116 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



A MINE) FOUL OF THE "pATUXENT's" KITE 



In less than a minute after the picture was taken the mine exploded, blowing several 

 men overboard and slightly injuring the commanding officer. Most of the force of the 

 explosion was expended in the air, however, and the damage to the ship was not extensive 

 (see text on this page). 



tween the pair of sweepers and steaming 

 longitudinally down its length (longi- 

 tudinal sweeping), but was deemed to be 

 safer, since the possibility of being above 

 a mine when it exploded was considered 

 less. 



THE CASUALTIES BEGIN 



No sooner had the sweepers reached 

 the field than the casualties began, and, 

 curiously, the cause was from an en- 

 tirely unexpected source. From now on 

 this same thing happened so frequently 

 that it seemed almost incredible that it 

 had not occurred before. 



The Patuxcnt was the first victim. 

 Her sweep had been severed by the ex- 

 plosion of a mine and had to be hauled 

 on board to be repaired. By the time the 

 kite was within sight (it can be seen only 

 a few feet below the surface), a mine 

 could be seen floating near it. Evidently 

 its mooring had fouled the kite and it 

 was necessary, of course, to clear it be- 

 fore the kite could be lifted. 



The commanding officer, realizing the 

 danger, sent all hands forward and went 

 aft himself to do the work, assisted by 

 one man. 



The mine was within four or five feet 

 of the ship's side when, suddenly, with- 

 out warning or apparent cause, it ex- 

 ploded. 



For an instant the entire ship was 

 obscured in the mass of flying spray, and 

 when it had subsided four of the crew 

 could be seen struggling in the water. 

 Fortunately, all of them were rescued by 

 their comrades. The captain was, per- 

 haps, the luckiest of all ; standing only 

 a few feet from the mine when it had 

 detonated, the only injury he sustained 

 was the loss of his right thumb, which 

 had been amputated by a flying frag- 

 ment. 



Since the mine was not submerged, the 

 force of the explosion was largely spent 

 in the air. and consequently the damage 

 to the ship was not serious. A few days 

 in dry-dock were sufficient to repair her. 



Up to the time of this accident, when 

 mines were found foul of the kites or the 

 sweep they had been regarded more or 

 less as curios. Many had been hauled on 

 board ; for, according to design, they were 

 supposed to be quite safe when on the 

 surface. Xow no one trusted them. One 



