The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1919-05-17
SYSTEM USED IN
SINKING U-b0ATS
Navy Officer Reveals How Depth
Bombs Are Directed to
Their Mark.
WAR SECRETS OUT At LAST
Tactics Worked Out at the Direction
of Admiral Sims-vesseIs Change
Course at Regular Timed
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tory of the war college, which when it
is fairly under way will number 60
officers of high rank in the navy, there
has been brought to Newport many
| participants in the world war. Many
Of these officials feel perfectly at
home in Newport, having at various
times been connected with the naval
station here. Capt. William w.
Phelps, who is now on the staff of
Rear Admiral Sims at the college, has
lived in Newport twice.
Captain Phelps last command was
one Of the largest ships in the navy,
the transport Leviathan, and in this
connection he spoke interestingly of
the transportation of the thousands Of
our troops from New York to Brest.
Although strict censorship prevailed
during the war relative to this hazard.
GUS service, it is now permissible to
speak Of the work Of these transports.
Navigating to Avoid U-Boats.
Here are few facts Captain
Phelps related:
During voyage the Leviathan's
course would be changed at regular
intervals, from port to starboard,
making wide Zigzag. In daylight
she would steam at % knots. Of the
bow on each side, and likewise off the
stern, would be destrOyers, making
four close to the big ship. These de-
stroyers also at timed intervals would
zigzag, but in shorter turns, first to-
wards the ship, and then away from
it. Then guns were trained, and depth
bombs were ready to go down the
slide. Steaming at 80 knots, just
ahead Of the transport, would be an
other destroyer, making sharp zigzag
directly across her path. Her speed
would be so great that she would have
to slow down to use her deck guns,
as volumes Of water would come over
her prov. In the distance would be
still another destroyer, five miles
ahead, also running on time and act
ing as a scout, or like the pickets in
the army.
All zigzags were made according to
exact time, so as to eliminate any
chance for collision. Captain Phelps
said that at night, running at high
speed without lights, the timing made
the trips possible without collision.
The most dreaded hours were the
long twilights in the north steamship
lane, which sometimes lasted until
ten o'clock, and frequently for hours
afterwards the northern lights would
make it possible for the dreaded SUBJ
marines to see the big transport with
out themselves being discernible.
Made Fastest Trip.
Captain Phelps has the distinction
Of making the fastest round trip on
record when, with the transport
Great Northern last July, he went
from Sandy Hook to Brest, unloaded
his troops and returned to New York
in II days, AZ hours. The sea was
favorable for this record, which has
only been exceeded at any time but
once, when in December, 1913, on a
special Christmas trip, the Maure-
tania made the same transatlantic
voyage in just II days.
When the trips across the Atlantic
with the big troop ships began there
were many tactics worked out, emanat-
ing from Vice Admiral Sims. One Of
these was depth bomb practice, just
as the battleships have target prac-
tice. One of these explosives set off
800 yards from the big ship Leviathan
was sufficiently powerful to shake
and jar her, yet it must be remem-
bered that the effect on a vessel on
top of the water is different from the
effect upon one submerged. It lifts
up the vessel on top, in much the way
a huge wave would, but it brushes the
underseas craft with pressure. ~
How do you make sure of getting
submarine with depth bomb? Cap
tain Phelps was asked. Captain Phelps
explained that destroyer would
steam at top speed in a circle around
the spot in which the .U-boat was
seen, and drop bomb every few
yards. The speed Of the surface craft
is so much greater than the other that
when the circle is completed it Is
positive that one of the bombs did its
work, for, whichever way the under
sea craft turns, she cannot get out of