The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-06-08
]. s. NAVY MADE A
GREAT RECORD IN
LAYING OF MINES
RECRUITING OFFICER TELLS VI
EXPERIENCE IN N0klH SEA
DURING THE WAX

L. :, Navy, III cnLlBe VI NV
recruiting office, tells of how the ''''
orleans accomplished the greatest n''n''
ING oxpeiition in the history OF the
world I'm n communication set loflh 10
stimulate recruiting worl; here
The communication reads
"Thc L.. $. Navy, first to perfect thc
submarine then when USED 'e"'',S'
ms in war devised scheme lhat
stroved il. From the time the u"''
cd states Joined in the war, our navy
deuartment urged strong measures rs
sen,iallv offensive to hem III 'l'e V'
.mv so that fewer submarines might
vet ont or. If already out, get pack'
Among the many projects put forward
n new American invention came 20 the
notice Of the bureau OF ordnance
where It's possibilities were quickly per
ceived. ,.,o
"a few experiments developed II H''"
1 mine OF more promising eilectlNeteSS
,han any ever used before, especi'llS
uyalnst submarine. This gave the ~
: navy. the definite means 10 oiler
an antisubmarine barrage, OH the
coast of Germany, or any pace e'Se
and the result was the present mime
bal,age in the North sea. strelchilS
from the coast OF Norway, to the coast
OF scotland. 23S miles long The par
rare ranges from five to twenty IlNe
miles IN w,d'h. and consists OF "pou'
twenty five thousand mines
captain Reginald K. BelKhap' -
&. y. commanded mne squadron one
hetter ,,noWn in Europe as the YANKEE
Alineing Squadron. The squadron con
sisted Of the san Francisco flag snip
the ola Baltimore and eight coastwiSe
steamers converted into mine ''S'"A
cassels. since the war started
"rho converted vessels proved very
successful for thcir purpose ana were
much admired ana appreciated by Btl''
ish officers, as well rs by our OWL
men.
".rhe mines were on tracks. already
To be pushed aft and overheard lheSe
ships had been fitted with elevators 81
that the mines slowed on lower decks
might be quickly raised to the lauhch
lng deck. us the planting operation
proceeded, thus allowing the ships Ell
ire load to be planted in a continuous
unbroken Inc
"England attempted to NINE lhe
North Sea. but with disastrous ellecuS
gaye up the job, and when we started
IN sail for Europe, we were called even
ny our own naval authorities, the SUI
eide Fleet. and the truth of the busi-
ness we thought it ourselves. ohl9
two or three men flinched, and they
were transferred before the fleet sailed
we felt those of us who realized the
hazardous nature of our duty I'M.
death was certain, but we ielt that IL
our soldiers must die on the 1lelu Vi
honor in France. that We wanted 10
die LAYING Il field of mines, 10 protect
them at sea.
North Sea Mine Barrage, has dou'
BILE meaning. Mine layers were useu
AS bait to lure the German high seas
fleet to a second Jutland battle. Inc
Yankee mining squadron had Nortti
sea base II at 1nvergordon, ana pase
y It Inverness. Scotland, both of when
a North Sea ports, the latter peliS
inr capitol of the Highlands. These
were the nearest ports to the scene OIL
action, with a fine emergency hospital,
al Straspeffer, fully equipped and
ready to care for the wounded of the
AilItt AIIdllu 4 lt'AI 60 N''i go -
enemv. i'm the event of the long hoped
for engagement with the German hlgh
seas fleet. Sorry to say StrasspeiIer
was never used. on one occasion, we
thought the Germanas, were coming
out and on this occasion the Grahu
Fleet sure looked good to us as Ill
vision after division, would appear ON
the horizon then change course seem
ingly to say, let them come your big
brother is ready Never before have
| seen such a splendid sight as mat
day. or do | ever expect to ever again.
over three hundred monster dread
naughts and fast desuoyers of the lat
est type, standing by to strike the final
blow that would have put the war to
speedy end.
Mines used We're of latest American
invention. \ deep sea mine. built es-
peclally for anti-submarine campaign,
shipped to Europe there assembled at
lnvergordou, and Inverness, on Car
marty Firth, in the Scottish Highlands
by American BluejaCkets Loaded ON
board and planted in North Sea. Never
once out of the navy's supervision.
Great Lakes steamers We're used as
mine transports. \ large number OF
lake steamers, were cut in half, in
order to bring them through canal
locks. then made fine transatlantic
transports, each carrying 5000 mines
or better at a trip. Thus the mine il
self with all facilities used in the OPP
Grafton. even the assembling bases
were housed in the vacant spaces Of
two large Scotch distilleries which
gave ample space for the housing OF