CHAPTER XIV

COMPARATIVE FIGHTING VALUE OF THE SUBMARINE FLEETS AT WAR

Tempered and tried in the forge of war the submarine has at last been lifted from the experimental stage of naval construction to the fore-front of fleets in being. For over twenty years naval experts, marine engineers and scientists have been wrestling with the vast and complex problems of submarine construction, navigation and warfare, and have, at a cost of many lives and many millions sterling, produced submersible warships of steadily increasing size and power, until to-day 264 of these vessels, of over a dozen different and more or less secret designs, with displacements ranging from 100 to 1,000 tons are in the fighting line of the Fleets at war. Thousands of sailors have been trained to fight beneath the seas; torpedoes, guns, engines, and even the air to breath, have been adapted for submarine work. A comparison, therefore, of the strength and fighting power of the submarine fleets engaged for the first time in this great struggle for the mastery of the seas is of more than passing interest.

BRITISH NAVY.

SEA-GOING VESSELS.

Submarines of 1,000‒1,500 tons (“F” class), range 6,000 miles, 6 speed 20/12 knots, armament 6 torpedo tubes and 2 q.-f. guns: (nearly completed)

Submarines of 800 tons (“E” class), range 5,000 miles, speed 19 16/10 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes and 2 q.-f. guns: (in commission)

Submarines of 500‒600 tons (“D” class), range 4,000 miles, speed 8 16/10 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes and 1 q.-f. gun: (in commission)

Submarines of 300‒400 tons (“C” class), range 1,700 miles, speed 37 14/9 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Total Sea-going Submarines 70

COAST DEFENCE VESSELS.

Submarines of 300 tons (“B” class), range 1,000 miles, speed 12/8 10 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Submarines of 200 tons (“A” class), range 350 miles, speed 11/7 8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Total Coast Defence Submarines 18

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Total number of vessels in British Flotillas 88

It must, however, be pointed out that six vessels of the sea-going “F” class have not yet taken their place in the active flotillas; and that eight vessels of the “E” class were on duty on foreign stations when war commenced.

FRENCH NAVY.

SEA-GOING VESSELS.

Submarines of 600‒1,000 tons (_Diane_ class, _Bellone_ class, and 7 _Gustave Zede_ class), range 4,000‒5,000 miles, speed 18/10 knots, armament 4 to 6 torpedo tubes and 2 to 4 q.-f. guns: (completing)

Submarines of 500‒600 tons (_Clorinde_ class), range 3,500 miles, 10 speed 15/9 ½ knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Submarines of 600‒800 tons (vessels: _Mariotte_, _Archimède_, 4 _Charles Brun_, and _Admiral Bourgeoise_), range 3,000‒3,500 miles, speed 15/10 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Submarines of 600 tons (_Fresnel_ class), range 2,000 miles, 22 speed 12/9 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Submarines of 500‒600 tons (_Pluviôse_ class), range 2,500 miles, 11 speed 12/9 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Total Sea-going Submarines 54

COAST DEFENCE VESSELS.

Submarines of 450 tons (_Circe_ class), range 1,000 miles, speed 2 11/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes and 2 torpedoes in holders: (in commission)

Submarines of 400 tons (_Emeraude_ class), range 1,000 miles, 6 speed 12/8 ½ knots, armament 2 tubes and 4 holders: (in commission)

Submarines of 300‒400 tons (_Argonaute_ and _Aigrette_ class), 3 range 700 miles, speed 10/9 knots, armament 1 to 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Total Coast Defence Submarines 11

HARBOUR DEFENCE VESSELS.

Submarines of 150‒200 tons (_Triton_ class, _Française_ class, 9 and _Lutin_ class), range 100‒600 miles, speed 11/8 knots, armament 3 to 4 torpedo tubes or holders: (in commission)

Submarines of 50‒100 tons (_Naiade_ class), range 100 miles, 20 speed 8 ½/5 knots, armament 1 torpedo tube and 2 holders: (in commission)

Total Harbour Defence Submarines 29

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Total number of vessels in French Flotillas 94

RUSSIAN NAVY.

SEA-GOING VESSELS.

Submarines of 800‒1,500 tons (_Tigr_ class), no particulars: 12 (completing)

Submarines of 500‒600 tons (_Kaschalot_ class), range 3,000 7 miles, speed 16/10 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes and 1 q.-f. gun: (in commission)

Submarines of 400‒500 tons (_Alligator_ class), range 3,000 4 miles, speed 15/10 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Submarines of 300‒400 tons (_Akula_ class), range 2,500 miles, 1 speed 16/10 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Submarines of 200‒300 tons (_Karp_ class), range 1,000 miles, 2 speed 12/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Submarines of 200 tons (_Makrel_ class), range 800‒1,000 miles, 2 speed 10/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes and 2 holders: (in commission)

Total Sea-going Submarines 28

COAST AND HARBOUR DEFENCE VESSELS.

