THE TRAIL OF THE HUN.
EXPLODING A MINE, • ON OAONUI BEACH. There is no doubt whatever that the residents of New Zealand are under a great debt of gratitude to the British Navy, to whose vigilance is due the fact | that we escaped with such light shipping losses during the four years of warfare. It was not by desire of the enemy that we were allowed to escape so easily. Germany would have been glad to harass the British possessions and shipping at every opportunity, Distance, fortunately, put our coasts out of the reach of submarines, but not beyond the operation of raiders, one of which, the \\ olf, eluded the vigilance of the Navy for a while and ,vas able to steam quietly around our coasts, laying, as was afterwards known, minefields in Cook .Straits and also in the north. As soon as this was ascertained, the naval authorities here took steps to recover as many as possible by sweeping, etc., while certain restrictions were placed on shipping which, whilst irksome to many, have, in the light of subsequent events, proved to have been perfectly justified, because several mines have come ashore at various ponits, showing that many had got adrift; and though we, unfortunately, lost two vessels, the Port Kembla and the Wimmera, there is no doubt that the loss would have been much greater but for the precautions taken. As they came ashore the mines were destroyed by the authorities. So far, on this .coast, mines have been thrown up on the beaches at Otaki and Foxton.
A third mine, however, came ashore on the beach at Oaonui, being discovered by a well-known Maori named Papa on Vlbristmas Evening about 6 o'clock. He ai, jiice reported his find to Constable O'Neill, who with commendable promptitude took 3teps to secure it and guard it against the overcurious, or ruther to guard the over-curious against themselves. The mine was secured by a stout rope passed through the eye used for lifting it, and fastened to a stump upon the beach, whilst Papa and Messrs P. Julian and O'Sullivan guarded the vicinity night and day. The guard was needed, too, for there have been at various times in the past few years exciting events in that vicinity, such as the wreck of the barque Northern Monarch, the stranding of whales, ets., yet nothing has caused so much attention as this mine, and visitors were very numerous, many being very desirous of securing a souvenir, and in their ardor there was just a possibility that they might strike one of the projecting horns, which would have been the' end of the mine and of their souvenir hunting also. The finding was at once reported to Sub-Inspector Hutton here, and he got in touch with Captain Hall Thompson, Naval Adviser, who arranged for its destruction.
Accordingly Sergt-Major Head and Master-Gunner Weybourne, of the R.N.Z.A., arrived from Wellington on Saturday night. About 7.20 a.m. on Sunday tlicy motored to the scene. The weather was anything but favorable, the rain, which had fallen continuously since the previous day, still falling heavily, but. it cleared up a little later on. At Rahotu the party was joined by Constable O'Neill. The approach to the beach was by way of "Witeora Road. A short walk along the sand and there was sighted "the mine, the gear to explode which was carried by one of the artillerymen in an inoffensive looking handbag. Though it was still early there were a few spectators about on 'horseback and on foot. After wading a creek, the mine was readied, and a sinisterlooking object it was, lying party buried in the sand, which was high and dry, the time having been chosen to suit the tide. Away in the distance could be swn the smoke and dim outline of a coastal steamer making for New Plymouth, and as one looked at the ugly-looking horns of the monster of destruction lying harmless on the sand, one could not but shudder at the thought of what would have resulted had those horns come in contact with one of the boats that ply regularly along the coast, and this was accentuated after seeing the explosion. The mine, which is known as the German Naval Mine, Type 11, is most ingeniously constructed. Roughly it is pear-shaped, about 3ft. 9in. deep right through, and about Sft. in circumference. The charge, which consists of approximately 3001b of gun cotton, is packed in a chamber in the lower half of tjie mine, the upper portion being the buoyancy chamber. The detonator , carrier with the detonator, attached to a battery, ia placed at the bottom of a sealed tube, whilst a primer (a small charge of dry gun cotton)) is, prior to the laying of the mine, held at the top of the'tube and the mine can be handled with safety. There is, however, a salable plug at the side, which the action of the water dissolves in a very short time, allowing the primer to drop into place above tiie detonator, the mine faing then ready for action. There are also ftve external horns, and immediate!',' either of these ia pressed by a floating object a glass tube inside is broken, completing the circuit and the mine is automatically exploded by electric current. The electric wires at the bottom half run outside the mine, and If they are cut it 3 power is nullified. There is, »n ingenious hydrostatic arrangement for keeping the mine afloat at any desired depth, at any state of the tide, as there is a compensating .dial with mechanism that provides for the necessary play due to the rise and fall of the tide. 