Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-03
SHARP LIMITATIONS
ON SUBMARINE USE
Its Warfare Is Waged Only
With Certainties of
Great Losses.
PATROL BOAT ITS NEMESIS

] ~ tutOI DOHI ITO NIW6StS
fectiye new element Of warfare on land or
sea developed by the European war. there
are sharp limitations on their use. and
submarine warfare can be carried on only
with the certainty OF great losses NOT
only In underwater boats. but also In the
even more important DIVISION OF trained
personnel submarine crews cannot nope
for escape with their lives II their vessel
ia DESTROYED
Ahe Hiose eHecelVe oeiense yet oe'eiop-
ed by Great Britain against submarines
is light-draft. swift patrol boats. The
c.r,,. ~ ..
ihah oooa.s nave never So iAf 40
ways evading it, and seeking cargo or
y, .... -, ,n..d
paSSehser SHIPS whose size ana sio" speeu
place them at the mercy OF the under
water craft. Against the patrols, torpe-
do.. ~. $3.50. ~. ,v,,, -,a.n NON
Nes Ae USELESS anu 'he oh.s a
remaining to the submarine is her disap-
pearing gun. Even there she is at great
however. an while she is
action she must be under her enemy's
on her hui sne,is asa+h Even half a
dozen rifle bullets would be fatal.
s"in Iac'ors Ia ust Dc Ano"n'
To operate her torpedoes, a submarine
must see her intended victim clearly
enough to determine range. speed and
a,,.,t,, 80 a..
on VI '"e enehS 'iaie' Ahese iae-
tors must be known with approximate
accuracy and the torpedo set to reach a
t s,sen point where .ne enemy VIII De at
.r,ft liz. LII !. asquires .no.e man
sWlt knnpse tnrooeh periscope 10 oe-
e ~ me. .nese .nings, ana II IS a notaole ne
suomanne attacks mas been at most b00
ya.os. altnough the enective rnge OF tor
peooes goes as high as 10000 yards.
,., When submarine comes up to sight a
knowledge Of what she will find. Even
the direction Of the ship can only be ap-
proximately established through micro
phones. before the periscope comes above
the surface. For that reason, submarines
take several sights when approa ching a
Of record where attack has been delivered
vicinity 'oA'' ally ""efe !" 'ne
Per1scope Attracts Patrol Boat.
The moment ne-,scone .nne.rs
above water. IL might attr.ct tho st.
tention of a swift natro1 hoat and he
subtected n runera Chance. =, III
ting r. ara s,;m =. q nrasants = sma,,
mark, but the patrol commander has
located the boat. knows the proba bic
course the submarine must steer. IL II
is to get in position for torpedoinr a
to ram or sink by gunf,re when the
periscope comes up for A second peep.
A mere touch OF the patrol boats stem
against the submersible's huiI mean.
the loss OF the underwater hnst for II
slightest break will admit the sea.
The average patrol boat carries a
three-fnch oiick-firinr run in its how
While shells cannot harm the hull OF
submarine that is a short distance
below the surface. there Is always q
chance that it will tear off the peri
scope, While the periscope is up. how
ever, the submersible's hull is near
less fred from directly above. the shell
surface Of the water o on .ie
NetS TO trap SUBMARINES.
In shallow water anchored nets are
used to trap submarines. At greater
QSpIHS, pdtIOlS VIII travel IN DalTS
carving n 400 foot stretch of NET
-. ~ s .st.
WHICH can We spreao between tnem as
they sweep toward the spot where a
periscope has been seen. The nets are
light, and hamper the movements of
the patrols very little. Once a fin or
the propeller blades of the U-boat
catch in the net escape is virtually
hopeless. Usually the crews of the
patrol hammer on the netting to con-
vey the message to the submarine
crew, trapped below the surface. that
they must come up and surrender, or
q pomp Will De dropped TO destroy
tnem. iney nave never Iaiieo TO sur
remaer themselves ana tneir ooat.
me saIety or the patrol boat lies
IN us usnt oraIt, Ior torpedoes traVei
aoout WE'VE ieeI psloW tne SURFACE
ana cannoe pc qulckIy changed SO as
70 run ctose 10 .he surtace- Lhey are
~ no. .a@a;t ath "a i sup exepe
q $500 tha,s, npet p;st e