REFUELING WARSHIPS AT SEA. 163 



commerce-protecting cruisers would be greatly enhanced when served by colliers 

 capable of delivering coal in a seaway. In time we may learn that these cruisers 

 did coal near the American coast from colliers alongside when the sea was smooth 

 enough to permit. 



THE INFLUENCE OF THE SUBMARINE ON THE COALING PROBLEM. 



■The year 1914 witnessed the triumph of the submarine and the automobile 

 torpedo. It has already been demonstrated in English maneuvers that the sub- 

 marine finds its victims by lying in wait in the vicinity of the known coaling ports 

 of the enemy. The author believes that when all the circumstances connected with 

 the sinking of the British ships in the North Sea come to light it will be found that 

 some of these vessels were sunk either on their way to or from their coaling base. 

 The triumph of the submarine seems to indicate that the safe place for refueling is 

 on the high seas. 



Where submarines are present it is necessary for warship and collier to 

 steam ahead continuously at not less than 10 knots. This adds enormously to the 

 difficulties of coaling broadside at sea. It makes it impossible to coal from small 

 boats at sea. Recognized defense against submarines is not only speed but a con- 

 tinuous change in direction. This again adds to the difficulties of broadside coaling, 

 for even though a sea might permit two ships to steam alongside at 10 knots, if 

 steaming head-on into a sea they might not do so in the trough of the sea. All of this 

 is permissible in connection with any practicable cableway system of coaling at sea. 



Sir Percy Scott regards battleships obsolete because of the perfection of the sub- 

 marine and the automobile torpedo. No navy has ceased to build battleships. Naval 

 constructors everywhere are endeavoring to determine the most practicable way of 

 constructing a battleship with defensive qualities against the torpedo. The ordinary 

 double bottom is no longer sufficient protection against the torpedo. The plan which 

 apparently presents the most practicable advances is complete under-water armor. 

 It will be a serious matter for a battleship to carry the weight of the necessary extra 

 armor unless the bunker capacity of the battleship is largely curtailed. To largely 

 curtail the bunker capacity of a battleship is a matter of serious moment unless the 

 art of refueling at sea is mastered. 



COALING AT SEA BY GERMANY. 



The German Admiralty have always shown the keenest interest in the problem 

 of coaling their cruisers on the high seas, His Royal Highness Kaiser Wilhelm II 

 showing great personal interest in the problem. 



Perhaps the first paper read before a scientific body in Germany on this sub- 

 ject was that written by William H. Beehler, Commodore U. S. N., Naval At- 

 tache at Berlin. This was read before the Shipbuilding Society in 1902. It de- 

 scribed the author's first marine cableway, which in 1899 transported coal at sea 



