GRIM "CATCHES"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 215, 30 May 1918, Page 6

GRIM "CATCHES"

HAZARDOUS 'CASKS OF THE NAVY TItA'WIEES. There are 40 times more mine-sweepers in commission to-day than in July, I'JIJ, and the work has been developed from arough-and-i'oady method into a ecience. L'veu after mines have been located it is sometimes many days before they can be destroyed. In a terrific gale, with mountainous seas Tunning, j party of mine-sweepers ran up against a nest of floating minea. The water was shallow, the waves so high that the ships wore working half under water. They could not destroy the mines by gunfire. Work had to be suspended ffir the night, and the little vessels lay-to hi imminent danger of being thrown by the waves on to a mind or being blown ashore. Nest day two mines were sunk by rifle- firo, but one of the sweepers was lost. It was not until tho evening of the fourth day that tho last of this bunch of eight mines was exploded.

Another splendid story ot "sticking it" is revealed in the story of the Manx King. She hmiled up a mine in such u dangerous position that one horn protrmVxl only a few inches from the rail and another was almost touching tho gear. The slightest roll of tho vessel would have exploded the mine. The difficulty was got over by lashing tho inlno to the sweeper, eo that it could nol b* bumped against the side, and. experts were sent for to remove tho detonators from this dangerous capture. Six trawlers were working in a choppy sea and a drifting mine was sighted. 'The rough, sea prevented the trawlers from sinking it by gunfire, darkness was coming on, and there wae a possibility of losing it. So the commander lowered a small boat and when within fiomo distance of Hie mine swam to it and attached a lino, with which it was towed ashore and sunk by riflo fire.