The North Otago Times MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 1916. NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Discussing the possible cargo capacity; of the German submersible cargo ves- : sels, Engineering says: "The descrip-' tions which have been cabled' from. America ic-garding the size and capacity of the Dentschlaiul are somewhat contradictory, but they all agree in giving the displacement, as 2000 tons, which should coincide with a length of about 300 ft and a beam of .10ft. Again, there is a disagreement' as to the power of the Diesel engines. with which the vessel is propelled, the brake horse-, power of. each of .the twin engines being given as 1.100, giving collectively • 2(100brake horse-power. This, again, corresponds, with a speed.on-the.-surface-of .14 knots, It is com ]inrativoly easy t)i arrive at- the-weight of-the cargo, which such a vessel could carry, and it may at once be said that the,statements of the deadweight, capacity ranging, in the first reports, from SCO to 1000 tons, are greatly exaggerated. Later reportshowever, after the drooping spirits of the German people had been revived; | give the weight of the cargo as .175' ton's,, which is imich more in accordance with.the possibilities than the earlier estimates. Under the most favourable con r ditions regarding the disposition of weight in the machinery and stores,,a, greater cargo cannot possibly, be, carried by a submersible vessel qI 2000 tons surface displacement. A summation of the weights of the hull, machinery and necessary fittings shows that out of the 2000-ton displacement, there is left only .150 tons as cargo deadweight, carrying capacity. If passenger accommodation were provided, there would be.-'a deduction from this for the weight of the' fittings, of the passengers,; and of thenecessary provisions and: stores. The! weights allowed, it may be added, give: an .approximate radius of action of 4500 nautical miles at 14 knots, and ,6605 nautical miles at 11] knots, Assuming the reserve buoyancy as'ss; pur cent, of the surface displacement, thedisplacement submerged would be about 3100 tons. These facts somewhat detract from the practical success of this
vessel as a cargo carrier, and help to reduce to correct, proportions the significance of tlie voyage.
The precise statement- madf Mr As-. .Ijuithj' that "Qerjnany .has not vet shown a disppsition to agree to peace execpt on terms intolerable or humiliating to some of our Allies," is a terse ■summary of the situation, Germany is quite ready for peace, upon terms advantageous to herself; and the majority of Germans appear still to be bewildered ,by.' the silence of. governments whom they foolishly believe to be practically conquered. While the events of the present summer have reduced high Gertiian■ anticipations of' annexation and indemnity, they have not convinced either Kaiser or people nf the fact that civilisation will tolerate Prussian militarism no longer, and that a visible sign of this must be the liberation nf the races and peoples held under the German or Austrian yolte. There can rbe.neither peace nor safety in the world as long as the Genhans' imagine, that ■they ;-can ' ride .rouglnshod over other nations as their; Avar lords vide ovci' •tiiem.' The ■ Continental neighbours of the' Central Powers have learned this .trn'tli by bitter experience, and the British Empire has learned it at. a great 1 cost. Military and aggressive nations caV never ho;brought to.judgment, until they have wrought hideous ruin and- desolation, but Germany lias wrought enough evil, in the world to satisfy any tribunal. Britain's part ■has been to encourage and strengthen the-fortitude of nations, most foully wronged.that...they are inspired to.ignore.'German peace suggestions until wrongs are. redressed and a real peace is possible.
It. is wholly, in,keeping with the spirit of the Military Service Act that the local Beerniting Committee should continue its activities as arranged with the Waitalti County Council on Saturday. Those who regard New Zealand as having' abandoned volunteering for conscription completely misunderstand the nature, of the new Act. The Military Service Act. is an assurance that under all circumstances men will be found to fill the reinforcements; it is n provision against failure, but it/was never intended to replace an effective volunteering system, The whole of the machinery of compulsory service ?s 'contained within the Act, but it is not for use until volunteering fails, and then only in the particular part of the Dominion in which the failure occurs. The place, of the local committees therefore remains important, and until the rolls are complete and the machinery of the Military Service Act. is in full working order they will be indispensable. Even when the whole of the clauses of the Act, are operative, local patriotism can still be expressed through committees working to fill district quotas by voluntary effort. In all the .areas the special, .affectum number's of men who are persistently- evading enlistment and registration will be immediately brought into forec, but. it, may-be anticipated that- every district in New Zealand will endeavour'to avoid being placed in the unenviable position of being the first to hold a general ballot, .and some may 'determine-to see the walkthrough with•out leaving'any record of conscription,'.
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Bibliographic details
North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13657, 28 August 1916, Page 2
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840The North Otago Times MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 1916. NOTES AND COMMENTS. North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13657, 28 August 1916, Page 2
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