MINIING IN THE WORLD WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 130, 29 November 1939, Page 10

MINIING IN THE WORLD WAR

The report this week that thai United States used magnetic mines in the creation of the mine barrier across the North Sea in the World War "appears to have been due to some misunderstanding. The facts on record are that the mine employed in the barrier's nine rows, some of which were placed by the American Navy, some by the British, and some by the I two forces in collaboration, was of the 'antenna type. Some 60,000 of these .mines were used, and the source^ of the energy used to produce the explosion was electrical, 'and resulted from the contact between the copper of the antennae and the steel hull, of a vessel. The rubbing of a .-steel" or iron object against the antennae in sea water resulted in the current flow needed to operate a relay toaclose the firing circuit of the mine. The mine, in one sense, was a non-contact mine, in that the explosive was fired some distance away- from the vessel. It must be. understood . that the World War problem confronting the Americans when they devised this weapon was that of checking submarines, not sinking merchant ships, and that the demands upon the mine were- therefore different. Anything whichj would dahiage. the submarine, -upset its stability, force it to the surface, or prevent it from coming, to the surface would be sufficient. A 'submartoe- is a more delicately balanced piroe of mechanism than a merchant ship. :

FAILED HIS COUNTRY

FRENCH COMMUNIST DEPUTY:

(Received November 29, 2 p.m.) PARIS, November 28.

A court-martial sitting at • Amiens sentenced to six years' imprisonment a Communist deputy, Maurice Thorez, for failing to answer the call to the colours when mobilisation was decreed. The court-martial also ordered confiscation of the property, of Thorez, who vanished following the supprec* sion of the Communist party.