GERMAN-MADE MINES OFF GABO.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1917, Page 7

GERMAN-MADE MINES OFF GABO.

SWEEPING CREWS' EXPERIENCE.

The Sydney Sun of November 2, says:—lt has now been ascertained that the mine-sweepers off Gabo dragged to the surface of the sea mines, all of the most modern type, and terrifically powerful. They bore markings indicating that tliey had been manufactured in I lermany, Kaeli mine, which was of monster „izc. ha;! Pr.-e prongs, or horns, a blow on which would drive a steel rod 011 to the detonator, exploding thu mine. There was a prong at each of the four corners at the top of the mine, and one in the centre of the fop. From whatever direction a vessel struck the mine one of the. prongs would be forced inward to achieve its deadly purpose. The mines were laid in a, row across the ordinary track of vessels passing down that portion of the coast. They had been set in place by experts. EXCITING EXI'ERIKXCV.fi. The men engaged in sweeping operations had exciting experiences. 'They had no experience of the work, which makes their gallantry all the more remarkable. In fact, they were so inexperienced that when (lie first mine came to the surface they had nothing with which to dispose of it. There is only one safe way to deal with mines, and that is to explode them at a distance, and the only way to explode the type of mine that was found safely is to hit one of the prongs with a rifle bullet. That take, marksmanship at a range of a couple of hundred yards. FIRING AT THE JUNE. There was a mine, black, ugly, and misshapen. But 110 rifle was available And if the mine got awav it would be a greater danger drifting than held in a minefield. A boat was sent ashore and a rifle obtained. ' Fortunately, among the men 011 the minesweepers, was a good marksman. The first mine was exploded at a distance estimated to have been only a little over fiO yards. The smack of the •bullets against the steel sides of the mine could be heard plainly. They could not galvanise it into fury. 5 lON.STROUS EXPLOSION. Again the crack of the rifle sounded. A great burst of crimson flame shot above where the mine had been, a widening column of smoke mushroomed overhead. Theii a thunderclap of noise almost paralysed th.» senses of the watchers, a blast that, threw them about the decks was followed by quivering of the racked hull of the mine-sweeper, liits of chain and jagged lumps of broken mine fell on the deck.

The captain was blown right across the bridge ajul nearly into the sea. The binnacle lamps and the binnacle were broken. A man who had been viewing the operations through a porthole wan driven asross his cabin into the opposite wall with a resounding bump For several minutes after the explosion the sea was hidden in a rolling fog of black smoke, and ft thick black dust fell on the decks. WHEN THE SEA BOILED. On another occasion the mine-field having been definitely located, sweeping was going on, when it seemed as if an area of sea astern had been lifted to the heavens. A gigantic column of water was thrown high up, and for acres around the sea bubbled like a cauldron. Jt is believed that mines collided. All the mines were laid in the "0fatliom lino, and the men engaged in sweeping are firmly of opinion that they must have been put there from some ship during a journey between Melbourne and Sydney.