comparative fighting value of the submarine fleets at war
tempered and tried in the forge of war the submarine has at last been lifted from the experimental stage of naval construction to the fore-front of fleets in being. for over twenty years naval experts, marine engineers and scientists have been wrestling with the vast and complex problems of submarine construction, navigation and warfare, and have, at a cost of many lives and many millions sterling, produced submersible warships of steadily increasing size and power, until to-day 264 of these vessels, of over a dozen different and more or less secret designs, with displacements ranging from 100 to 1,000 tons are in 185the fighting line of the fleets at war. thousands of sailors have been trained to fight beneath the seas; torpedoes, guns, engines, and even the air to breath, have been adapted for submarine work. a comparison, therefore, of the strength and fighting power of the submarine fleets engaged for the first time in this great struggle for the mastery of the seas is of more than passing interest.
british navy.
sea-going vessels.
submarines of 1,000?1,500 tons (“f” class), range 6,000 miles, speed 20/12 knots, armament 6 torpedo tubes and 2 q.-f. guns: (nearly completed) 6
submarines of 800 tons (“e” class), range 5,000 miles, speed 16/10 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes and 2 q.-f. guns: (in commission) 19
submarines of 500?600 tons (“d” class), range 4,000 miles, speed 16/10 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes and 1 q.-f. gun: (in commission) 8
submarines of 300?400 tons (“c” class), range 1,700 miles, speed 14/9 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 37
total sea-going submarines 70
186coast defence vessels.
submarines of 300 tons (“b” class), range 1,000 miles, speed 12/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 10
submarines of 200 tons (“a” class), range 350 miles, speed 11/7 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 8
total coast defence submarines 18
――
total number of vessels in british flotillas 88
it must, however, be pointed out that six vessels of the sea-going “f” class have not yet taken their place in the active flotillas; and that eight vessels of the “e” class were on duty on foreign stations when war commenced.
french navy.
sea-going vessels.
submarines of 600?1,000 tons (diane class, bellone class, and gustave zede class), range 4,000?5,000 miles, speed 18/10 knots, armament 4 to 6 torpedo tubes and 2 to 4 q.-f. guns: (completing) 7
submarines of 500?600 tons (clorinde class), range 3,500 miles, speed 15/9?? knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 10
187submarines of 600?800 tons (vessels: mariotte, archimède, charles brun, and admiral bourgeoise), range 3,000?3,500 miles, speed 15/10 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 4
submarines of 600 tons (fresnel class), range 2,000 miles, speed 12/9 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 22
submarines of 500?600 tons (pluvi?se class), range 2,500 miles, speed 12/9 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 11
total sea-going submarines 54
coast defence vessels.
submarines of 450 tons (circe class), range 1,000 miles, speed 11/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes and 2 torpedoes in holders: (in commission) 2
submarines of 400 tons (emeraude class), range 1,000 miles, speed 12/8?? knots, armament 2 tubes and 4 holders: (in commission) 6
submarines of 300?400 tons (argonaute and aigrette class), range 700 miles, speed 10/9 knots, armament 1 to 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 3
total coast defence submarines 11
harbour defence vessels.
submarines of 150?200 tons (triton class, fran?aise class, and lutin class), range 100?600 miles, speed 11/8 knots, armament 3 to 4 torpedo tubes or holders: (in commission) 9
188submarines of 50?100 tons (naiade class), range 100 miles, speed 8??/5 knots, armament 1 torpedo tube and 2 holders: (in commission) 20
total harbour defence submarines 29
――
total number of vessels in french flotillas 94
russian navy.
sea-going vessels.
submarines of 800?1,500 tons (tigr class), no particulars: (completing) 12
submarines of 500?600 tons (kaschalot class), range 3,000 miles, speed 16/10 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes and 1 q.-f. gun: (in commission) 7
submarines of 400?500 tons (alligator class), range 3,000 miles, speed 15/10 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 4
submarines of 300?400 tons (akula class), range 2,500 miles, speed 16/10 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 1
submarines of 200?300 tons (karp class), range 1,000 miles, speed 12/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 2
submarines of 200 tons (makrel class), range 800?1,000 miles, speed 10/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes and 2 holders: (in commission) 2
total sea-going submarines 28
189coast and harbour defence vessels.
