PERILS OF WAR-ZONE NAVIGATION.

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13269, 26 August 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

PERILS OF WAR-ZONE NAVIGATION.

The first officer of-one of the largest of tho steamers now plying across the Atlantic recently recounted something about the methods used to safeguard vessels in the war zone. As soon as a vessel reaches the fringe of tho zone it announces its arrival bywireless and very soon afterwards receives a message from tho British Admiralty which gives instructions as to tho course taken to reach Liverpool or Glasgow. These are the only porta now open to steams-hip travel, Southampton and tho Channel ports being closed to commerce and used as a nival base.

The message received by the steamor is naturally in code, and it tells the captain to cross a certain meridian of longitude at a certain parallel of latitude, and then to head for a certain number of miles on one course. and make some point of land. The course often changes, and care has to betaken to follow it carefully. On one journey recently the steamer had to go about forty miles south Fastnet Rock and then headed ove" to St. David's Head on the south-wo.s:-ern coast of Wales. The steamer then held close to the Welsh coast to tliu end 1 of the voyage. The next voyage took the steamer in close to Fastnet Hock first and then to Carnsore Point and afterwards across the Irish Sea \o Holyhead. On another occasion Capo Clear was the 'objective point, and then the Irish coast was hugged all the way around until well in the Irish Channel. As soon as the steamer gets into the war zone tlie boats are swung outboard ready to be lowered at once in case of any emergency. Every man io on duty, the officers are at their posts This is an American steamer, and ail night long the American flag is keptflying at the mainmast and a searchlight is trained 011 it so that it may bo easily distinguished by friend or foe. The name of the steamer and its nationality are painted 011 .the sides, and electric lights hung on both tildes mako these marks clearly distinguishable. The passengers take all these precautions very coolly, but seldom go to bed until after they are out of danger. Life preservers are generally worn," said the officer. "On the last trip it was evening when we reached the war zone and all these preparations were made. I had occasion to go into the smoking room about 2 o'clock in tho morning and there saw several men killing time by playing cards. They were smoking and some had drinks, but every man hadi his life preserver fastened round his body in the regulation manner." This officer said that he had seen two German submarines which had been captured in Birkenhead, and he had talked with on© of the engineers there. This engineer very frankly admitted that tho submarines had not been as successful as the Germans had hoped they Would be, and that they had had much trouble in running them. The trouble had! generally been caused by the Diesel motors, which had a habit of becoming overheated. He said that many of the boats were equipped with two sets of engines, but could seldom use both. While one was being used the other was being repaired. The officer of the steamsbio said tha.t while they bad not met with any accident so far they had bad some narrow escapes. On one voyage a floating mine was sighted in the moonlight just ahead of the steamer, and although tbe course was changed quickly the bow wave throwing the mine away was ail that prevented a disaster. There are many mines all around the British coasts-which hare broken away from their moorings, and these the trawler* and mine-sweepers are con-