New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-03
Aeropane Is Declared Most Effective Weapon
Yet Devised for Combating the Menace OF the Submarine

rises to the surface, without destroy
ing II.
ance of the United States in supplying
aircraft and aviators for their aerlai
coast patrols. besides the ayiators
which are being sent TO fight with the
Allies avistors.
The present-day submarines are so
large that they not only can be detected
through the contrast which they make
against their surroundings In the wa
ter. but also through the foamy wa he
at the stern, which is clearly visible by
contrast.
U-Boat 2l3 i.ct Long
The U-53 is 2I3 feet inches long,
and later ones are even larger Such
submarines present very large track
and whereas their speed submerged Is
between ten and fifteen knots at most,
the seaplanes, which go at speed OF
ND to ninety miles an hour, and even
the seaplanes which have a speed OF
only about thirty-fiye miles an hour,
have an advantage over the submarines
and the latter steers clear OF places
where it is known that aircraft are
emploved for submarine hunting. Sea-
planes and coast patrol dirigibles are
employed in daily patrols 10 search Tor
submarine bases and for submarine
that may be lying in wait for ships. n
a submarine is seen under water the
aircraft. whether seapls.o or dirigiblc,
being equipped with wireless and
bombs, first sends wireless summon
ing destroyers, trawlers and submarine
chasers Whenever possible an oppor-
tunity is given to tho trawlcrs or tho
ships which operate the nets to come
up to the submarine and cumesh 1T m
the huge net. That saves the subma-
rine, and the crew is made prisoner.
II, however, the submarine comes to
the surface and there is a possibility OF
its escaping, the aircraft makes its at
tack by dropping the bombs. While Il
is difficult for the submarine to see tho
aircraft, and it takes several minutes
TO submerge, il has also been difficult
i'm the past for unframed aviators who
had to be pressed into this service TO
hit the submarines. While the above
reports show that many submarines
were destroyed, it is also known that
many more escaped, because the pilots
dropped several bombs without hitting
them.
But now anti-aircraft guns OF up TO
3-inch calibre are being turned out,
which will make il possible for the
pilots to shoot at the submarine, which
will cut the difficulty Of hitting it down
to about one-quarter, because /, rs
easier 10 sight the target with n gun,
and the average man can easily find j.
natural 10 shoot a gun. whereas u is
more difficult to drop a bomb with pre-
cision.
Bombing the Submarine
The best success Is obtained, OF
course, through bombing a submarine
from height of from 300 to 800 feet
Then the target is not missed so easily
The submarine, unless it happens to be
on the surface, with its guns ready "a
fire, stands very little chance Of fight
ing back. because to do so il must come
entirely on the surface. and the matches
where the anti-aircraft guns are must
be opened. the guns must he aimed, etc.
That requires time, al ! gives an OPP
portunity TO the aviator to drop bombs
and anything else he may have availa-
BILE on the submarine and gunner. II a
submarine finds itself in danger and
submerges, it leaves an oily patch
which is clearly visible from the air
although far less visible from a snip
As the submarine can only make a
speed of between ten and fifteen knots
and usually comes up to the surface at
intervals of between fifty and one hun
bred miles, it is comparatively easy TO
keep q watch on that particular sUbma-
Mccullough, Of course, not so easy
to capture IL or destroy it. But as the
aircraft and the trawlers and subma-
rine chasers are watching for 1t warn
ing is given and the submarine cannot
make a surprise attack.
The "deep-sea vision" afforded by the
seaplane is an even more valuable
asset for fighting a submarine than is
its superior speed. Deep-sea vision
enables the seaplane TO detect a sub
merged submarine to a depth of about
100 feet in very transparent waters
such as are found in the Mediterranean
or in the Caribbean Sea; in the North
ern Atlantic the visible depth is more
limited. 1t generally varies according
to the color Of the sea bottom and of
the sky.
The possibility Of detecting subma-
rines by means of seaplane rcconnais-
sance has obviously an immense impor-
lance for the safety OF a feet, for It
eliminates to great extent the dead
liest danger ships of the line nave TO
cope with in time of war. Whereas the
submarine cannot launch a torpedo
without geeting its bearings-that is,
without showing its periscope above the
water--it should be an easy matter for
a seaplane 20 follow the course Of a
submerged submarine.