The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-03
Italian Invention Adopted by Germans
Halted Enormous Sacrifice of Lives
and U-Boats- Rejected by Daniels
Fatal Accidents to Our I'm
dersea Graft Show Need
of Equipment
OF Equipment

plIlCIlL
somewhat freely from his letter on
this subject to the chairman of the
Committee on Naval Affairs Of the
House OF Representatives. It empha-
sizes our own lack and makes equally
clear the curiously illogical reasons for
giving up the idea of adding so valu-
able an adjunct to our fighting feet.
Mr.. Daniels wrote: The question of
foreign submarine salvage vessels has
been gone into very carefully with the
ONCE of Naval Intelligence during the
last few months. Considering this
question Of salvage vessels and test
Ing docks, or pontoons In general. IL
Is to be noted that practically all for
eign nayies equipped with many SUBJ
marines have built some form of sal
wage vessel for the purpose Of raising
damaged submarines. These are es
sentially vessels with strong lifting
gear. As far as testing pontoons are
concerned, so far as the Department
Is aware, only two are in existence.
The Fiat-San Giorgio In Italy have
one, in which they test the bulls of
submarines built at their works. In
addition. combination testing pom
toon and tender for submarines for
Brazil is being built by the same COM
pany. tt
in the case OF the proposed pom
toon for which one bid has been re-
ceived, its essential object, aside from
possible use as a salvage vessel. is to
test the bulls of submarines. Consider
ing first the salvage features, It Is
true that in one successful operation
1t might easily Justify its whole cost.
However, should we buy the pontoon
as offered, no wrecking gear Is in
stalled, the arrangements for such in
stallation only being made. 1t is pro-
posed to install this gear at Govern
ment expense after delivery, and this
would cost very considerably and take
some length OF time.
Offers Further Objections.
further. with our great length of
coast line, and with the submarines
scattered by groups along II, in the
Atlantic from Boston to Cristobal, and
in the Pacific from Puget Sound to
the Canal Zone on one hand and Ma
Mia and Honolulu on the other, Il
seems very doubtful that in the event
of an accident a single powerful SAL
wage vessel would be where 1t was
wanted. Further, to require that
proposed wrecking vessel should be in
the vicinity of where submarines are
operating would tend to restrict and
hamper their radius of action, which
Is now great and constantly increas-
ing.
Next, considering the use Of this
pontoon in testing the hulls of subma-
rines, the submarines to be tested may
be divided into two groups, % old
submarines and (2) new submarines.
The old submarines. O.. submarines
in service-will be tested purely for
information and to insure that they
are strong for operation. It Is the In
tcntion that this po1toon If built shall
be stationed on the Atlantic coast.
The submarines in service or soon to
go in service on the Atlantic coast
would be the only ones. therefore,
available for test. These vessels have
all either recently been tested or
would have had their test shortly be-
fore the completion OF the pontoon. In
other words. none of the boats In SER
vice available for test by the pontoon
would need a retest under ordinary
circumstances for from three to i've
years.
There remains. therefore, only
group (2)-new submarines. The pom
toon II built would be used in testing
these submarines in place OF submerg-
ing them to the test depth of 200 feet,
as required by contract In the past
and until quite recently tho cost Of this
operation OF submerging has been
comparatively great. One OF the prin-
clpal objects In purchasing this pom
toon was to save the Government this
cost, which was OF course included in
the contract price of submarines. How
ever, as advance in submarine boat
construction has increased the conf
dence In the strength and workman
ship OF these boats. the operation has
Leen carried out by the contractors in
way that In the recent boats has
very materially decreased the cost.
Moreover, within the last few months
the future building OF some high speed
submarines has been practically de-
cided upon. The dimensions Of these
boats in all probability will be such
that they could not be tested In this
pcntoon.
Summing up the facts outlined, 4. O.,
tho use to which the pontoon would be
put. the probability OF not being able
to use II for salvage in the event OF ac-