Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-04
U-B0ATS ARE
HAMPERED BY
TORPEDO LACK
Underwater Craft Turned
Out Faster than Torpedoes
Thousands are Needed.

Base of American Flotilla in Brit
ish Waters. Jan. 20.-(Correspond-
encc of the Associated Press).--
Shortage of torpedoes is one of the
most serious facts with which the d.
rectors Of the German U-boat war
are now faced. 1t is a we'll known
and admitted fact that German fac
tories are at present absolutely UNI
able to turn out first class torpedoes
in anywhere near sufficient quanti-
ties for the needs OF the submarines.
In fact, the underwater craft are be-
ing turned out faster thar the tor
pedoes with the result that recourse
has been had to various eXpediencs
to keep the submarines supplied
with their chief weapon.
~Ciermany's fleet OF U-boats must
carry thousands of, t~orpedoes. Thou
sands more must always he ready
in reserve. In fact the reserve sur
ply should be larger today than a
year e to allow for the more fire.
quent calls made upon it. The aug
mented destroyer patrol is RESPONSE
BILE for this. They rave made the
submarines use up more t%orpedoes
and have caused them to return to
their base more frequently for re-
loading.
Eight nay be said to be the aver
age number Of t%orpedoes 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 twelve. Mine layers can accom-
modate two. four and six, depending
on their size.
In connection with this shortage
is the interesting fact that all u
boat commanders now are strictly
"%rationed' as far as their supply of
torpedoes is concerned and are not
permitted to waste ~torpedoes on long
stances which they must explain in
detail as j%ustifying the expenditure
Of the precious underwater missiles.
Recently the German factories
have been turning out a smaller tor
pedo which is less accurately tested
but which may be used with a fair
degree Of certainty at close range.
OF late very few German t%orpedoes
have proved effective unless at fairly
close range and it has become unus-
ual for a U-boat commander to make
any attempt at a merchant ship I'M
less he can get within 500 to 600
yards.
The Germans are now using two
types of t%orpedoes. They may be de-
scribed as s~hort-charge and full
charge torpedoes. The short-charEe
is the one used mostly against mer-
chant shipping and is fired at 500 to
500 yards. The full charge which
has probably twice the destructive
force and is better made is reserved
for men-of-war. 1t Is fired at a
greater distance and is used less fire..
quently than the cheaper torpedo.
But the comparative immunity OF
the American destroyers from tor
pedo attack-despite the loss of the
Jacob Jones and the slight disable
men of the Cassin-is noteworthy In
this connection. The Germans hate
the American destroyers as n of
their worst enemies in their most
fertile field Of action and there is
scarcely an American destroyer but
has had one or more German tor
pedoes fired at her, yet only twice
have the %torpedoes found their mark.
The Americans and the British
with whom they are cooperating so
successfully in this game OF hunting
'..tin fish" attribute their immunity
to the mobility Of the destroyer. Tho
alertneea Of the American naval men
coupled with their we'll known keen
ness for. offensive tactics against the
submarine have been responsible for
their. slight losses. Sharp lookouts
and skillful maneuyerinE enable
them to cheat the Germans 80 often.
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