The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-06-08
Task That Is Filled With
Much Excitement
DEATH Turks IN WATER
Clearing the English Channel
As Related BY One Who
Participated
From Thursdays Daily.


Paris, May 15.-[Correspondence OF
The Associated Pressl.-Sweeping the
English Channel for mines laid by
German submarines is one of the most
exciting and dangerous occupations of
the war, according to the stories told
by men participating in that work.
mine sweepers doubtless are the
only vessels of the navy on which life
belts are worn from time of leaving
port until the return" writes jacques
Marsillac, from aboard mine sweep
er on service in the channel.
1.-THE task of group of mine sweep
ers, composed of seven sloops formed
in echelons, two by two, connected by
steel cables, with the flag boat leading,
is to clear channel about half a
mile wide and fifty miles long of the
mines laid there by German submar-
ines" he adds. These under water
mine layers carry from fifteen to
twenty four mines, according to the
type, and they frequently lay them
quite close together, so close, in fact,
that it has become an axiom in the
mine hunting craft that where one is
found another is sure to turn up
"The wireless operator on the flag
boat of the group, who has served on
four mine sweepers that have been
blown up in the service, had scarcely
flashed to the boats of the group that
a mine had been signalled when a
black mass adrift appeared on the crest
of the waves ahead of our boat. A sec
ond later it disappeared. We steered
in it's direction, every man on deck
searching intently for its temperance.
The few minutes in which a sighted
mine disappears are full of infinitely
disagreeable tension on board mine
sweeper.
"And if we touch to" Marsillac asked
of the wireless operator.
"Then it is joss," he replied mean
ing that it would be fatal.
con this occasion the fates were
friendly to u.s." wrote Marsillac, "for
the mine appeared fifty yards away
and, for some reason that no one could
explain, remained in sight until the
gunners could get action upon it.
Round, black, it shone like a seals
back, showing from time to time its
four mortal needles, contact with which
means destruction. The boat Sheered
off and the gunners, using a special
rifle ball at about 200 yards under
immense difficulties resulting from the
rolling of the boat, fired fifty shots
without touching one of those fatal
needles. They succeeded, however, in
piercing the mine which filled with
water and sand to the bottom of the
sea.
"The two leading sloops raised a
half red flag, which means that they
have found mine. At once began a
maneouvre intended to cut the cable
holding it; suddenly steel cable that
connects each couple of sloops and
which is called the sweep struck the
mine. 1t must have come in contact
with one Of the deadly needles, and
broke the vial of acid inside which sets
off the discharge, for an immense
column of water shot straight into the
air to height of 100 yards, completely
masking from each other the two
sloops between which the explosion
occurred. Then the sloops went on in
search Of other mines, and thus con
tinue every day this dangerous and
heroic work Of clearing the path for
merchant ships through the high seas