The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-08-31
DEPTH BOMBS
(Conttnued Prom First Page.)

not run down q merchant ship or aver
age speed If kept under water. They
can operate only against ships that al
most stumble upon them. And oil the
time they are unoer water, they are con-
Stunning the stored power OF their stor-
age batteries. decreasing their range "
under water action and compelling them
to come up at night and lie idle on tho
surface while their oil engines are used
to re-charge the batteries.
The decision Of the navy department
to spend s350.00e.oo0 on new dcstropers
and destroyer building facilities. ap-
proved yesterday by President Wilson
is based on the effectiveness Of the
swift lighting machines as proven oy
Admiral Sims forces Every effort TO
spread the new program as we'll as the
old will he made and during the next
wear the American destroyer force in
European waters probably can be more
than doubled. Destroyers now under
construction are being rushed to COM
plrtion and reports on progress are sat-
isfactory.
The Depth Bomb.
American experts have developed a
depth homh for use against submarines
that Is deadly ut considerable range.
The bomb. containing high explosive. is
dropped from n destroyer over the spot
where tho presence OF n submerged
C-boat Is indicated. 1t is times to OK
plode at a certain depth. If the explo-
sion occurs below tho U-boat and with
In O reasonable distance. the hull Of
the underwater craft cannot withstand
the pressure but is crushed like an egg
shell
Signs of the destruction in this way
appear on the surface in the shape Of
oil from rupturrd fuel tanks. bits Of
floating wrcckagr and tho like. That is
all that is ever heard Of tho lost boat.
II is very difficult. therefore. 10 be GER
tain nf Il hit as the Germans on more
than one occasion have released oil pur-
poscly. turned loose wrcckaEr prepared
in advance and done everything else
possible Ia create The impression that a
boat has been sunk
Using Airplanes.
AirplanrS arc being used in conjunc-
ton with the destroyer work OF the
allies along the French coast and in the
channel. So far the American destroy
crS have not worked with aircraft. but
that means of detecting the presence Of
submarines Will he used wherever prac-
tirablc ms the planes become available
The under water radius Of the aver
age r-boat is less than 15n miles under
the most favorable conditions. To get
that distance it would have to travel at
Il rate of very few miles an hour. It is
argued. therefore. that If by means of
aircraft and drStroycrs and all other
agencies for the detection Of sub
marines a zone $50 miles or less In
width could he drawn about the German
bases mr. tho entrance Of the North Sea
in which 4 submarine could come To
tho surface only ~ rare intervals, the
Germans would not b" able to operate
on seal" to threaten supply lines cx-
ccpt inside that zDur.
Whatever the plans of the allied gov
rrnn"ntS are as to future policy against
tho C-huats. rupid development of the
device for checking tho under water
campaign. accelerated hy the entrance
IF the United States in the war, arc now
taking such shape as to Indirnte that Il
way may he found in the end to dispose
of the Menace. Results of r-buat activ-
tiles this winter will he closely watched
as having bearing on The subject. AL
though weather may work equally
against submarines or anti-submarinc
plans.