ
been set free by the explosions before 1t wa
sufe TO tow the ubmarine into harbor ana to doc'
her. rpon examination this new order OF SUP
marine was found to be charged or laden WIN
dozen powerful contact mines housed IN SIX yer
teal wells passing directly from deck to'pottom .
the craft. .
Each well held two mines. one on top OF tn
other, and both were kept in their places ny JOCK
inp devices which could be released from with
the submnrine. The controlling station for tn
onerntion was found to be in the coming t0wel
Sn that the commander OF the boat with only he
roriscones above water could see just where I
sow his weapons.
In This way the Germans have been nb'e upo
many occasions to approach certain sections 6
the waters about the British Isles ana 10 p'nl
there mines that have Accomplished the des'ra
five work cut out for them. How many shil
have been sent to the bottom by mines sown Q
boots NJ this sort IL, Of course, a matter OF COZ
lecture hut there can be no doubt that submar'r
mine planters are actively employed today.
One thing about them that mikes them "f sp
cial interest, even concern. to us IN thht '"e'e
nothing to prevent their operating in u s'nl'
manner upOn our Atlantic coast. What ~ 10 y.
~ort = .,,h,narIne somewhat after the order Of Il
Deutschland from being equipped Tor WORK
this nature? Instead Of carrying some hundre'
~ tons ~ commercial freight she could jast
easily divide that weight among mines, msne'p'o'