The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1918-02-07
Torpedo Shortage
Curbs Up Boats

CurDS " BOaGS
Base OF American Flotilla in British
Waters, Feb 3-Shortage of torpe-
does is N Of the most serious facts
which the directors. of the German u
boat are now faced. N is well
known and admitted fact that German
factories are at present absolutely un-
able to turn, out f~irst-class torpesdeoaess,
in anywhere near sufficient quantities
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 been
had to various expedients to keep the
submarines supplied with their chief
weapon.
Germany's fleet Of U-boats must
carry thousands Of torpedoes. Thou
sands more must always be ready III
reserve. n, fact the reserve supply
should be larger today than a year
ago to allow more frequent calls made
upon it. The augmented destroyer
patrol is responsible for this. They
have made the submarines use up
more torpedoes and have caused them
to return to their base more frequent
" for reloading.
Eight may be said to be the aver
age number Of torpedoes carried in
one submarine. The number ranges
from four to twelve, according to the
type Of submarine. The U-53 which
raided shipping off the Atlantic coast
of the United States carried ten:
More recent types load as many, as II.
Mine layers can accommodate two,
four and six, depending on their. size.
In connection with this, shortage is
the interesting fact that all U-boats
commanders are now strictly "ration-
ed" as far as their supply Of torpedoes
is concerned and are not permitted to
waste torpedoes on long Chance
shots except under circumstances
which they must explain in detail as
justifying the expenditure Of the pre-
cious under water missels.
Recently the German factories have
been turning out a smaller torpedo
which is less accurately tested but
which may be used with fair degree
Of certainty at close range. Of late
rev German torpedoes have proved
effective unless at fairly close range
and it has become unusual for a u
boat commander to make any attempt
at a merchant ship unless he can get
within 500 or 600 yards.
The Germans are now using two
types Of torpedces. They may be de.
scribed as short charge. and full,
charge torpedoes, The short charge
is. the one used mostly against mer-
chant shipping and is fired at 500 to-
600 yards. T',n,ll charge which
has probably twice the destructive
force and is better made is reserved
for men-of-war. It is fired at a great
er distance and is used less frequent
" than the cheaper torpdoes. .
But the comparative immunity Of
the Aemrican %destroyers from torpedo
attack-despite the loss Of the Jacob
Jones and the slight disabaement Of
THE Cassin-is noteworthy in this con
nection. The Germans hate the Am
erican destroyers as n Of their worst
enemies in their most fertile field Of
action and there is scarcely an Amer-
lean destroyer bat,has had one or
more German torpedoess iredrat Aer,
yet only twice have the torpedoss
found their mark. :
The Americans and the British
with. whom they are cooperating 80
successfully in this game Of hunting
'tin-fish" attribute their immunity to
the mobility Of the ~destroyers. The
~alertness Of the American naval men
coupled with their well known keen
ness for offensive tactics against the
submarine have been responsible for
their slight losses. Sharp lookonts
and skillfM manoeuveriing enablefthem
to cheatt the Germans so often.
EARLY POTATOES.
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