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138 THE SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT
of her location, approach within effective range of her
torpedoes, or she may under cover of darkness take up a
position along the well established routes of trade and
lie there submerged to await and prey upon the enemies’
merchant vessels. Neither of these tactics, however,
can effect in any serious way the outcome of the naval
maneuvers.
To be able to assume its rightful place in warfare, the
submarine must therefore materially increase its under-
water speed. To do this we are brought face to face
with the complex problem of the power plant. With the
present installation of Diesel engines for surface work
and electric motors and storage batteries for submerged
work it is out of the question, for to materially increase
the power for under-water propulsion would mean that
we must so materially decrease the power for surface
running, or else the radius of action, and that we would
be unable to get anywhere to make use of the improved
under-water condition. On the other hand, we arc now
with a fair surface speed enabled to get within but a cer-
tain distance of a battleship when we must cast aside
this advantage and take cover under water both to pro-
tect ourselves from gunfire and to keep from being seen.
In this condition the submarine has only about three-
quarters of her surface speed, considerably less than the
normal cruising speed of a battleship, and therefore, unless
the submarine be visited with the good luck that the
battleship be steaming towards her, the distance between
them becomes wider instead of less.
That the solution of this problem is a vital point is at
once apparent. Many means have been propounded in
the past and are being worked out in an endeavor to