A GERMAN MINE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 165, 2 April 1918, Page 4

A GERMAN MINE

FOUND ATi&bEATj'tfABMER I&SJ.AND. With reference to.tbq German mine . recently washed u|p on Awana Beach, Great Barrier IsMnd, ilhe Naval.Adviser to tho New Zealand Government announces that thai, following brier description can now Be given:-— The mine is of Glcrman make and or a type well known to the authorities. ■ In appearance it is* a cylindrical object with spherical euds\, being Bft. 4ra. in . circumference, with..a longitudinal cir-' cumference of lift. ain. Internally the., mine is divided into two compartments, the upper rhanibay: bfciny utilised lor electric wiring and nl echailism, and tlia lower for the explosive charge and detonator, etc. On thaf top ,siro hye horns, and the internal aoachamism is so airanged that when a vessel strikes one of sie horns connection us set up wuu the detonator, and the wine exploded. At the bottom is tile mooring attach- . ment and apparatus \ for insuring that tho mine normally r<Hr,ailis at a certain, depth below the sui face, of the water, but the latter hsdslirokan away in the present case. Wfoefa found the mine had been considerably damaged by contact with the rocks, etc.,; nil live horns had been completely ■.'•am ashed, electno connections carried aiwavj, and the case considerably dented. Bb is not clear why the mine did not asplode at hrsfc contact with rocks; ■ *"* probably this was due to tho eloctri C connection being previously .severed, w .'perhaps to damage by water lea king! into the mIt 'is pointed out tl lat tlhc detonator was in position and trio mine in a dangerous state, and any; person discoverSig such an object iii '.hrtnrii should not tamper with it, bul; sUikl r e P?rt the matter immediately*) ithe noarest naval, military, police, or ' tOastotnis authority.