LATEST CABLE NEWS SUBMARINES.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1923, Page 3

LATEST CABLE NEWS

SUBMARINES.

XEW GEL MAX INVF.XTTOX. i'KOFKSSOK FLA .MM'S CLAIMS. (“Sydney Sun'’ C allies). Koceived this day at 9.t0 a.in.) LONDON. December 2n. “1 have at. last sin (-ceded in solving the most bMl'img of all problems, in i aval warfare, le-mcly. tbe stabilising cf submarim s." said Riubssoi Oswald Flamm, el the umbilical University of ( slot temirg, L<* a ' Daily News'' Berlin eorrc.'-Toi.deu!. Flamm lias a world

aide rejiul -Lem as an eminent i-aia! eon.-t met mu. ,He said during the wai we found when v.e built a submarine dl.o vo the normal size or annum cl ■u idiist aerial attack, or equipped them with long range guns, ue destroyed the

stabilitv. The larger suhmatine.s we built towards the end of the war often took a li.-t of thirty-live degrees when submerging, winch played havoc with the (rex's nerve.-, and sometimes led to disaster. Daily and nightly 1 pondered over the problem of .stability, and suddenly .lining the summer of |;;!H. a solution pre-ented itself, like a tlasli ol lightning. If 1 had possessed lid' knowledge a year earlier, Ger-i-.anv would undoubtedly have won llie var. The Versailles Treaty forbids Germans from building submarines, but it i annul prohibit naval designing. My invention will be ai le to stabilise sub],i:,; in' sof the largest dimensions. 1 could const i iicl a pel f. et ly .seaworthy selun-line cruiser of ten thousand tons. Here arc designs for a Ti 11 .7 tons submarine, length 193 let-i. beam -19 led. Never bcfoie lias there been a. ship ol such a highly offensive or defensive cl,a ra-'ter. Owing In it- stability, it

p,ts.-ibJe to give ihe deck, sides, ami ((.lining tower live in--h steel armour, "without the slightest tlangi-r ol listing. Armour totalling (111 tons, renders it iu\ulnerable to aeiinl attack The silhmarine rsiiie- two < finch gnus and lout smaller ones, 5,890 rounds of ammunition. and forty-live torpedoes, compared with a maximum of six or seven so far, tin I is able to fire torpedoes in anv direction b\- means ol swivelled

tubes, without, iiianecuvi ing for position The maximum .surface speed is 20 to 23 knots, and it has a radius of twenty-three thousand miles, with an under water sj cod ol ten to twelve knots She catrie., a clew of one htilid.eil and takes a minute to .suhnierge. l-lamm sltowed (■oirespoudeiiee and

designs of a giant suhniaino mine layer curving a tlioitsaml mini’s each, weighing a ton. whereas ten mines have been the maximum .so lar. The vessel cat. lay mines al any required interval while ] rnreeding, on her ciutr.se. She |,::s a r.dins of r* cittv three thousand utiles and can t-iremiiiuivigate the v.eld wit'unit tottehiug at a port and (::it sow mini's in any part ol the world.

I'.amm told tin- eon rspondetil that ti'e mine layer would revolutionise mival will fare. A ill llig- relit cottid in a single night, mine Hie 'I hatues e.stu!U, I’amima, and Suez canals and the St•• aits of Gibraltar.

BRITISH COMMENT. (“Sydney Sun” Cables). (Received tills tlav at 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, Dee. 20. The “Daily New's" naval eoi resp-on-dcut pays a. tribute to I’ndessor Flamm as the doyen ol tin* German ship architects, and contends British constructors are capable ‘if designing a ten thousand ton submarine it ordered. There is no technical limit to size, tin* difficulty is the running of a submerged .-.ubmaiim* manageably. Flamm’s submarine with thick arntou; and powerful guns, would he a formidable opponent against smaller patrol ships. I rut it would he unable to sue cess! ally ''iigage any large -mime win-ship. 'I lie inherent irreniedmhbe weakness ei all • ipnita! itim* t- Hull they dare not light; at close quarters, because one hit might- destroy their power of diving. Hamm’s submarine might do extensive damage to com-

mem* in a few months, Inti its success would he short-lived as it would lie almost as vulnerable to depth enarges and heavy aerial htituhs as the smailei .athniarines. It has a cruising radius I, f 23. R 7) miles. Inti ti 1 i.-. i- illusory. The \ esse! might be tilde to cany siilficieilL fuel anil stores Lo circle the world. Imt tin* crew could not, keep lit throughout. Six weeks is t,lu* outside period a stihmtifine can remain at sea in war-time. A giant mine layer would he more dangerous to shioping than a lighting .submarine, hltii such large vessels are useless in

narrow seas owing to the enormous draught and limited ]• *''.* ' ol manoeuvring. It can la* confidently stated that British constrtielors arc ahead °* all other technical knowledge, and experience in all features of submarine design.