SUBMARINE WARFARE OF TO-DAY
by
Charles W. Domville-Fife
AUTHOR OF
“SUBMARINES & SEA POWER” “SUBMARINES OF THE WORLD’S NAVIES” “SUBMARINE ENGINEERING OF TO-DAY”
WITH 53 ILLUSTRATIONS
Science of To-Day
Series
NEW VOLUME
13. Submarine Warfare of To-Day.
By C. W. Domville-Fife, Lieut., R.N.V.R., late of the Staff of H.M. School of Submarine Mining. Author of “Submarines and Sea Power,” “Submarines of the World’s Navies,” “Submarine Engineering of To-Day,”
ALREADY PUBLISHED
1. Electricity of To-Day.
By C. R. Gibson, F.R.S.E.
2. Astronomy of To-Day.
By Cecil G. Dolmage, M.A., D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.A.S.
3. Scientific Ideas of To-Day.
By C. R. Gibson.
4. Botany of To-Day.
By Professor G. F. Scott Elliot, M.A., B.SC.
6. Engineering of To-Day.
By T. W. Corbin.
7. Medical Science of To-Day.
By Willmott Evans, M.D.
8. Mechanical Inventions of To-Day.
By T. W. Corbin.
9. Photography of To-Day.
By H. Chapman Jones, F.I.C., F.C.S., F.R.P.S.
10. Submarine Engineering of To-Day.
By C. W. Domville-Fife.
11. Geology of To-Day.
By Professor J. W. Gregory, F.R.S.
12. Aircraft of To-Day.
By Charles C. Turner, Lieut., R.N.V.R.
Dedicated
AUTHOR’S NOTE
I desire simply to say that I commenced taking an active interest in submarines in 1904. I wrote my first book on the subject,
INTRODUCTION
While Great Britain remains an island, with dominion over palm and pine, it is to the sea that her four hundred millions of people must look for the key to all that has been achieved in the past and all that the future promises in the quickening dawn of a new era.
Not only over Great Britain alone, however, does the ocean cast its spell, for it is the free highway of the world, sailed by the ships of all nations, without other hindrances than those of stormy nature, and navigated without restriction from pole to pole by the seamen of all races. It was the international meeting-place, where ensigns were “dipped” in friendly greeting, and since the dawn of history there has been a freemasonry of the sea which knew no distinction of nation or creed.
When the call of humanity boomed across the dark, storm-tossed waters the answer came readily from beneath whatever flag the sound was heard. But in August, 1914, there came a change, so dramatic, so sudden, that maritime nations were stunned. Germany, in an excess of war fever, broke the sea laws, and laughed while women and children drowned. Crime followed crime, and the great voice of the Republican West protested in unison with that of the Imperial East. Still the Black Eagle laughed as it flew far and wide, carrying death to whomsoever