SUBMARINE 5602 



narrow quarters, unmercifully tossed by waves, 

 surrounded by driving steel cranks and rods and 



SUBMARINE 



THE PERISCOPE 



The lower part of the picture shows the roof of 

 the submarine, with instruments attached to the 

 roof. In the center is the periscope, rising above 

 the superstructure. The image picked up by the 

 periscope is reflected downward upon a table, and 

 on this table is pictured the movement of events 

 on the surface of the water. 



deafened by the pounding of the engines, the 

 men must have strong nerves, under perfect 

 control, to endure the strain to which they are 

 subjected. The crew, therefore, are all picked 

 men, drilled to the highest point of efficiency 

 for the most perilous and nerve-racking service 

 in the world. Notwithstanding this care in se- 

 lection, few men in submarine warfare are able 

 to remain long on duty. 



In Action. When at anchor, the submarine 

 shows two or two and one-half feet of dull 

 gray hull above the water. When racing on 

 the surface through a lively sea, the whole craft 

 is awash. It maintains then a speed of about 

 twelve or thirteen miles an hour. When the 

 order is given to dive, the hatches are screwed 

 down and the valves in the water tanks opened. 

 Just enough water is admitted so that the ship 

 would tend to float if it were not for the down- 

 ward push given by horizontal rudders at the 

 stern. Meantime the engine cranks have been 

 detached from the oil engines and attached to 

 the electric motors. These motors drive the 

 vessel through the water at about nine miles an 

 hour, "porpoising" at intervals but running for 

 the most part with only the periscope and ven- 

 tilators showing to the enemy. When within 

 800 yards or so of hostile craft, the vessel comes 

 suddenly to the surface, lets drive its torpedo 

 and then sinks at once from sight. Before the 

 end of 1917 German submarines had been so 

 perfected that they could rise to the surface, 

 discharge a torpedo and submerge again in less 

 than a minute. 



Cost. Both in first cost and in expense of 

 maintenance, the submarine is a relatively- 

 cheap naval arm. The cost of the average sub- 

 marine in 1914 was about $500,000; it was about 

 135 feet long. In 1917 the size and equipment 

 of the German types had been increased, and 

 the cost had risen to nearly $1,000,000. It can 

 be maintained for about $22,000 to $35,000 a 

 year, whereas a battleship costs over $10,000,000 

 and for maintenance about $800,000 annually. 

 The life of a submarine, however, is compara- 

 tively short. In respect to enduring qualities 

 it is an expensive craft. 



Protection of Ships. The great loss of ship- 

 ping resulting from the submarine warfare con- 

 ducted by Germany was a direct challenge to 

 the ingenuity of the opposing nations. After 

 the entrance of America into the war, Thomas 

 A. Edison and others worked out a system of 

 protection for ships that included the following 

 expedients : Hard coal was used in place of soft 

 coal as fuel, to lessen the cloud of smoke that 



