Submarines, Mines and Torpedoes in the War

SUBMARINE T

the composition and strength of the submarine fleets at war it may therefore be of inte

of Subm

one of the greatest difficulties is to make a submarine sink sufficiently quickly, and o

destroyers are scouring the sea in advance of a fleet, and are discovered at daybreak by the submarines, which are waiting to attack the fleet behind, approaching at a speed of 30 knots an hou

ty, but when it is required to sink her so that only the tiny platform, or deck, and conning-tower are above the surface, water is let into these ballas

he interior. Were this to happen a terrible disaster might result, for it must be remembered that when travelling awash, a very little additional weight would cause the submarine to plunge beneath the surface. In order to

pellers and rudders. A submarine 43has two, and sometimes three, pairs of rudders; one pair of ordinary vertical ones to guide her to port or starboard, and a ho

on of the water against the rudders is such that the bows are forced down and the whole vessel slides under the surface. The principle is much th

ders on the passing water; should the propellers driving her along cease to revolve and 44the vess

ite beyond the strength of a man to move the various rudders as required, so electric motors are inst

on. The main reason for this was, that they were designed with too much surface buoyancy, that is to say, they rode too high in the water when floating in the light condition compared with the inadequate means then employed for the 45inlet of water into the ballast tanks, and were thus forced to let in an

surface again, all that is necessary is to open the valves and allow the compressed air to force the water out. It should, however, be remembered that there is really no need to "blow out" the ballast tanks in order to bring the submarine to the 46surface, for this can be much quicker accomplished by simply elevating the horizontal r

so now. So steady are modern submarines when running below the surface, especially those of the British, Russian, French, and Japanese and German Navies, that the long up and down hill glides, which, with some boats, used to amount to yaws of from 20 to 30 feet, have

300-ton vessel means a difference of only about 100 gallons of sea-water between the ability to float and the inevitability of sinking. Any material increase in the small margin of what is known as positive-buoyancy m

licate state of equipoise that any sudden increase or loss of weight would upset

nter-balance this sudden loss of weight by means of compensating-tanks, into which sufficient

into which water can be pumped in such a manner as to correct any t

pul

t profound puzzles. Steam, compressed air, electricity, petrol, and heavy oil have all been used with varying results since first this type of vessel came into

re abandoned some years ago in favour of a combination of petrol and electric engines, which in turn have given place to more powerful m

k, and when many tons 50have to be carried in a confined space, as in a submarine, this risk is more than doubled, as the

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Mast (not part of service equipment). L. Torpedo-tube cap. M. Torpedo-tubes (twin), torpedoes in. N. Air-flask (for expelling torpedoes). O. Hydroplane engines. X. Double casing, with special vent for accumulators. Y. Spare torpedoes. Z. Petrol storage tanks (2). 1. Air flasks. 2. Centrifugal p

n, has many drawbacks. It costs in weight nearly thirty times more than other motive powers, and is extremely dangerous, for should salt water in any way gain access to the storage batteries, chlorine gas would be given off in large quantities, although in the more recent vessels of the British, American, and F

or one powerful set of engines suitable for driving the vessel both on the surface and when submerged, not only would the mec

vessels of the French, Russian and German Navies, heavy oil is being used in p

batteries. From this it will be seen that there are really three separate engines in a submarine:-(1) the oil or petrol motor, which drives the vessel when on the surface, and, at 53the same time, by a suitabl

submarine, for electricity is not, in itself, a source of power, but merely a handy

ng the torpedoes and for other purposes, and electric motors for operating the pumps, steering mechanism, and periscopes. In addition to all this, hand-mechanism is provided for use in ca

buzzing within a few inches of their ears, and nervous hands grasping one or other of the levers ranged in rows in front of them, is, doubtless, most romantic, but quite unreal. Much of the undoubtedly complicated machinery in a submarine is tucked away in the conical extremities, under the interior decking, and fixed to the arched steel sides. The centre is left almos

When Su

a height of several feet above the surface-not unlike hollow masts. By a series of lenses and reflectors a picture of the surface is thrown down these tubes on to reflectors inside the submarine. A man with his eyes at the bottom of a

teering by periscope is not altogether difficult, but at night or in fog this instrument is useless, and for this reason it would be almost impossible for a submarine to effect a submerged attack on an enemy at night. Hence the name given to this type of craft-daylight torpedo-boats-

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ssed air from one of the tubes fitted in the bow and stern. Several torpedoes are usually carried

here, for they now form an important weapon in every

so that when it is desired to sink they can be made to disappear beneath the narrow deck of the submarine. The provision of guns has been made

tabi

hereas the exact contrary is the truth. The temperature is but little above the normal for a ship's engi

ontaining the air in a highly compressed state or from flasks of oxylithe. The

s almost impossible for the crew to live on board for many weeks at a time, owing to the small free space in the interior and to the cramped

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