The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-23

an lnQlCallOn. we Threw over DuOy
to indicate the spot and anchored for
the night as It was getting dark. Next
morning we trawled again and got an
other contact within a hundred yards
OF the buoy. We had destroyed a sub
marine in our first test and the sub
was given out by the Admiralty as n
probable
The British after we came back
thought so we'll of the device as dem
onstrated in the first test that many
were ordered from the United States.
We had taken over detailed drawings
OF all the apparatus. and pointed out
were such that some delay might &C.
cur in getting American made devices
overseas they could build them them
selves.
The second lot Of chasers was or
dered to Corfu. in the Adriatil. We
went down to Corfu in June.
I'VE had thirty-sly chasers based In
little bay on the island, and the bar
rage OF boats extended across the
Strait OF Otranto. a distance OF about
forty miles. Conditions In the Adriatic
were ideal for hunting submarines
The water was very deep, ranging
from 400 to 600 fathoms, which meant
that the submarines when hard
pressed could not seek shallow water,
as was their custom in the English
Channel and the North Sea. Due to
less shipping traffic in these waters
there was practically no sound inter
ference, which made for very good lis
teninF.
The main Austrian submarine basec
were at Pola, at the head of the Adrt-
attic. and Cattaro, further down the
coast.
The German submarines leaving
Pola were obliged to go through Otran-
TO Strait TO get to the Mediterranean
and once through they had things
practically their own way, as there
were very few patrol boats In the
Mediterranean. The tonnage sunk
during the first three years OF the
war shows the condition that existed
before the Otranto barrage was put in
effect.
Submerged or Awnshf
"Our submarine chasers while on
barraRe were constantly in sound con-
tact with enemy submarines. especial
ly at night, as they usually attempted
TO get through during the dark hours.
They would run down on the surface
at their maximum speed and could be
heard for an hour or two before they
came to our line The sound between
On oil engine and an electric motor is
so distinctive that Il was comparative
l,, .AN H., I
from one to tho other, which was
necessary as soon as they submerged.
AS they knew approximately whore
our line was they Invariably sub-
merged two or three miles before they
reached tho line.
THE course OF the submarine was
plotted to scale by the flagship of a
unit from bearings given to II from
the other two boats and also from its
own bearings. When the submarine
had approached sufficiently close, the
unit was got under way and ~.
n9uvred into position for attack. The
attack was usually made when the
submarine was 400 or 500 yards ahead
and all three boats of unit, steaming
full speed ahead. would lay a pattern
OF depth charges over the area where
the plotted position showed the sub
marine to be.
Many successful attacks were made
in these waters. one in particular be-
ing quite exciting. One Of the ships In
a unit heard what sounded like a sub
marine. In few minutes all three
listeners had picked him up and the
bearing OF his course was being plot
ted. The middle chaser, the flagship,
was getting readings showing that the
submarine was In a direct line astern
and steaming toward her.
The sound was very loud az II the
sub must be very close. Suddenly the
water began to slap the bottom OF the
boat SO that every ono could feel il
and tho next moment the observer
reported that his bearing on the sub
marine had changed from $50 degrees
which was dead astern. TO degrees
which was on our bows. The sub
merged submarine had passed d.
! rectly under the centre boat. All
three boats were Immediately got
under way and the attack was dcliv-
cred. After all the depth charges had
beer dropped. the ships were stopped
and observations again taken. A pro-
peller was heard to start up and run
for about thirty seconds, and then
n crunching noise was heard. 1t was
quite evident thss the sub. having been