The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1917-03-07

'merce raider.
When at the cruising depth the
lookout sights the smoke of some
vessel the course is changed, and
when at the proper distance the sub
marine is sunk beneath the surface,
only the periscope sticking up.
"Noiselessly we slip closer and
closer in our exciting chase" the
commander of one Of the U-boats has
related. "rhe main thing was that
our periscope should not be observed
so that the steamer would not change
her course at the last moment and
escape us. Very cautiously stick
just the tip Of the periscope above
the surface at intervals of few
minutes, take the position Of the
steamer in second, and, like flash
pull 1t down again.
This second was sufficient for mo
to see what I wanted to see. The
steamer was to starboard and was
heading at good speed across our
bow. To judge from the foaming
waves which were thrown of from
the bow l calculated that her speed
must be about 16 knots.
"The hunter knows how important
1t is to have a knowledge of the speed
at which his prey is moving. He can
calculate the speed closer when it is
q wounded hare than when it is one
which in fight at high speed rushcs
past. 1t was only necessary for,
therefore, to calculate the speed of
the ship, for which q sailor has an cx-
pcricnccd eye. l then plotted the eX-
act angle we needed. | measured this
by scale which had been placed
above the sights of the poriscope. Now
only had to let the steamer come
along until 1t had reached the zero
point on the periscope and fire the
torpedo, which then must strick it's
mark.
you see, it is very simple. esti-
mate the speed of the boat, aim with
the pcriscope, and fire at the right
moment"
Submarine commanders must cal
culatc we'll the speed Of the vessel at
which they intend firing and figure
exactly where it will be when the tor
pcdo shall hit it, They have instru-
rlcnts for measuring the speed OF the
vessel. The commander who will be
successful in surprise attack must
prove correct in his presumption that
he has not been observed The vessel
must be continued at its usual speed.
Then it is merely mathematical
problem, worked out with $4,000
torpedo that goes through the ocean
just a few feet below the surface.
Masters Of merchantmen can cs-
cape torpcdoc5 if they arc seen soon
enough to change their course. Speed
and quick answer to the helm are
Decessary for the successful subma-
rinc dodgcr. Constant lookout must
be maintained for the submarines,
and the ships crew must always be
on the alert to do their part once the
tclltalc wake Of the torpedo is dis
cerncd.
Submarines have greater speed
than the average frcighters. That is
why the latter are so easily over
hauled and attacked by the deck
gun with which the larger U-boats
are equipped.
When the Lusitania was torpcdoed
just off of the Old Head of Kinsalc,
on the south coast Of ireland, on May
Z, 1915 this is what was observed by
one of the passengers, J. II. Brooks
of Bridgeport, Conn, when inter-
viewed by the London correspondent
Of The World two days later:
At about 10 o'clock, ships time,
the fog lifted and our speed incrcas-
ed to about II knots. at 2 O'clock
finished light lunch and passed
up on the boat deck and up the little
stairway which leads to the hurri-
cane deck.
"As ! reached the corner of the
Marconi house looked out over the
sea. 1t was calm as lake and the
sun was shining. Suddenly saw the
wake of torpedo coming toward us,
and then the torpedo itself It was
travelling, estimate, about thirty
five miles an hour. The torpedo,
plainly visible about three feet be-
low the surface was, should say,
about IL feet long.
81 rushed to the side of the ship,