SUBMARINES AND WHITE MICE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1746, 23 August 1905, Page 60

SUBMARINES AND WHITE MICE.

(“Daily Express.”)

The submarine AS, one of the ill-fated “A” class, sank apparently as the result of an explosion. Such explosions are very liable on craft that depend for their motive power on explosion engines. To guard against these accidents, the Admiralty some time ago pressed into service on the British submarine© a number of white mice. These little creatures, three to every boat, are entered on the pay-roll of the fleet, and draw one shilling a week and ration© for their services. Their duties are simple. Placed in a little cage, which is fixed in the vicinity of the gasolene tanks, they have little to do, except to eat their rations and sleep. It was Mr Holland, the inventor of the submarine boat of that name, who first realised the possibilities of the little rodents. A mouse has a very keen sense of smell, Some ©cents there are that please him greatly, others that cause him .the most intense annoyance. One of these latter is the scent of gasolene. The vapour of this gas i© always liable to escape, and th© fact is not easy to detect. The mouse detects it instantly, and from being a quiet, sleepy little being, more interested in the cleaning of his coat than in anything else, instantly give© evidence of his distress, running round and round his cage with terrified squeaks. A leak thus detected is easily legated, and the terrible possibilities of an explosion averted. Before the Admiralty adopted this method of ensuring the safety of the submarine, extensive experiments were made, but, of all the indicators tested, none were so sure a© the little beastie, who is now rated a© an indipensable member of the submarine crew.