Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-03
SHORTAGE OF TORPEDOEs
EXPERIENCED BY U-DOATs
German Factories Now Unable to
Turn Out First-Class Explo-
sivcs for Submarines.
BRISK "TIN FISH" HUNTING
Allied Destroycrs Force Underwater
Craft to Waste Many Charges.
Alertness and Keenness of Our
Offensive Tactics Costly to Huns.

(Correspondence OF Associated Press.)
BASE OF AMERICAN FLOTILI4A IN
BRITISH WATERS. January "a
Shortage of torpedoes is ono OF the
most serious facts with which tho
directors of the German U-boat war
are now faced It Is well-known
and admitted fact that German fac
tories are at present absolutely unable
to turn out irst-clasa torpedoea in
anywhere near sufficient quantities. for
the needs Of the submarines. In fact,
tho underwater craft are being turned
out faster than the TOT pedoes. with the
result that recourse has been had to
various expcd.ents to keep the sub
marines supplied with their chief
weapon.
Germany'e fleet of U-boats must
carry thousands OF torpcdoes. Thou
sands more must always BIO ready in
reserve. In fact the reserve supply
should be larger to-day than a year
ago to allow for the more frequent
calls made upon it. The augmented
They have made ths submarines use
up more tor2edoes and have caused
them to return to their base more fire.
quently for reIoading.
Eight may be said to be the average
number of torpedocs carried in one
submarine. The number ranges from
four to twelve. according to the type
OF submarine. The U-53. which raided
shipping or the Atlantic coast OF the
United States, carried ten. More re-
cent types load as many as twelve.
Mine layers >can accommodate 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 Chance
shots except under circumstances
which they must explain in detail as
justifyins the expenditure of the
precious underwater missiles.
Recently the German factories have
been turning out smaller torpedo,
which is less accurately tested. but
which may be used with a fair degree
Of certainty at close range. OF late
few German torpedoes have proved
and it has become unusual for a
U-boat commander to mako any at
tempt at merchant ship unless he
can get within 500 to 900 yards.
The Germans are now using two
types OF torpedoes. They may be de-
scribed as short-charge and full
charge torpedoes. The short charge Is
the one used mostly against merchant
shipping. and is fired at 500 to COO
yards. The fun charge. which has
probably twice the destructive force
and is better made. is reserved for
men-ofwar. 1t Is fired, at a creator
distance and Is used less frequently
than the cheaper torpedo.
But the comparative immunity of the
American destroyers from torpedo at
tack-despite tho loss of the Jacob
Jones and the slight disablement OF
the Cassin--is noteworthy in this con-
nection. The Germans hate the
American destroyers as one 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 torpedoes fired at
her, yet only twice have the torpedoes
found their mark.
The Americans and the British, with
whom they are cooperating so sue
cessfully In thie game Of hunting "tin
fish," attribute their immunity to the
mobility OF the destroyer. The alert
ness 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 lookouts and
skillful maneuvsring enable them to
cheat the Germans so often.