SUBMARINE CHASERS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 17 May 1917, Page 3

SUBMARINE CHASERS.

In an article in the Kew York Times, Mr Sutphen, in speaking of an order received from the British Government for submarine chasers says: Our first contract with the English was for 50 boats. Although we do not know just what they did with them we do know that soon after the first of them had been delivered and put to work, the British sent over a rush contract for 500 more of the same pattern. We finished and delivered the last of the batch on October 31st of last year, although the terms of contract did not call for the delivery of the entire outfit until December 15. The English declared all along that it would be a physicul impossibility for us to do the work on time, but we finished six weeks ahead, and less than 550 days after getting the first cohtracti On : getting underway we turned out the boats at the rate of three: a day." The article indicated that it was proposed to build thousands of these boats, which are1 80ft long, of 32 tons, and 500 h.p., giving a speed of about 19 knots per hour.