sink it in a few
minutes.

The torpedo submarines of the modern type have a submerged speed of from
eight to ten knots an hour. Only a small surface, including the bridge
or conning tower, is exposed, thus making it almost impossible to
hit them with the clumsy guns aboard ship. The highest type of submarine
has a submerged tonnage of 812 tons and its length is 176 feet.

Each submarine carries from one to six torpedoes, each of which is
capable of sinking the most heavily armored vessel afloat. The sighter
in the conning tower moves swiftly, up within range of the vessel he is
attacking and gives the signal for the discharge of the torpedo. The men
aboard the attacked ship have no warning of their impending death except
a thin sheaf of water that follows on the surface in the wake of the
submerged torpedo and which lasts only an instant.

RUN BY COMPRESSED AIR

By a compressed air arrangement motive power is furnished the torpedo in
transit for its propellers. A gyroscope keeps it on a plane and upright.
A striker on the nose of the torpedo is released by a fan which revolves
in the water. The nose of the torpedo strikes the side of the battleship
and the compact jars the primer of fulminate of mercury. The high
explosive of gunpowder forces out a shell and exploded with it after the
shell has penetrated the armor. Then the work is done.

It is generally believed the principal harbors and fortifications in
England are heavily supplied with torpedoes of the new type. It is also
believed that the fortifications about the River Elbe are thus equipped.
If this is a fact the defending nation will be able not only to repulse
any fleet attempting an invasion but also to destroy it. By throwing
across the Straits of Dover, or across the lower end of the North Sea,
a flotilla of its powerful submarines England can prevent any naval
invasion of France or England or Belgium by Germany should the attacking
fleet take this route.

In the latest type of submarine the United States is deficient. There
are only twenty-nine submarines in the United States naval service at
the present time and only eighteen under construction.

The old type of torpedo did not have penetrative power [Illustration:
Cross section of Belgian Type of Fortress. The forts at Liege were of
this type and long withstood the battering of the German guns.

This kind of modern fort was designed by the famous Belgian military
engineer, General Brailmont. Th