Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-05-04


intricate mine fields that ma
ton has ever devised for the
safeguarding of city's water
gate have been planned by the coast
artillery and the corps of engineers 10
protect the entrance TO the waters i'm
medatey about New York. other
American harbors have likewise been
protected
While these mine fields have been
planned. experts say, so that not even
hostile rowboat could pass through
them unframed. ways have been de-
vised to permit the passage OF Trend
ly vessels. Mines such as those shown
In the picture are able TO destroy even
the greatest vessels afioat. The de-
structiyeness of such mines has been
demonstrated many times in the Euro
pean war.
1t rests with the coast artillery TO
supplement the defense begun by the
navy when the ships of an enemy come
within the long range of the great dis
appearing guns and mortars with
which the forts about New York bris-
tie: also It lies with the coast artillery
to see that no hostile craft may live
once II has entered mine field.
Mines Used on Big Scale.
No previous conflict in the history of
the world has brought into being so
many novel and devilish contriyances
As the present war. A conspicuous
feature of the latter has been the
utilization of mines on a'scale hitherto
unimagined. Our own naval authori-
ties realize that an Indispensable re-
uuirement of any war in which we
NAV be involved in the future is mines.
and plenty of them; hence the appeal
newly made to congress by the navy
department for money TO pay for GOO
more of these instruments of whole
sale destruction.
Admiral Strauss says that before the
war began we had on hand and ready
for use about two-thirds the number
of mines needed by the navy. The re-
manning one-third were ordered and
delivered last year. But the whole
sale employment of internal machines
of the kind in the European conflict
has furnished an object lesson, and 1t
is now realized that great many
more of them are to be provided.
Defensive and Offensive Mines.
The army, as everybody knows. uses
mines on an extensive scale for the
protection Of harbors and river mouths.
ordinarily planting them In lines
across channels. These are defensive
mines. The navy. on the other hand,
employs mines extensively, as a rule
las. for example. by planting them
where enemy ships are, expected to
pass. If the enemy misses them they
are picked up, and another try is made
somewhere else.
Thus, If hostile feet were expected
to approach one or another OF our
great Atlantic seaports. advantage
would be taken of the relatively shall
low water along our eastern shores TO
anchor great numbers of mines far
out in the ocean. Such q mine field
might sink battleshlp or two. 1t
could hardly accomplish more. for
once warned of the presence IF mines
the feet would pause and pick them
ND by fishing for them. an operation
attended with little danger.
The new mines We're manufactured
at the Norfolk navy yard, where is To-
Gated the principal government factory
of naval mines. a short time ago the
department purchased 1,lO0 mines at
$500 apiece, but It can make them
cheaper. 3
Danger Of "Fioatingg Mines.
'sFloaung' mines are essentially OF
the offensive order. They are etherr
, wise known as tactical mines" being
employed In battle Thus during the
running sea fight in the North sea,
when the German battle cruiser Blue
cher was sunk. the Germans are said
to have thrown hundreds Of mines
overheard on the chance that the pnr-
suing british ships would strike them.
Such mines obviously would be a
friglltful menace to the worlds com
meree II they were to stay aiioat in