GABO MINEFIELD.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13981, 17 November 1917, Page 6

GABO MINEFIELD.

WORK OF THE SWEEPERS,

The story of the minefield which was recently discovered off Gabo Island was told in Sydney a few days ago by one of tho officers of the vessel'which discovered the Held. He said that the, mines wcro tho latest and most power-, ful Gerjnany was . known They were -oval-sh'apedy measuring 4ft- ; pin. long by. 2ft 7in ed of quarter-inch steel, weighing about 2001b. They wero filled with T.N,t„ one of the most powerful explosives made. The tops of tho mines were fitted with five horns, connected with detonators, which, in turn, were connected with certain mechanism. A glass tube containing mercury rau to the' base.of the mine, and through certain mechanical action fired the mine,

The only previous experience the. mine-sweepers had was with dummy mines. Notwithstanding, they were, well ablo to'caiy out,operations, The mines' secured by the sweepers were either unhooked or exploded. One mine, when about 12ft under the water, suddenly exploded, The water over 100 yards square boiled like a huge rniildrrn for some time. Thousands of dead flah floated to the surface. The officer remarked that the mine did not, i on exploding, cause a vast upheaval of [ water. Instead, it emitted, a huge volume of thick, black smoke, which reached over 150 ft into the air. Another mine, which was found in the santc vicinity, 'broke away from its moorings, and floated to the surface. p» it \y>a -wwich'mft dusk, and tlicro feM <I-BMn9 itf tog -it, the commander of the sweepers ordered its destruction by title firo. This was done at a distance of (10 yards, with the result that both compasses of tho vessel wero shattered to pieces by tho force of the- explosion, and pieces of the mine were hurled on to the sweeper, many of whose olliccrs and men were thrown to the deck.

The mines were laid .in a scientific manner ,and extended for about live miles. They were situated in the direct route of vessels going to and: coming from Victoria, and wore laid by somebody with a knowledge of that branch of naval warfare, and full knowledge of the coastal route-'taken ■by steamers and oversea vossels. The mines found wore all contact rniues, fastened by a long hawser.* '''