IN DANGEROUS WATERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1917, Page 2

IN DANGEROUS WATERS.

HOW THE ENEMY. IS DEALT WITH,

i Li view of £he fact that American troops are being sent across to France newspaper correspondents from the United 'States have lately 'been permitted a good deal of latitude in dealing with matters concerning which the public were formerly given little -formation. The Admiralty recognised, however, that the American people were bound to be anxious about the passage of their tioya through dangerous waters, and so aome very interesting news notes have been released, as the picture advertisements put it. A correspondent of the j«ew York Herald, for example, was permitted to cross the Channel in a fast destroyer convoying troopships. He mode the trip, so he says, for the purpose of observing the measures that are to counter the .ivbrnarine campaign, and an incident that happened during the voyage might almost have been specially staged for the occasion. Halfway acrpss the twin periscopes of a submarine were sighted, and in an instant the warning had been communicated to all ships. Then came the submarine, dodged by a destroyer by skilful steering, and the fleet raced ahead, Mrhile patrols rushed up to search for the intruder. The- destroyers on convoy duty were not diverted to chase the enemy that being the function of other ships, and the convoy, was not deprived of its protection for a second.

In another interesting message, circulated by the Associated Press, a correspondent described the "Barrage," the line of obstructions stretched on great steel buoys across the eastern entrance to the Channel. "A whole f!c;t of naval shipping is constantly engaged in maintaining and patrolling the Great Barrier," says the American writer. "Its existence is no secret to the Germans, for they are "constantly sending over aeroplanes to chart the buoys and mark any changes that may have been made since .their last inspection. And changes are being constantly made\ Here and there along the line are 6ecret openings through which naval pilots may guide i legitimate craft on their :way, but these openings are frequently altered, and not even the aeroplane eye of the German can tell which buoy marks safe passage and which marks destruction. If his mine-laying submarines wish to enter the Channel they must take their chances. They must cross submerged, for the patrol boats are on constant duty, and if they escape the traps while submerged it can only be said that another miracle has happened. Such miracles seldom happen. Sometimes twice a week, sometimes oftener, explosions are heard at night from the Great Barrier, indicating that 'something' has touched off a group of mines. Immediately the patrols hurry off in the direction of the explosion. What they And there is a well-kept secret. Lately the Germans tried a new scheme to break the Barrier. They sent over three seaplanes with orders to descend low over the Great Barrier at any risk and shoot their machine guns into the buoys, thus sinking them and the Barrier with them. But the patrol boats were on hand and two of the three seaplanes never returned to their German home."