The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-28
NORTH SEAFREED
OF LONG FIELD
Of DEEP MINES
Admiral Strauss Cables to
Secretary Daniels That End
of Navy'S LabOTiOuS Task in
North Waters Has Come.

V /
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2S.-The clear
ing Of the North sea mine field has
been accomplished. As America insist |
ed on this barrage against the Germans
n contributed to laying ii down, so
she has done her share by way Of fin
ish!ng the job. Secretary of the Navy
Daniels Acknowledged this terse mill
tary message from Rear Admiral Joseph
Strauss, commander of the mine forces
of the Atlantic fleet:
FINISHED sweeping North sea bar
rage OF American mines"
From the armistice Until early last
spring the navy department laid its
plans for gathering up the mines Il had
sowed. Then the mine sweeping fleet
Of 1000 officers and seamen steamed
into kirkwall, whence II began the
work of sweeping up 10000 American
laid mines. 1t has been completed, and
while accounts of the work have been
meager, it has come to light that there
have been several casualties, and that
the tales Of heroism will rival the most
Valorous accomplishments of the war.
Planting Is Task.
TO lay this field of mines and pre-
vent the operation of German subma-
rines out of the North sea was a Her
eulean task. People in this country
remember that the first German trans
Atlantic submarine Deutschland stole
cut of the North sea under the nose of
the British through the passage be-
American boys being transported across
the Atlantic by the millions, President
Wilson was unwilling to take this
chance on the subs" and insisted that
the north passage OF the sea be block
ed. Immediately plans were developed
by the navy ard the work of laying
down 10000 mines started. The Amer
lean forces laid $1,000 of these. This
practically put an end TO German oper-
ations through this opening. as it was
almost impossible for an unwarned ship
to make passasge, and 1t was upon tho
knowledge of this successful bottling up
that Admiral Jellicoe predicted the ac-
tual control of the German submarines.
After the ar1nistice came the work of
clearing the mines. rated as one of the
most hazardous undertakings of the
war. Rear Admiral Strauss, who had
directed their laying, was chosen TO
clean them out. IN the British navy
men are given special bonuses for mine
operations, and additional bonuses for
every mine cleared. In our navy the
men work for the honor of America
and the American navy" And when
they go out to invade a mine fir@d
they go out to ride over tons on tons
of destruction that explode, not by con-
tact, but by c~ontagion. All a vessel has
to do is to get within the vicinity Of
the latest type Of American mine, and
-Blung!-up she goes. a column Of
alabaster rises from a. vast sea base
OF Jade, the seams Of the ship are rip
ped open and often the craft or parts
Of the craft itself are hurled skyward.
Braved Many Dangers.
This is what the American mine
sweeper had to brave. The ships of
the fleet were fitted with al electrical
device that minimized mine action to
a certain extent, anil careful handling
OF the craft and cautious operations
avoided any great number of casualties.
Two officers and ten men are the
known casualties. The few stories that
have drifted back from the isolated
fleet indicate these casualties have
been principally among officers and
volunteers who have gone out into i'm
ninent danger themselves after order
ing other members of the crews out of
the danger zone.
One Of the most remarkable stories OF
the expedition was the s%alvaging by
Capt. R. G. Bulmer, Of the W $. 8.
Pelican, after she had been ripped open
| ! by q mine. This vessel was worth Q
million dollars to the government, and