The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-02-19
.TORPEDOiSHORTAGE
. is BOIHER!NG HUNS
German Ruthlessness Campaign
Faces Lack Of TOrpedoes .
As Serious Menace

BASE OF AMERICAN FLDTrI,L.A
IN BRITISH WATERS, February g.
associated Press)-Shortage of tor
pedoes is one of the most serious fact.
with which the directors of the Ger.
man U boat war are now faced. II Il
well known and admitted fact that
German factories are at present abso
lutely unable to turn out first class tor
pedoes in anywhere near sufficient guam
titles for the needs of the submarines
In fact, the underwater craft are being
turned out faster than the torpedoes
with the result that recourse has beer
had TO various expedents to keep tho
submarines supplied with their Chief
weapon. 49,. ..
Germany's feet of I boats must car
ry thousands of tOrpPdoes. thousand
more must always be ready In reserve
In fact the reserve supply should b.
larger,today than year ago to ALLOW
for the more frequent calls made upor
IL. The augmented destroyer patro'
Is responsible for this They have
made the submarines use up more tor
pedoes and have caused them TO re
turn to their base more frequently fo
relosding. - 80, y
Eight may be said to be the average
lumber of t0rpedoes carried in one sub
marine. The number ranges from fouI
o twelve. according to the type Of sub
marine. The U-53 which raided ship
ning oil the Atlantic coast Of the Unit
ed States carried ten. More recen,
types load as many as twelve. Mine
layers can accommodate Two, four and
six, depending on their size. ..s.gyff
In connection with this shortage !,
the interesting fact that all U.boa.
commanders now are strictly g ration
ed" rs far as their supply Of torpedoes
Is concerned and are not permitted tt
waste torpedoes on long t+ohanee
shots" except under circumstance
which they must explain in detail n,
justifying the expenditure Of the prec
ions underwater missiles. , q 3 I y 81,
Recently the German factories have
been turning out a smaller torpedo
which is less accurately tekted bur
which may be used with a fair degree
of certainty at close range. OF late
very few German torpedoes have prov
ed effective unless ut fairly close range
and it has become unusual for U!boat
commander to make any attempt at o
merchant ship unless he can get within
500 to 600 yards. r' ~
The Germans are now using two
types Of torpedoes. They may be de
scrfbed rs short-charge and full charge
torpedoes. The short charge is the one
used mostly against merchant shippiug
and is fired at 500 to 600 yards. The
full charge which has probably twice
the destructive force and is better
made is reserved, for men. of war. 1t II
fred at q greater distance end is used
less frequently than the cheaper tor
pedo. r. 49, & C,M
But the comparative immunity Of thr
American ,destroyers, from torpedo at
tack-despite the LOIS Of the Jacob
Jones and the slight .disablement Of
the Cassin-is noteworthy in this con
uection. The Germans hate the Ameri
can destroyers as one % thcir wOr"'
enemies in their most FERTILE field OF J..
action and there is scarcely an Amon
can destroyer but has had one or more
German torpedoes fred at her, vet on
ly twice have the torpedoes found Their
mark. ,...
The Americans and the British with
whom they are cooperating so sue
cessfully in this game of hunting "tin
fish. " attribute their immunity to th'
mobility of the destroyer. The alert
ness of the American naval men cou
pied with their well known keennes'
for offensive tactics against the sub
marine have been responsible for thri
slight losses. Sharp lookouts and skill
full maneuvering enable them to cheat
the Germans so often. ~ "