The Elk Mountain pilot., 1917-03-08
rorpedoing Of Ship Described
From View Point of Attacker
and Attacked.
fREIGH1ERs ARE EASY PREY
INGENIOUS Instruments Make the Point
ina Of the Torpedo Very Simple
Missiles Usually Launched From
Distance Of Two Miles,

New York.-Early In the great war
the world was astounded by the Lon
don, Official" that three British scout
crulsers-Aboukir, HOgue and Cressy
had been sunk by torpedoes. Later
a wave Of wonder spread over. the CIV
ilized world when Berlin announced
that all three-sinkings were the work
of one submarine, the U-9.
From that period of the war right
up to the present time the operations
of undersea fighters have held the In
terest of every follower Of the gigantic
events.
Where will they lead7 How does
Germany keep it up? Why doesn't
England get after the Germans2
These are questions asked continually.
Others, which show the keen interest
in submarines. are for Information re-
gardlng them. What actually happens
when submarine fires torpedo? !?
What Is the usual distance between the
subsea boat and Its intended victim?
Is she on the surface when making the
attack?
a
possible for statements to be obtained
Of men and women on tospedoed steam-
ships, and at least one officer on Ger
man U-boat has been able to tell his
story regarding such attacks.
Every navy guards with great care
its submarine secrets. Long before the
present war the United States navy
department issued orders forbidding
anyone to board Its little fighters un-
less they be In the navy or armed with
navy permits. The same situation OBJ
tained in foreign nnvies. Few books
can be procured with the data that are
of most interest. A reporter for the
New York World, however. has OBJ
tained from the highest authority the
facts that follow.
Launched Two Miles Away.
In the first place, no submarine can
launch its torpedo with any hope of
hitting the tnrget unless the latter Is
seen by the man at the periscope.
Therefore, 1t must be near the surface,
so that observations can be made. Tor
pedoes have range of 1000 yards
about four land miles. AS general
rule the German U-boats used In at
tacking merchant vessels launch their
torpedoes from distance Of two miles.
At that distance 1t is very difficult for
anyone on the doomed vessel to OBJ
serve their periscope. c
Torpedoes rush through the water
at a rate of from % to 40 knots an
hour. The average speed figured in
land miles is about 36 miles an hour.
AS the torpedo speeds through the
water it makes u wake like a huge
fish. In addition is the telltale wake
of .bubbles-caused by the exhaust
from the compressed air chambers
that give 1t momentum.
Once the. submarine is clear of her
harbor and on the high sea, where
mnnder must keep keen watch for
enemy craft. He remains on the sur
face as much as he can. his coming
tower and small deck being Just
above water and his periscOpe stick
ing up IS or 20 feet further. This is
the normal cruising position. When
submerged the gasoline engines must
be stopped and the submarine run by
its electric batteries. No submarine
can cruise under water for more than
about eight hours Mt time without
coming up for more nir. II 1t be de-
sired to rest on the bottom 1t may
remain under little longer without
endangering the men on board.
There are IN subm6 rines built that