The Keota news., 1917-02-23
Fight U-Boats With
Nets and Motorboats

the submarine that great ships may
pass safely where they will. The hum
BILE fishermen OF the coast still look to
the dominion Of the seas.
Next to the patient net throwing
drifter the most picturesque weapon Is
the armed motorboat. These fast n.y.
speed and vision over the submarine.
They ure SO small that they are not
worth torpedo and draw 30 little wa
ter II would be almost impossible to
torpedo them. Back and forth. the
length and breadth Of the patrol. day
and night. in nii wenthers. these dimi-
nutive knights-errant cruise in search
Of the submarine-the sea serpent Of
terror and death.
Motorboats Chase Submarines.
The first feet was formed Of fast
pleasure launches. commandeered and
turned to use for which they were
never made. More recently larger.
fnster. more comfortable and sea-
worthy steel motorboats. painted lead
color and in appearance not unlike
submarines. were built and armed by
the government. Boats of this type
carry guns. machine guns. torpedoes.
and occasionally bombs. For weeks
they cruise and watch in vain and
then. perchance. their patience and
endurance nre repnid-an Austrian
submarine trying to run In close for a
try Mt the big ships slips to the bot
tom of-the gray sen.
The life Of those who remain Mt sen
In such little ships in nli Yeathers Is
one OF abnegntion and discomfort.
Larger than motorboats. cruisers.
the submarine hunt. And Of these tor
petio boats nre the most useful. To
tell n truth obvious to any student of
naval tactics the Italians have found
that for the patrol work now occupy.
ing their attention their forces In small
craft are limited. In Italy. us in the
United States. the number Of ships had
been fixed in time Of pence Mt a mini
mum Of efficiency by the naval author
tiles and then reduced by ministers
bent on economy. Fortunately. the
Austrinns are no better of.
The Italians have worked hard to
develop their fleet in directions indi-
Gated by experience. Allied ships
must Mt all times move freely through
the Mediterranean and the Adriatic
must be kept safe for transports. The
f1rst pre-OccupatiOn OF Italy Is to guard
its shipping and harbors. Submarine
chasers had to be found. Recently
moreover. a tool In offensive warfare
has been realized. An extremely fast
type Of scout cruiser has been built.
which 1t is hoped will prove successful
In forcing fight on the wary Aus
trians. catching the marauders along
the Italian coasts before they can
reach port. These ships closely re-
semble the lnrger types Of American
destroyer with difference due to the
work for which they are intended.
Against submarines. however, such
ships are less effective than tiny tor
pcdo boats. Austrian submarines. es-
peciaIly the smaller types generally
employed In the Adriatic. cannot re-
main long absent from their base.
They can remain under wnter only q
few hours. Their speed is low. So
they can sometimes be traced. follow
ed and forced to tight.
Fight to Destroy Each Other.
In such n case 1t becomes a question
OF head work between the captain Of
the submarine and the captain OF the
torpedo boat. the one striving to elude.
the other to draw near. Usually. Oeed-