Norwich bulletin., 1922-11-11

like good thoughts, are silent. but good deeds and actions speak loud.
 JENNIE. VISIT TO THE SUBMARINE BASE.
 Dear Social Corner Friends: I am go-
 ing to tell you how I celebrated Roose-
 velt's birthday and Navy day. Two
 friends and decided we would go up to
 the base and see the sights. So we \ boarded the big government tug that
 made four trips Friday. We left at l
 o'clock and were met at the base dock by
 Officer Shaw and 20 others. There was
 quite a crowd that went up on the tug
 They took us in squads and escorted us
 everywhere and explained everything.
 First we were taken into the building
 where the engines are prepared for their work in the submarines. Men were work ing on them in all their different parts. each man on his own job. It was a fine illustration of what can be constructed
 with copper and brass. It was great. r. Then we went into the building where 1 the torpedoes are made ready for use. Some of them were being repaired. One
 had been fired 125 times. There were over 200 torpedoes in the building, worth | 5000 each. The torpedo is a machine in itself It has a motor and four pro- peliers and the mechanism is started just l before the torpedo leaves the tube. When l not in use they are enclosed in metal
 tubes shaped f>e COTS, and are funny 1 looking things.
 Then we were shown in the sarne shop l a gyroscope compass, a most wonderfU l piece of mechanism. It took % years to 1 perfect it. and it is said to be gradually
 taking the place of the magnetic compass.
 It is used to sight the torpedoes when
 they are fred A small copper box, open
 at the sides, with steel ban inside that,
 turns every way, showing just how and
 where to sight the torpedo. y It costs $500.
 At the end of the yard, electric build 1 ings and school of instruction, where of- I ficers and men are taught how to build l an engine, one is taken to pieces and they are required to put it together again
 There are 50 or more buildings and like a city by itself The reserve on is lighted by their own big electric plant The drinking water is taken from the river
 and distilled, all the impurities taken out
 After all this was explained we were
 taken down to the dock, where the sub
 marine L-C was ready for inspection. Sht
 is 154 feet long. There were longer ones
 some 200 feet long. but they were re ceiving new engines, and men were working on them. so they were not opeI for inspection. Then we went on the sub marine.
 We had to get in a round hole abou the size of an ordinary chimney top ant go down a perfectly. straight iron ladde with round rungs until your feet strucl , the floor, then you were down in a sut } marine and eight feet under water.
 think I counted eight compartments, al } so well lighted you would never thinl you were under water, but tl brass an : copper machinery was something wonder 2 ful. There is only a narrow space be tween the machinery on the sides wher
 you can walk through. There is a. tanl ! in the stern.. They fill it with wate when they submerge. and when the. want to rise to the surface they let it out 5 We looked through the periscope and say the shore on the opposite side of tn river. spoke of the hunks that locke, E so nice all made up. They said the, a were the officers. I inquired where tn
 men slept and they said they 'hunx u
 on pegs. o. said i'FYoii don't mean to tel 1 me they hang. up on pegs to sleep" The e said they hung their hammocks on tn - pegs. We had a good laugh over it. There are 27 men on a sub-or sup . posed to be-. There is no ventilation an t the limit is about "A hours Sometime e the air gets so bad they have to com $ to the surface in much less time. On
 sub carries four torpedoeS enclosed
 the metal tubes, and they are fornidabl
 looking things -
 When we came up from the submarin
 we were pretty tired, so we went up int e the waiting room to wait for the tu, a One of the officers came in and entertain j. ed us with a sketch of his experience 0 IS sub to Honolulu and Seattle. On hi ,f trip from Seattle to Honolulu he sai ? they had nothing to eat but canned chicl # en for 13 days. He thought he neVt wanted to see another chicken Whe le we had rested up we went out and Office D. Shaw said he. would send us home on or il of their speed boats that they use to pic ie or their. torpedoes in after they al r, fired, if they don't explode. They al :e lovely boats, all covered in copper ar k brass The sail down the civer was jul le grand. We made the two and one-ha IS miles in just Is minutes. They said thk g. could do it in 12. We arrived home
 o'clock, we'll satisfied with our outir = and very grateful for the kind and gel
 tlenanly treatment of the officers, WI
 never seemed to tire of caring for the guests. !:
 ~ thought this might be interesting ,,s those who could not be present at u Se base on the first open Navy day The ~ are 700 men serving there, and 40 cor ~ nissi sioned officers. a fine appearing lot " young men.
 " Best wishes for the editor, Corner, al # all it's friends.
 s. roA1 p~po