The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-05-24
This Ananias
Prize in
Story ofSeas
He Tells How Sea Lions Were
Used by Tommies to c
Track U-BoatS,
BY Rot,rt Welles Richie.

BY Rot,rt Welles Richie.
tUrlNersHl h',yics STAFF tuirrspondentl }
LON DON. May 24.-Liars,
arise and salute your king
Here's the story which puts the
late Mr.. Munchassen on the kero.
sene circuit and proves ,ha, VIII
liam Henry Ananias was but a
,oddler in the prevatication
creche. It's all about the intelli-
gent sea lions used by the British
navy 10 track the wicked subma.
rine to its lair Take long
breath and listen:
In the summer OF 1917, says the
Ancient Mariner, the admiralty, be-
ing quite desperate in It's hunt for
some sure means OF ctadlcating
the German under sea pirates,
purchased two perfectly respect
able California sea lions and he.
gaa carrying out experiments III a
lake
NrWhiueu " llu Ibn,
Noises were made under water
OH one side, and the animal, on
jumping in, heard the noise and
swan toward it. being rewarded
when he found il by feed OF
fish The noise was made by all
electric burler under water. After
considerable amour, OF this
practice the animal was able to
locate the sound each time.
The animals were then taken
down 10 Portsmouth, and prae-
tice was carried out with a real
submarine. The first experiments
were carried out with the subma-
rine in harbor with the buzler.
This was successfulG The ami
NAL was thrown overheard some
distance off. swan to the subma-
rlne. and jumped on board for
his accustomed feed OF fish
which he got. This was done
several times TO accustom him TO
the submarine.
Answers BuIIer.
The next development was,
While still in harbor, 10 do a few
revolutions with the propeller,
sounding the burzer at the same
time-thls was 10 accustom the
animal to the propeller. This also
was successful, although the mo-
tors had to he stopped when he
was near. A small. light. cigar
shaped float. painted red, was tied
around the animals neck by
long piece of gut. In this man
ner the animals whereabouts was
ascertained as he towed II along
with him on top of the water. A
portable cage was then made OF
the top Of = steamboat, and the
animsls were taken outside. The
same practice was carried out
with the bulrer and propeliers.
only at increased distances. The
animals were fitted with small
wire mules TO prevent them 60
ing on = fishing expedition OF
their own.
The practice was then carried
out without the burzer, the sub
marine using her motors only.
After about = week OF this the
animal would discover the sound
and jump on board. Great diff
Guilty was experienced owing TO
passing steamers, which the ami.
NAL would hear aud chase.
Barksd for Food.
The final stage OF practice was
with the submarine diving. The
men in the steamboat, as soon as
the float was observed near the
periscope, would signal the fact
to the captain Of the submarine.
who was watching through the
periscope. The submarine would
then stop motors and come to the
surface. On several occasions
the animal was on deck bark
ing" for food even before the
captain could open the coming
tower hatch. This ended the ex-
periments.
Unfortunately the Ancient Ma
riner paused at this juncture to
light his pipe and went to sleep
without ever telling US how the
actual var cruises Of the Califor-
mia amphibians resulted. And
what happened to the seal when a
depth bomb was dropped on his
d;.rauaxu1 Did ka liua IA chaae