Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-10-03
GERMAN BUILDERS OF U-b0ATS HAVE
 NOTHING ON U. 5,
Examination of Captured Yes sels Reveals Nothing of
 Scientific Value

M ashlngton, Oct. 1.-Detailed ex- Elimination of surrendered German U-boats built during the war has produced nothing to forecast i'm portant changes in American sub- marines, officers at the Navy Depart ment assert. After careful study of v the German craft and a thorough test in the long cruise across the Atlantic, American experts have x found only few unimportant de- $ tails worthy of incorporating in new s American undersea craft.
 In periscopes and optical fittings the German boats were superior to z pre-war American submersibles, it was admitted. Periscopes on new X navy submarines, however, are su- perior to the best similar fittings < Hound on the captured vessels, it z was said.
 ~ The engine equipment of the Ger x man boats was praised by American X officers, but it was declared that the s mechanical plants of the enemy craft sWere in no respect superior to those < already in use in the United States < Navy. In many points, particularly Nthat of mechanical simplicity, room iness and comfort for the crew, the Is American boats are regarded as su- perior to the German craft.
 # Develop Nothing New. # Examination of the surface vessels # surrendered by Germany and brought to the United States recently is now ( in progress. Other German vessels T of all classes had been previously carefully inspected by American of ficers abroad and officials at the de- X partment declared that they did not expect the inspection of the cruiser Osfriesland and the destroyers al located to this country to develop any important new construction methods in the American navy.
 In one respect the German ships the department. This was the use of solid water-tight bulkheads be- tween subdivisions of the hulls be- low decks. No doors for communi- cation below were found in the Ger man ships, the members of the crew being forced to go "up and over" to move from one compartment to an other.
 It was this construction that kept German vessels in the fight at the Battle of Jutland after they had been severely punished by British fire, officers said. The idea has been ad- vocated by school of American ra- val officers for years and has been adopted in the newer vessels to- the extent of placing solid bulkheads between firerooms.
 Lacking in Comfort.
 . Opponents of the solid bulkhead theory declare ease and rapidity of communication below decks to be more valuable than elaborate pre- cautions to prevent the passage of water from one compartment to an- other in the event of hits below the waterline.
 A feature of the German ships that somewhat surprised American of ficers was the lack of provisions for the comfort of the crews. Officers quarters were found to be about on a par with those in the American navy, but little attention has been paid to the enlisted men. The larger ships had cooking accommodations for but small part of the battle crew, it was said, and it was believ- ed that the ships were constructed on the theory that any engagement they participated in would be within a short distance of the home port, probably in the North Sea, as the bunk capacities were very limited.
 During periods of inaction the men were housed ashore in barracks and during periods at sea of any dura- tion they were poorly supplied with hot food. Contrasted with the elab- crate galleys and bakeries on Ameri- can ships, with provisions for long cruises at sea away from supply bases. the German craft were prim- itive, it was said.
 The final disposition to be made of the German vessels has not been decided. They will either be broken up at navy yards or used as targets for the fleets.