Identifier: seahounds00free (find matches)
Title: Sea-hounds
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Freeman, Lewis R. (Lewis Ransome), b. 1878
Subjects: World War, 1914-1918 -- Naval operations
Publisher: London, New York (etc.) : Cassell and company, ltd.
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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thing in order was to polish him off. Slowing down slightly, the captain steadied the Sherill on the wake. As we passed the point where this was rising, the rate at which it was extended gave the approximate speed of the U-boat, and the fact that this was not above three knots seemed only another indication that all was not well with him. Holding on past the bubble fount, we passed over the point below which the U-boat must have been moving, but now he was so much.more deeply submerged than before that nohint of his outline was visible on either side. We knew he was there, however, and when we hit theproper place shook loose another shower of cansover him. There is nothing deeply mysterious about the calculations in dropping depth charges, for in nosense of the term can it be called an instrument of precision. Indeed, it is of the bludgeon rather thanthe rapier type. If you have a wake to guide, you approximate his speed and course from that, guessat his depth, set the charge at the corresponding
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IMAGE: An American destroyer on patrol duty. - Yank Boat versus U-Boat, page 147 depth from which you judge its explosion will domost good, and then, allowing for your own speed and course, release it at a point which you reckon the target will have reached by the time the charge gets down on a level with it. It is something like bomb-dropping from an aeroplane, only rather less accurate, because you dont see your target as arule. This is more than compensated for, however, bythe greater vulnerability of its target and the fact thatthe force of an under-water explosion is felt over a wider area than that of an air-bomb. Thats about allthere is to it. Success in can-dropping depends abouthalf on the skill and judgment of the man directing it, and about half on luck. Or perhaps I should saythat fifty-fifty was about the way it stood whenwe started in at the game. Naturally, as we haveaccumulated experience, skill and judgment begin tocount for more and luck for less, though we are along way from reaching t

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