Submarines of 150‒200 tons (_Minoga_ class, _Lossos_ class, 19 _Sig_, _Sterliad_ class, _Som_ class, _Ostr_ class, and _Graf Cheremetieve_ class), range 400‒600 miles, speed 11‒9 knots on surface and 6‒7 knots submerged, armament 1‒3 torpedo tubes and holders: (in commission)

Total Coast Defence Submarines 19

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Total number of vessels in Russian Flotillas 47

JAPANESE NAVY.

SEA-GOING VESSELS.

Submarines of 500 tons (Nos. 16‒17), range 3,500 miles, speed 6 18/9 knots, armament 6 torpedo tubes and holders: (completing)

Submarines of 300‒400 tons (Nos. 10‒15), range 1,700 miles, speed 6 14/9 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Submarines of 300 tons (Nos. 8‒9), range 1,500 miles, speed 13/8 2 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Total Sea-going Submarines 14

COAST AND HARBOUR DEFENCE VESSELS.

Submarines of 180‒200 tons (Nos. 6‒7), range 800 miles, speed 2 10/8 knots, armament 1 torpedo tube: (in commission)

Submarines of 100‒150 tons (Nos. 1‒5), range 500 miles, speed 9/7 5 knots, armament 1 torpedo tube: (in commission)

Total Coast Defence Submarines 7

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Total number of vessels in Japanese Flotillas 21

GERMAN NAVY.

SEA-GOING VESSELS.

Submarines of 900 tons (U.25-U.30 completed, and U.31-U.37 13 completing), range 4,000 miles, speed 18/10 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes and 4 q.-f. guns: (in commission and completing)

Submarines of 800 tons (U.21-U.24), range 3,000 miles, speed 14/9 4 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes and 3 q.-f. guns: (in commission)

Submarines of 400‒500 tons (U.19-U.20), range 2,000 miles, speed 2 13 ½/8 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes and 2 q.-f. guns: (in commission)

Submarines of 300 tons (U.9-U.18), range 1,500 miles, speed 13/8 10 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes and 1 q.-f. gun: (in commission)

Submarines of 200‒300 tons (U.2.-U.8), range 1,000 miles, speed 7 12/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Total Sea-going Submarines 36

COAST DEFENCE VESSELS.

Submarines of 200 tons (U.1), range 700‒800 miles, speed 10/7 1 knots, armament 1 torpedo tube: (in commission)

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Total number of vessels in German Flotillas 37

AUSTRIAN NAVY.

SEA-GOING VESSELS.

Submarines of 800 tons (U.7-U.11), range 3,000 miles, speed 14/9 5 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes and 3 q.-f. guns: (completing—delivery doubtful)

Submarines of 300‒400 tons (U.5-U.6), range 1,500 miles, speed 2 12/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Submarines of 300 tons (U.1-U.4), range 1,500 miles, speed 13/8 2 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

Submarines of 200‒300 tons (U.1-U.2), range 800 miles, speed 12/8 2 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes: (in commission)

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Total number of vessels in Austrian Flotillas 6

When war commenced all the vessels of the German Flotillas (30 to 37) were concentrated in the North Sea and Baltic. The Austrian Flotilla of six vessels was in the Adriatic. Great Britain had in home waters 74 submarines and 14 others on duty in the outer seas. France had several of the 92 vessels composing her powerful flotillas at her oversea colonial naval bases. Russia had 14 submarines in the Baltic, 11 in the Black Sea, and 12 in the Far East. The Japanese Flotilla (17) was concentrated in Japanese waters.

_Printed in Great Britain by Wyman & Sons Ltd., London and Reading._

Transcriber’s Notes

Printed Corrected Page guns guns. Frontispiece and 2 q.-f. guns. gunfire gun-fire 30 attacked by gun-fire ), ). 37 E. B. Feilmann). Submarines Submarines: 61 Submarines: B.3, B.4, destroyers· destroyers. 74 and destroyers. BUILDING: BUILDING. 75 SUBMARINES BUILDING. topedo-boats torpedo-boats. 108 torpedo-boats. and AND 113 U.19 AND U.20. _eompleted_ _completed_ 118 were being _completed_ manœvring manœuvering 125 with manœuvering Fig. 1 FIG. 1 133 FIG. 1 represents a Fig. 2 FIG. 2 135 FIG. 2 shows the manœuvre manœuvre, 143 method, or manœuvre, “anti-clockwise.’ “anti-clockwise.” 164 and “anti-clockwise.” oncoming on-coming 179 path of an on-coming

On the Title Page, a comma was added after “SUBMARINES OF THE WORLD’S NAVIES”.

The image for RIGHT-ANGLE ATTACK BY SUBMARINES. appeared after Page 160 in the digitized source.

Under the SEA-GOING VESSELS heading on Page 190, “Total Sea-going Submarines | 36” was added for consistency.

Some hyphenation inconsistencies have been retained.