Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-05
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
AMONG mine .sWEEPERs
American Naval Reserves largely
In Evidence in This Branch
{S.s Of the Service. q
WORK ON DANGEROUS COAST
They Have Done. Much to. Take
Sting Out Of Submarine Menace.
Some Boats Have Remarkable
Run Of Luck in Cutting Mines.
(By a Special Corrcspondent.)


Runt of Luck in Cutting Mines.
{By q Special Corrcspondent.)
I SuAEWHfsR q IN FRANCE. Noyent-
eemmHnd d Il he 1 soa Mss ms s ma,e
There was moment, OF feverish ac-
And uncaDnily swung into It's proper
place; astern OF the, ship. l was hav-
Ing the rare experience OF seeing an
American mine sweeper in action In
:. But there were no further commands.
his appointed TASK and Watching all
who was diIeetins the work. 1t was
nanahip as i had ever seen In a few
bridge at a sisnai from the skipper per
ing ali ships OF the deadly occupation
81 a. the e, sleeper, The gear was out
lookouts stationed and another days
sweeping was we'll started
1T is no wonder that the work is
one OF the little Squadron nA OF American K
sweepers which entered the war zone
just a year ago. coming close on the
crs which soon after the declaration
OF war, began their wonderful service
cts" as they call them, you will find
that the extreme danger OF their work
comes every day means nothing but
miles from home-Ah! that looms large.
all game to fight 1t through until the
Kaiser Is licked, but they don't deny
the fact that 1t is sometimes hard
MOMENTS OF PERFECTLY
JUsTIFIABLE TREMoRS
To civilian making his first trip
on a sweeper or even watching one
tnstiiable tremors running .up and
tremsly weak -kneed and foolish 81 at
the time IL liz among these men who
are on the mine fields daily. Their UNI
Not long ago one OF this little feet
was operating over mine field. and
int in the course ours. Of FIVE short minutes Gu:
Of the most vicious kind known 10
modern warfare. They had been laid
convoy. Such a Work Of a few Minutes ennste
was really an inestimable service to
the allied cause. for the losses OF the
but do you think this achievement
meant anything to the men who did
the deed? Not at ALT twas was quite for.
of the days work. they will tell you
AS they tie up alongside tho dock after
Ing ship Immediately in PREPARATION
for eight moro days in the fields of
danger.
there Is usually one ship that is the
lunky one. The sweeper that just the
other day got the four mines was al
mines cut. 1t is SO among the French
One OF their boats which operates with
our fleet Of sweepers has cut over fifty
mines, far outdistancing the others.
Another OF their famous sweepers has
the notable record OF having cut TWEEN
Of ay work on a mine field. And You
CANINE sure that this brings good cheer
to the hearts OF the French marines,
mine obtained There is no such rule
in the American fleet.
Any one who thinks. however. that
Ia quite mistaken. \ ship is sinking
somewhere in the distance Send three
sweepers to help her. and OF they go
to the rescue. Another radio comes in:
Submarine operating off ---. Please
send extra escort" and on go the lit
tie sweeners to take II" th..'- - 4
off -----, one of these sneaking GUS
toners who has regular camping
night patrol until the sub is destroyed
or seeks other fields of activity. The
tays always give these subs who oper-
ate In one section nicknames. the most
famous being called Pete"
MOST DREADED FOE
This pete" is. OF course, not one
submarine ;,,, but a whole string Of per
signed to duty at this point. naturally
known as an important one in allied
uaftie And some of them have had
course OF their wanderlngs in this sec
ton Among their worst enemies are
now the Yankee airinen from near
~ h, station scouting far above In their
bomb hits the water near the peris-
cope. md like shot the destroyers
are oyer the spot with depth charges
times fruitlessly and then again with
the deadly results that are taking the
sting out OF the submarine menace.
There is really never anything of i'm
portance happening but what one or
two. or perhaps division of the sweep
s5s are on the job, standing by to as
@as so when the tragedy of the Flor
ence Fl concurred., 1t was so when a
valuable supply ship stranded on an
stores were saved.
Speaking Of reefs, one has only to
take few trips in these .sweePers to
mines, II there Is a rocker, more
treacherous strip OF coast in the world
than This along which they operate. 1t
" high rise OF the tide in the Bay Of
Biscay creates currents that at times
make tho calculations of the most care
full navigator look foolish. and the men
who pilot these boats. and had to learn
this coast In the midst Of the most ac-
tive and important, duty, are in the
main reserves, men WHO volunteered at
the very beginning ofsthe war to aid
the government in handling its rapidly
Increasing navy They have done their
aIduous duty here on this coast with
distinction After the war they Will
leave the navy, but their record will
live behind them. They have done
well; It would have beer difficult to
have done better. One must remember.
too, that these officers have not had
tho advantage of tho shippers of the
English sweepers, who have operated
In waters long familiar to them. They
were dealing with a strange coast
Which even the Frenchmen OF the sea
Wag their heads over. At one point
there on the coast The French have a
saying: Know the and you
mess Of that particular strip OF coast
line, the narrowness of the channel, the
powerful ebb and flow Of the tidal cur
ients.--Copyright, 1872