Germany.

All these vessels, with the exception of the Arkona, which was a protected cruiser, have been specially built for mine-laying work. Their displacement is about 2,000 tons. The Pelikan has a speed of 15 knots, the Albatross and Nautilus of 20 knots, and the Arkona of 21 ½ knots. They are all fitted with special gear for dropping the large number of mines carried, and their armament consists of from four to eight 21-pdr. quick-firing guns. Their complement is about 200 officers and men.

Austria.

The Austro-Hungarian Navy possesses only one regular mine-laying warship—the Chamaleon, which was being completed when war was declared. She is a vessel of 1,800 tons displacement, with a speed of 20 knots. Her mine-launching gear is of the most modern and efficient type, and she is armed with several quick-firing guns.

Since the beginning of hostilities Austria has converted several old warships and merchantmen into mine-layers.

France and Russia.

Neither of these powers possess proper mine-laying vessels, but on the outbreak of war several old warships and small merchant steamers were used for that purpose.

CHAPTER XIII
MINE-SWEEPING FLEETS

For clearing away the mines dropped by an enemy special vessels are employed. Each vessel is fitted on both sides with a curious contrivance known as the “picking-up gear.” This apparatus is lowered into the water, and “picks up” any mines which may lie in the path of an on-coming fleet. When a mine-field is discovered by either destroyers or seaplanes these vessels are immediately dispatched to destroy it; and they are aided, in the case of the British Navy, by a large flotilla of steam trawlers. Many of these auxiliary vessels are not fitted with the picking-up gear, but go to work in pairs. Two vessels, connected together by a long wire rope weighted in the centre to keep it submerged, range themselves on each side of a mine-field, and by steaming ahead in a parallel line sweep up the mines floating between them. This process can be carried on simultaneously by a large number of trawlers, covering a very wide area of sea. In the meantime the attached destroyers and seaplanes can be searching for new fields. It often happens during sweeping operations that mines are brought into contact with each other and violent explosions occur. Sometimes the vessels engaged in this hazardous work will themselves strike one of the mines, but it is more often the searching flotillas which meet with sudden disaster in this way. Fully equipped mine-sweepers usually precede a fleet of battleships and big cruisers through dangerous and narrow seas, within the likely zone of hostile mines.