CHAPTER VII

AUSTRIAN SUBMARINES

At the commencement of the War the Austro-Hungarian Navy included six submarines in the active flotilla and five others were being completed at the Germania Yard, Kiel, but it is doubtful if they had been delivered. In which event they must be added to the strength of the German flotilla. In addition to these, several larger vessels¹, mostly of the latest “U” or Krupp design, had been ordered, but were not expected to take their place in the active flotillas before the end of 1915.

Austria commenced the formation of a submarine flotilla in 1908 by the acquisition of two vessels of the Improved Holland type from Messrs. Vickers Ltd., and 119two others of the American Lake type. In the following year two more submarines were ordered, this time from Krupp’s Germania Yard. All these vessels were delivered during 1910, and Austria’s first submarine flotilla came into being.
U.1 and U.2.
(Completed 1910.)

These two vessels are of the American Lake type. They have a submerged displacement² of 250 tons and petrol surface motors of 720 H.-P. Their speed is 12 knots on the surface and 8 knots when submerged. The armament consists of two bow and one stern torpedo³ tube. This type of submarine has three special features which distinguish it from all others. It is fitted with a kind of underframe and wheels, and is designed to travel in four different positions: (1) on the surface; (2) semi-submerged, with only a look-out cowl above water; (3) submerged, with nothing but the periscope⁴ showing; (4) totally submerged and 120running along the sea-bed on wheels, like a submarine motor car. It is drawn⁵ down from the surface to the sea-bed by an ingenious system of wire-hawsers and drop-weights, which can be released in the event of accident. A “diving chamber” enables members of the crew to don diving-dresses and leave the submarine when on the sea-bed, for the purpose of laying or destroying submerged mines. The Lake type of submarine is also used in the Russian Navy.[6]
U.3 and U.4.
(Completed 1910.)

These two vessels are of the Krupp design, and have a submerged displacement of 300 tons. The horse-power of their heavy-oil surface engines is 600. The electric motors develop 200 H.-P. The surface and submerged speeds are 13 knots and 8 knots respectively. The surface range of action is 1,500 miles, and the armament consists of two bow 121and one stern tube with five 18-inch torpedoes⁶. Their complement⁷ is fifteen officers and men.
U.5 and U.6.
(Completed 1910.)

These are submarines of the Improved Holland type. Their submerged displacement is about 316 tons; length 135 feet, and beam 13?? feet. The horse-power of the petrol engines is 600 and that of the electric engines 189. The speed averages 12 knots on the surface and 8 knots when submerged. The surface cruising range is 1,300 knots at 10 knots an hour. Their armament consists of two bow tubes with four to six 18-inch Whitehead torpedoes. Their complement is sixteen officers and men.
U.7-U.11.
(Completed 1914. Delivery doubtful.)

These five vessels are of the Krupp-Germania type, and are similar to those completed for the German Navy in 1221912?13. They are large sea-going submarines with a submerged displacement of 800 tons. They are propelled on the surface by heavy-oil engines of 1,200 H.-P., and when submerged, by electric motors of 500 H.-P. Their speed is 14 knots and 9 knots, above and below, respectively. The surface range of action is 3,000 miles, and the submerged endurance 120 miles at economical speed.

Their armament consists of two bow and two stern torpedo tubes, with eight torpedoes, and one 14-pdr. quick-firing gun and two 1-pdr. high-angle guns, for defence against hostile destroyers and air-craft. Their complement is twenty-five officers and men.

One or two Austrian submarines are supposed to have been sunk by the Allied⁸ Fleet during the first few weeks of the war, but exactly which vessels they were is not known.

Several other submarines have been ordered in foreign countries for the 123Austrian Navy, but cannot be delivered while the war lasts.

1 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

3 torpedo   

n.水雷，地雷；v.用鱼雷破坏

参考例句：

• His ship was blown up by a torpedo.他的船被一枚鱼雷炸毁了。
• Torpedo boats played an important role during World War Two.鱼雷艇在第二次世界大战中发挥了重要作用。

4 periscope   

n. 潜望镜

参考例句：

• The captain aligned the periscope on the bearing.船长使潜望镜对准方位。
• Now,peering through the periscope he remarked in businesslike tones.现在，他一面从潜望镜里观察，一面用精干踏实的口吻说话。

5 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

6 torpedoes   

鱼雷( torpedo的名词复数 )； 油井爆破筒； 刺客； 掼炮

参考例句：

• We top off, take on provisions and torpedoes, and go. 我们维修完，装上给养和鱼雷就出发。
• The torpedoes hit amidship, and there followed a series of crashing explosions. 鱼雷击中了船腹，引起了一阵隆隆的爆炸声。

7 complement   

n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足

参考例句：

• The two suggestions complement each other.这两条建议相互补充。
• They oppose each other also complement each other.它们相辅相成。

8 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。