d with all sorts of guns, some
of them very old ones, but thoroughly capable of sinking a submarine.
These vessels patrolled the British coast with a zeal that cost
Germany dear. Some authorities believed that up to August 1, 1915,
upward of fifty German submarines had been sunk and more than a dozen
captured. The numbers probably are excessive, but if they had disposed
of even twenty-five undersea boats the effort was a distinct success.

In addition to this means of defense Great Britain embarked upon
another undertaking that truly was gigantic in its extent and the
difficulties imposed. She stretched wire nets for many miles under the
surface of the waters washing her shores. The regular channel routes
were thus guarded. Once within such a net there was no escape for the
submarine. The wire meshes fouled their propellers or became entwined
around the vessels in a way that rendered them helpless. The commander
must either come to the surface and surrender or end the career of
himself and crew beneath the waves. A number of submarines were
brought to the surface with their crews dead by their own hands.
Others were captured, and it is said that about twenty of these
vessels have been commissioned in the British navy.

The hazardous character of the work in which the submarine engaged and
the success of British defensive measures undoubtedly made it
difficult for Germany to man her new undersea craft. Special training
is essential for both crew and officers, and men of particularly
robust constitution are required. There have been reports that men
assigned to the German submarines regarded their selection as a
practical death warrant. Despite the fine courage of German sailors as
evidenced in this war, word filtered through the censorship that it
was becoming difficult for Germany to secure men for her submarines.

But the venturesome spirit of many German submarine commanders knew no
bounds. Previous to the period under consideration at least one
submarine had made its way from a German base to the Dardanelles,
establishing a record for craft of this sort that had seemed
impossible up to that time. During August other submarines made the
same trip without any untoward event. The Allies knew full well that
reenforcements were being sent to the Mediterranean, but seemed unable
to prevent the plan's success. This inability was to result in serious
losses to both the allied navies and their merchant shipping.

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