How the Submarine Works with the Fleet as a Means of Defense and Offense and as a Scout. Its Use as a Blockader and A Weapon Against Merchantmen
CHAPTER X
HOW THE SUBMARINE ATTACKS
When the naval powers were waking up to the fact that the submarine was worthy of some consideration, undersea tactics was a thing that was yet to be invented.
These early craft had a very short range of travel and because of their poor construction and lack of power they were not at all adapted for ocean-going, hence they could not accompany the fleet of warships on their maneuvers.
They were, however, thought very well of for coast patrols, and this was the duty given them to perform; each submarine had a stretch of coast which it was to watch and tactics and maneuvering were not needed for this service. Even when it was expected an attack might be made, the only thing that was required of them was to be on the lookout, signal the forts on shore, dive and get out of harm’s way.
But as the size, range, and speed of the submarine was increased she gradually took her place along with the auxiliary[32] craft of the fleet, or squadron,[33] and began to take part in the maneuvers with it. It was then that certain fixed duties were assigned to her, and her relation to the other boats became more clearly defined and definitely fixed.
As late as the Spanish-American War, and that was only a score of years ago, the submarine played but a sorry part. A few years later, however, when the Russo-Japanese War was fought, the underwater fighting craft showed for the first time in the game of naval warfare the kind of stuff it was made of.