'There is, of course, a wire rope for mooring, and it is the rusting i away of this that, allows the mine to go adrift, as in thp case of the present mine. An eye is also provided at the top for lifting purposes. Apparently the ease is made of fine bessemer steel, not very thick, and for its size it would be very light, though it ia difficult to estimate the weight-, The mine had apparently come in on top of .a very high tide, and grounded on ii sandy beach, in which' it had partly buried itself, with the horns uppermost. It had floated over some rocks, and on cither side of it and fairly clos# was also a rocky beach. Had it, while in thorough good order, struck a rock, an explosion would have been heard and people would have surmised what had happened, but there would have been no evidence. Owing to that portion being buried it was impossible to say whether the slectric wire had been cut or not.
'Die experts quiekiy got busy. Tliev prepared ft charge comprising 2%1b ef dry gun-cotton, innocent looking pluiri like cakes of scrubbing soap with holes/ in which were inserted detonators, containing the fulminate of mercury thai gives the concussion necessary to ex n ptode the gun-cotton. To this was attached a fuse sufficient to alltfw !t or 10 minutes to elapse before exploding, so M to enable those present to get 790
or 800 yards away, a distance experience has demonstrated to fo?. necessary. At 10.15 am. the fuse was ignited by means of a special pistol for the purpose, and all hurriedly retired to vantage points about 700 yards distant. Here a few moments were spent -watching the jmtufcp from the burning fuse, winch was slowly eating its way to the detonator. Suddenly was heard a deafening row, lowed by a rush of air, whilst u'hem one mine was a moment; previously fcftef,! was seen a flare, and a eoluum o). o>/.wl and smoke went into the air to ?, height of about 70 feet, spreading ami foraiiig a magnificent, spectacle. Nothing of the mine could be seen, but. fragment?, -me heard whizzing through, tile air ;i.:.d .wiling with a splash into sej as;! river As the smoke died down ■?, iro3k made for the scene, but all -JtaX ;unfronted the gaze n huge hole .r> tin-) sand, into which aand and water w already trickling. When, measured, tin,! hole proved to be 17ft. Sin. in diametre, and about sft, deep, a .silent tribute to the power of the explosive that had stored in the mine. When it; is <m*isidered that the force of the e.tploaoi; would have been intensified had it mat with more resistance arornd. it, th* deadliness of the mine in action can only be faintly realised, In an incredibly short time there was a large crowd on the beach, and there was an immediate hunt for pieces as mementoes of an occasion that will, it is hoped, not occur again. Numerous pieces were found embedded in the sand, those first picked up being almost red hot, the majority of them being very small and twisted almost out of recognition. One trophy was secured, consisting of a round piece with the eyes to which had been bolted the hydrostatic gear. This gear with its pulleys had previously been unbolted from the. mine, and was inspected by all. It contains on the iron the number 18108, and on the brass fittings 31368. The sound of the explosion was heard for at least 10 miles. In Rahotu, about 2J 'miles distant as the crow flies, some of the buildings 'shook, whilst in the bush three or four miles away the rush of air, it is said, caused a giant decayed rata to fall with a resounding crash.
The party returned to New Plymouth, which was reached about 1 p.m., and Sergt-.-Major Head and Master-Gunner Weybourne leave by the mail train this morning for Wellington.
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Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1918, Page 3
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1,615THE TRAIL OF THE HUN. Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1918, Page 3
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