submarines of 150?200 tons (minoga class, lossos class, sig, sterliad class, som class, ostr class, and graf cheremetieve class), range 400?600 miles, speed 11?9 knots on surface and 6?7 knots submerged, armament 1?3 torpedo tubes and holders: (in commission) 19
total coast defence submarines 19
――
total number of vessels in russian flotillas 47
japanese navy.
sea-going vessels.
submarines of 500 tons (nos. 16?17), range 3,500 miles, speed 18/9 knots, armament 6 torpedo tubes and holders: (completing) 6
submarines of 300?400 tons (nos. 10?15), range 1,700 miles, speed 14/9 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 6
submarines of 300 tons (nos. 8?9), range 1,500 miles, speed 13/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 2
total sea-going submarines 14
coast and harbour defence vessels.
submarines of 180?200 tons (nos. 6?7), range 800 miles, speed 10/8 knots, armament 1 torpedo tube: (in commission) 2
190
submarines of 100?150 tons (nos. 1?5), range 500 miles, speed 9/7 knots, armament 1 torpedo tube: (in commission) 5
total coast defence submarines 7
――
total number of vessels in japanese flotillas 21
german navy.
sea-going vessels.
submarines of 900 tons (u.25-u.30 completed, and u.31-u.37 completing), range 4,000 miles, speed 18/10 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes and 4 q.-f. guns: (in commission and completing) 13
submarines of 800 tons (u.21-u.24), range 3,000 miles, speed 14/9 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes and 3 q.-f. guns: (in commission) 4
submarines of 400?500 tons (u.19-u.20), range 2,000 miles, speed 13??/8 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes and 2 q.-f. guns: (in commission) 2
submarines of 300 tons (u.9-u.18), range 1,500 miles, speed 13/8 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes and 1 q.-f. gun: (in commission) 10
submarines of 200?300 tons (u.2.-u.8), range 1,000 miles, speed 12/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 7
total sea-going submarines 36
191coast defence vessels.
submarines of 200 tons (u.1), range 700?800 miles, speed 10/7 knots, armament 1 torpedo tube: (in commission) 1
――
total number of vessels in german flotillas 37
austrian navy.
sea-going vessels.
submarines of 800 tons (u.7-u.11), range 3,000 miles, speed 14/9 knots, armament 4 torpedo tubes and 3 q.-f. guns: (completing—delivery doubtful) 5
submarines of 300?400 tons (u.5-u.6), range 1,500 miles, speed 12/8 knots, armament 2 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 2
submarines of 300 tons (u.1-u.4), range 1,500 miles, speed 13/8 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 2
submarines of 200?300 tons (u.1-u.2), range 800 miles, speed 12/8 knots, armament 3 torpedo tubes: (in commission) 2
――
total number of vessels in austrian flotillas 6
when war commenced all the vessels of the german flotillas (30 to 37) were 192concentrated in the north sea and baltic. the austrian flotilla of six vessels was in the adriatic. great britain had in home waters 74 submarines and 14 others on duty in the outer seas. france had several of the 92 vessels composing her powerful flotillas at her oversea colonial naval bases. russia had 14 submarines in the baltic, 11 in the black sea, and 12 in the far east. the japanese flotilla (17) was concentrated in japanese waters.
printed in great britain by wyman & sons ltd., london and reading.
1. “submarine engineering of to-day.” by charles w. domville-fife. (london: seeley, service & co. ltd. 1914.)
2. sunk october, 1914.
3. the narval, the first of this type, has been removed from the effective list.
4. it is very doubtful if these two boats were delivered before the outbreak of war.
5. the u.18 was sunk by a british patrol in november, 1914.
6. “submarine engineering of to-day.” by charles w. domville-fife. (london: seeley, service & co. ltd. 1914).
7. as it is almost impossible for a submarine, when totally submerged, to steer a perfectly straight course, the table above each chart shows the approximate average loss and gain on each mile. it must also be remembered that the submarine in actual practice need only reach the torpedo firing line.
8. “submarines of the world’s navies.” by charles w. domville-fife. (london: francis griffiths.)
9. “submarines of the world’s navies,” by charles w. domville-fife. (london: francis griffiths.)
