The sun., 1917-09-09
JNSINkABLE CARGO CARRIER DESIGNED TO SINK u
AirplanesandNovel
BulkheadArrange-
ments Play I'm
portant Part in
Gigantic Mother
Cargo Craft

were installed. This is feature, the
designer has in mind. .. .J- ,,.1..
Easy motion is to be desired for
certain military reasons quite apart
from the comfort OF the personnel ana
the reducing of structural stressrs.
The seaplancs can be sent aloft and
returned again to the ships deck with
greater sureness II the vessel have
more deliberate period Of roll and tfN
craft would also be a better operating
platform for her guns. Mr.. Bogert in-
tends that his mother ship shall have
battery OF four SO calibre 6 inch guns
capable Of firing projectiles of 100
pounds.
Charged with high explosives and
| set to burst on impact. these shells
would outrsnge any projectiles now
fired by a hostile submarine, and
whether they made n direct hit or
struck the water close to a U-boat.
they would be pretty nearly certain to
do serious damage to the enemy. ~
| For motive power the mother ships
could either be equipped with heavy
oil Diesel engines or be steam driven.
using geared turbines with electri.,
motors upon the shafts. The latter
system has proved thoroughly efficient
in the case of the United States collfi,f
Jupiter, and has certain features that
make II peculiarly suitable for the ser
vice in question. For instance" thE
electric drive admits Of as easy c6ff-
troll from the bridge as that exercikrd
by the motorman Of a trolley car, wfft
is not concerned with his source, Uf
energy. H.. - -
Such being the case. . simple. -ap-
paratus installed in the chart house
would make It practicable to steer tho
mother ship by her flankjng screwsz-,
she Is designed to have three-and by
alternating their speeds in this fash
Ion he vessel can be made to zlgysE
con; !nuously and automatically. ..:ss
Tho resulting sinuous course would
he sure to puzzle tho observer watch-
Ing through q periscope. II the sub
marine got close enough for him. to
watch at all. Further. it must be borne
in mind that the lowering OF the masts,
smokestacks, ventilators, &C., will
greatly reduce the visibility OF the
mother ship and make it we'll nigh I'M
possible for a hostile U-boat to detect
her approach until the submarine de-
stroyer comes close enough to bring
her hull above the horizon. Properly
camoufiaged by suitable deceptive col
orins, the Democracy would be both
hard to discern and extremely difficult
to range.
Because Of these physical character
istics and her powers Of offence and
defence. Mr.. Bogert does not believe
that his type need make much over
ten knots an hour at full speed. There
fore he would rely upon an economical
; prime mover. According to his esti-
mates, IL the Government exercised its
communicating power 1t would. be-
quite practicable to turn out ships Of
his type-working the mcn continu-
ously in three eight nour shifts per
diem in six months.
Intent upon helping our allies as
we'll rs ourselves. Mr.. Bogert sub
,nitted his plans to Lord Pirrie, ad-
mitted to be the worlds greatest ship
builder. That experts acknowledg-
ment is well worth quoting:
II must congratulate you on the
very clear way you have explained
the matter and for the very carefully
thought out drawings you have sent
me. Although the type OF vessel you
have thought out has been discussed
frequently since the war broke out
and several old vessels have had al
terations and additions made so as TO
accomplish some of the objects your
design aims at, and some of the new
vessels have had many OF your sug-
Eestions worked into them, feel II
my duty to pass your letter and plans
on to the Admiralty direct for their
consideration, and am sure they, like
myself, will much appreciate youa.
having placed your ideas freely in their
hands. This is no time to withhold any
weapon that may put our enemy 10
flight, and I therefore think 1t my duty
to send your idea to the highest quar-
ter"