GERMAN SUBMARINE DEVICE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2612, 6 November 1915, Page 3

GERMAN SUBMARINE DEVICE

GUNS FIRED FROM UNDER ■WATER. , 'An ingenious invention that is stated to have been adopted- on the newer German submarines was recently described by the "Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courrant," a leading Dutch journal (says the "Manchester Guardian") that has a very good reputation for news of 'this kind. Submarine /and aeroplane 6eem to be destined to'combat each other more than was originally thought, writes the Rotterdam journal. It is known that airmen can render good service in the ♦■racing of submarines in anything like a calm sea. Even, when a submarine I lias been thus discovered, it is still far from being a defenceless proy for the bomb-thrower, as the guns are also equipped for slanting fire. Nevertheless, it had been a great objection that, in order to servo the guns when they havo been brought outside the boat and set up on deck, the vessel had to comd cntirely-'to the surface of the sea, thus offering a fairly large target. The newer submarines of the Germans are, therefore, provided with a contrivanco to enable them to fire ovon when remaining under water. This is a doublo advantage they are less visible, and, owing to the layer of water which breaks the force of a bomb, fairly well protected. The gun, says the article, goes through the conning-tower by means of a bullot-proof, water-tight deck, and is then served from inside the boat. Within certain limits it can be turned in all directions, so that a circular zone above the conning-tower becomes dangerous for airmen. A periscope, which is connected with the barrel of the gun, is got outside in tho same way by means of a bullot-proof compartment. The gun can also, of course, be placed in another chamber specially built out from the boat instead of in the con-ning-tower. The gun alone conies to the upper surface, whilst the gunner himself remains below and fires from under water.