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 vessels, 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 two 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
displacement 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 torpedo 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 periscope showing; (4) totally submerged and
running along the sea-bed on wheels, like a submarine motor car. It is
drawn 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 and
one stern tube with five 18-inch torpedoes. Their complement 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 ½ 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 1912‒13. 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
Allied 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
Austrian Navy, but cannot be delivered while the war lasts.
SUBMARINE FLOTILLAS OF NEUTRAL EUROPEAN POWERS.
COUNTRY. │ VESSELS BUILT. │ VESSELS BUILDING.
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Italy │ 20 (100‒300 tons) │ 8 (large size)
Denmark │ 9 (100‒300 tons) │ several
Holland │ 6 (100‒300 tons) │ 4 (large)
Sweden │ 7 (150‒300 tons) │ 3 (large)
Greece │ 2 (Laubeuf) │ ――
Norway │ 1 ―― │ 4 (Germania)
Portugal │ 1 ―― │ 3 ――
Turkey │ ―― │ 3 ――
Spain │ ―― │ 3 ――
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Footnote 6:
“Submarine Engineering of To-day.” By Charles W. Domville-Fife.
(London: Seeley, Service & Co. Ltd. 1914).