NEW GERMAN SUBMARINES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1553, 20 May 1916, Page 4

NEW GERMAN SUBMARINES.

On the subject of super-submar-ines the Naval and Military Record says : —“A groat deal of nonsense has been talked and written about submarines. It might be assumed that submarine navigation was a novel idea, and that none but small vessels, at most displacing about 1,000 tons of water, could travel under the surface. It is forgotten that under our 1013 programme, according to the Navy League Annual, we laid down submarines with a, submerged displacement of 1,200 tons, that France had in baud submarines of over 3,000 tons, and that there were reports of submersible vessels of 2,000 tons being constructed. Increase in size means increase in speed and armament, and probably, also, in radius of action. But on the other hand the larger the submarine the greater the disadvantages under which it suffers in some respects. These considerations were present in the minds of naval officers and constructors long before the war opened. We may be sure that they have been anxiously reviewed by the Germans since hostilities began. It is well to be prepared for the appearance at sea of formidable craft, carrying powerful quickfiring guns, with a speed of 18 to 20 knots on the surface, and possibly with batteries protected by armour. These boats will have a considerable radius of action, and will not be as dependent on supply ships as were the vessels in service a year or so ago. For that reason, the difficulty of hunting them down will lie increased. They will also be less vulnerable under fire from light guns such as many mei'chant vessels carry.”