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Under half steam three of the British submarines, the E-6, E-7, and E-8 steamed toward the island fortress, showing their hulls above water and followed by the two detailed destroyers. The mist thickened. Still more slowly and cautiously went the British submersibles, and while they went above water, five of their sister craft traveled under the surface.
When the hold was empty, the last German sailors disappeared and with them the cables that had lashed them to the sailboat. An officer shouted to him that he could get under way. The two submersibles with their cargo of oil and gasoline were nearer the level of the sea than on their arrival and now began to disappear in the distance.
Metcalf plotted a new course, designed to intercept that of the mysterious craft, and went on, so elated by the news he had heard that he took his gossipy young executive into his confidence. "Mr. Smith," he said, "that sealer described one of the new seagoing submersibles of the Japanese, did he not?"
This statement may be taken with a grain of salt; the Germans do not advertise what they have. It is probable, however, that to-day they have not more than two hundred submersibles in operation. Over four thousand patrol boats are operating against this relatively small number, and yet sinkings continue at an alarming rate.
Lessons Of The War The Submarine Not Really a Submarine French Term For Undersea Fighter The Success of the Convoy Against Submersibles U-Boats Not Successful Against Surface Fighters Their Shortcomings What The Submarine Needs To Be A Vital Factor In Sea Power Their Showing Against Convoyed Craft Record Of Our Navy In Convoying And Protecting Convoys Secretary Daniel's Report
The blonde sailors of the schooner shouted in reply to the acclamations of their comrades on the submersibles, "Deutchsland über alles!..." But this enthusiasm, equivalent to a song of triumph in the midst of the solitude of the sea, lasted but a very short time. Whistles sounded, men ran over the steel decks and Ferragut saw his vessel invaded by two files of seamen.
There were a dozen or more boys in the race, all prepared for a spill in the water, which seemed to be the inevitable end of such affairs. Billy had a bathing suit of the Hilltop colors, and said as he got into his tub: "This is the great race of the submersibles. Mine is the I.O.U. -99, the fastest tub on the river. If she were fast I couldn't go -fast to the bank, I mean."
"What could stop him, since I'm utterly powerless to do anything?" asked Jack, still unconvinced. "Well," continued the would-be comforter, "vessels have started out before this and never arrived at their destination. Take the Lusitania for instance. More than ever are the Hun submersibles on the job these critical days, for their commanders know they've almost got to their last gasp."
Observers, inspectors and specialists of various sorts will fill out the total. These seaplanes are of immense value in the war zones. They leave bases for regular patrol duty, watching the ocean carefully, and locating submersibles at a great height.
He said also that the fighting value of a sufficient number of submersibles would reëstablish the balance of power between England and France. The history of naval warfare during the last few months has confirmed the opinions of these two authorities, although in a manner which they in no way anticipated. Direct comparison is the usual method by which the human mind estimates values.
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