THE CAPTURED SUBMARINES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10206, 17 February 1919, Page 6

THE CAPTURED SUBMARINES

"The most remarkable thing 3 saw," remarked Mrs "W. H. Parkes, who has just returned from England to a "Star" representative, "was just before I left {Brjfrlandl-. It rwas th« 'captured submarine." Colonel and Mrs Parakes had a letiter of introduction to tho commandor of tho submarine fleet at Harwich, who took them over tho vessels. There were 120 anchored together in sets of four. These were the tvery undersea boats that had ?o nearly strangled England. The British Navy had already sunk 200 of the deadly pests, and when another twenty-six were added to tho list to be given up the following week, Mrs Partes was informed by the commander, the whole, of Germany's -undersea Tar d<igs would he put upon the chain. One of the most remarkable things about them , was the manner of their disguise. One instance Btruck her as very clever. A hole hole had been driven in the bow by a collision of ft submarine. This had been patched and painted to resemble tho scarlet mouth and gleaming teeth of a huge shark. A truly naturalistic bit of Nature painting. Amongst these chained sea devils was the Deutchaland, whose voyafje to the tJnited States was such an unpleasant surprise to tho rest of the world. One of tho submarines wag the Identical vessel which sank the nospita) ship Llandovey Caetle, with great loss of life, and then turned its guns on tho wounded struggling for life In the deaths seas. Other submarines that were shown to tho Visitor from New Zealand were the mine layers, and also those fitted with big saws on their muzidcs to out the entangling nets. One was the largest submarine aver made by Germany, and it carried a crew of fifty men. This vossel ! was of an amazing interest to Wie I Parkes, who said it possessed the smallest kitchon she had ever seen. It had a boiler, oven, and ring, all of electrioity, and right over them the bed of the.coot. The vessel was driveu by four Diesol engines of immense power. It possessed six torpedo shafts. Eooh of these fired a projootilo which Cost JJ2OOQ. every time it wag launohod. This under-sea rraft possessed tho most wonderful appliances for saving labour and savins timo Mrs Parkos had ever imagined'. The visitors wero also shown the conning tower. The vessel possessed six Panscopes plaoed in different positions, from which everything that moved on the face of the waters oould bo detoctod. The simplicity of device by tfhich the torpedos wore handled interested tho Now Zealand visitor. A nimplo movement of a lover dispatched two torpedoes, while at the samo instant allowed two more to take, their place, and hoisted another two in readiness. —''Auckland Star."