Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-19
Excellent Work of the American Destroys

incredibly short time. 1t could attack
with gun, and, II conditions were favor
able, 1t could ram--and a destroyer
going at thirty or forty miles could cut
u submarine nearly in two with Its
strong, razor-like bow. In the early
days OF the war these were the main
methods of attack, but by the time
had reached London another and much
more frightful weapon had been devised.
This was the depth charge, large can
containing about 900 pounds Of INT,
which, exploding anywhere within 100
feet of the submarine, either destroyed
II entirely or SO injured it that 1t usually
he'd to como to the SURFACE and surren-
der.
The story Of the invention Of the
depth charge makes clear the part
which it was intended to play in anti
submarine warfare. Admiral Jellicoe
told me the story when l asked him
who really invented this annihilating
missile.
mo man In particular" he said. ut
came into existence almost spontaneous
~. in response to pressing need. Gun
fire can destroy submarines when they
are on the surface, but 1t can ac-
complish nothing against them when
submerged This fact made II extreme.
ly difficult to sink them in the early
days of the war. One day when the
grand feet was cruising in the North
sea a submarine fired a torpedo at one
of the cruisers. The cruiser saw the
periscope and the wake Of the torpedo
and had little difficulty in SO maneuver-
ing as to avoid being struck. She then
went full speed to the spot from which
the submarine had fired it's torpedo. in
the hope Of ramming 1t. But by the
time she arrived the submarine had sub
merged SO deeply that the cruiser
passed over her without doing harm.
Yet the officers and crew could see the
submerged hull. There the enemy lay
in full view of her pursuers, yet per-
fectly safe. The officers reported the
incident to me in the presence OF Ad-
miral Madden. second in command.
wouldn't it have been fine." said
Madden. III they had had on board a
mine SO designed that, when dropped
overheard. it would have exploded when
1t reached the depth at which the sub
marine was lying"
'"That remark" continued Admiral
jellicoe, gave us the germinal idea Of
the depth charge. l asked the admiralty
to get to work and produce mine that
would act in the way that Admiral Mad
zen had suggested 1t proved to be very
simple 10 construct--an ordinary steel
cylinder flied with INT. This was At
ted with simple firing appliance which
was set off by the pressure Of the water,
and could be so adjusted that it would
explode the charge at any depth desired.
This apparatus was SO simple and SO
necessary that we at once began to
manufacture It,"
The depth charge looked like the in
nocent domestic ash can, and that was
the name by which it became popularity
known. Each destroyer eventually car
ried twenty or thirty at the stern A
mere pull on lever would make one
drop into the water. Many destroyers
also carried strengthening howitzers.
made in the shape of Y. from which
two ash cans could be hurled fifty yards
OF more from each side OF the vessel
The explosion when it cnsued within the
100 feet / have mentioned was usually
fatal to the submarine, would drive the
plates inward, sometimes making leak
so large that the vessel would sink al
most instantaneously.
At somewhat greater distance 1t
sometimes causes a leak of such serious
proportions that the submarine would
be forced to blow her ballast tanks,
como to the surface and surrender.
Even when the depth charge exploded
considerably more than a hundred feet
away the result might be equally dis
astrous, for the conclusion might dis
tort the hull and damage the horizontal
rudders. making it impossible to steer,
or 1t might SO injure the essential ma
chinery that the submarine would be
rendered helpless. Sometimes the lights
went out, leaving a crew cropping in
blacliness; necessary parts were shaken
nom their fastenings; and in such
case the commander had his choice of
two alternatives. one to be crushed by
the pressure of the water and the other
to blow his tanks, come to the surface
and surrender. 1t lie no reflection upon
tie courage of the submarine command
ers to say that, In this embarrassing
situation. they usually preferred to
throw themselves upon the mercy OF
the enemy rather than to be smashed