BUILDING THE SUBMARINES

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1917, Page 4

BUILDING THE SUBMARINES

How Germany Does it.

Germany has adapted to the building of U-boats the same kind of workshop methods as are emplodsd by the manafacturers of obeap American motor-cars. This fact was first revealed by Mr D. Thomas Oartin when writing in The Daily Mail as a “ neutral.” '

Parts and processes are duplicated meticulously with the object of facilitating quick construction. In a manner of speaking, snbraarines are *• chopped out ” like ready-made clothing or cheap furniture in an East End faotory.'

It is by following this practice that Germany has obtained enough U-boats to make her latest piratical outbursts a thing of serious portent; This is bow her system of building them is organised. A standard pattern of U-boat has been designed. Each separate part of it is made in quantities by firms who devo*e themselves to this taßk only. Some construct a given section of the hull or a portion of the fittings or the machinery. Whatever may be t’oe task allotted to a faotory, it concentrates all its attention on that fraction of the vessel and undertakes no other part of it, with the result that the workmen, being always employed in making one thing, have become expert at their taek and able to do it expeditiously. The various parte thus produced are sent to one of the shipyards and there bolted together by staffs of men whose whole time is given to “assembling” the portions of hull and machinery which other men have made. The building yard employees merely “sew together” a garment that has been cut elsewhere. “A submarine built at Kiel” really means a submarine put together there. Possibly SO different establishments in bs many different parts of the oonntry WBre each responsible for their little piece of her, in the manufacture of which they had specialised. The advantage of suoh a aystem as this in speeding up construction will be obvious to anyone acquainted with shipbuilding. By it a dozen boats can be turned out for everyone that could be constructed by the usual methods which entrust a yard with the building of a complete boat and make no provision for the standardising of parts so that they can easily be duplicated. A STANDARD. TRAINING This praotioe of standardising her submarines helps Germany immensely in another way that is quite as important to her as rapid construction. All her new U-boats being of the old type, orews can be changed from one vessel to another without any loss of efficiency. The new submarine to which they go is so exactly like the old one that they have left ,that no “shaking down” period is necessary to enable the officers and men to get used to their oraft.

Nor do the advantages end here, Ib the Baltic Germany has established a ■ohool for training submarine crews , If she had varying types of U-boat one at least of each kind wonld have

to be “tied »p’’ for -instraotiona duties and the officers and men taught to handle one class could not be tians*

ferret! directly to another and sent right off to sea. But as a result of having standardised her boats the need ue only one or two for instructional purposes. They ere sufficient to train crews for a whole flotilla, as the complements passed through them can be passed directly to the craft commissioned for ective service aa those are completed. Standardised IrainiDg thus follows upon standardised construction, and enables Germany to get the maximum of work out of her undersea flotilla.

It is this methodical way of going about the business which has enabled her to make her submarine menace at last a very real one. Germany has not always had her pirate fleet organised on this thought-cut plan. Its adoption coincided with her decision to devote her naval energies niatrly to submarine warfare. Having made t)p her mind for the action, she began methodically preparing to mike it as effective as possible when the time came to start —when she was quite ready.

Germany’s requirements differ so much from these of other Powers that what meats her case would be of no use to them. This building of submarines on the standardised principle h»s drawbacks as well as advanlages. The latter are only fora eonntry that has to meet an emergency which calls for numbers above any other con-

sideration, and wants them quickly at that. It does not produce the beet type of submarine, as deeigu must be ruled rather by what can be done than by what is best to do, and that means limitations which may prove handicaps. Bat, this drawback notwithstanding Germany has greatly improved the constructional details of her U-boats.

HIGH SPEED AND POWERFUL GUNSThe latest U-boat?, as is wall known are much larger than their predecessors. One eometirafß Bees them described us submersible cruise's. Whether that, description may be ra gud&d as accurate or not depends upon wbat one understands by “ submersible cruiser.” There ia no evidence that Germany baa vet sent out U-boita to which a naval man would apply this name. But ibis mast not be taken as implying that h:‘r underwater oraft are to be lightly regarded Qaite the other way about. So much has their displacement been inoreasbd that they are oabab'e of a wide radius of aot.ion, and by husbanding their fuel supplies can keep the sea for a long time.

Moreover, they possesses high speed

(high for a submarine, which, cf coarse, must be judged by standards different from those applied to surface ships), and ibey can dive very quickly. Guns equal- in power to these carried by some destroyers are now being mounted iu than. These weapons are placed on a disappearing mounting; that is, arc raised from the interior of tbs boit wh’,n required and lowered again when she dives. Over the gun emplacement is amarmoured hatch which lifts with the gnn and forma a strong, protective hood above the gun and its crew while the weapon is in action. As the guns lower, bc> this hatch antomaticilly sinks back until it fails into place again as a part of th 6 hull.

Their torpedoes are mostly ehortraoge weapons loaded with a very heavy explosive oharg?. Shortness of

range enablss them to carry a much more powerfal war-head than they would be able to do if they were engined to travel a longer distance. On their boat-shaped bows is fitted a cutter designed to enable the boat to shear ita way through any obstacle it may encounter. They are equipped also for minelaying and, in faot, inclade this among their regular activities.

With a view to enable them better to resist attack, they are bailt with two hulis, one outside the other, tromewhat like a steel cylinder enclosed in tha hull of a boat. And living conditions for their crews are far beeter than they were in the earlier types of U-boat.

‘•Oh, Clarissa, my dear, come quickly here! I’m certain poor baby is dying— It’s always counted a fatal sign When a croupy child ceases crying." "Oh, talk sense,. Tilly! and don’t be silly; He’s improving, for I’ve made sure— Come close and peep at the darling asleep 1 He’s had Woods’ Great Peppermint" Cure.”