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will be responsible for supplying the S.M. vessels, stores, and men to make good such defects.
The S.T.O. will resume charge of the Brennan Installation.
The O.C.S.M. will be an officer on the Staff of the Fortress Commander, in addition to his other duties, and will frequently visit the different Sections to confer with the Officers Commanding and the Submarine Mining Officers.
6. On the order being given for laying out, which order will only be issued by the General Officer Commanding after he has obtained the concurrence of the Senior Naval Officer present, the D.O.S.M. will hire launches and men as follows:-
(1.) A powerful launch, to tow the "Megohm" when laying multiple cables, required for two days.
(2.) A fairly fast ordinary launch, to be utilized for sending testing parties, &c., to their respective stations, shifting J.B. boats while laying out is going on, &c. She would be required until the laying out was complete.
(3.) Twenty native boatmen to lay out multiple cables from the "Megohm,” and subsequently to assist in heavy work in the S.M. Yard. They will be required for three days.
7. Experiments have shown that the four mine-fields can be completely laid out in 3 days, even in somewhat unfavourable weather, and the programme for laying out is based on this, though exceptionally favourable or unfavourable weather might reduce or extend the time taken to 3 or 4 days respectively.
The stages would be approximately as follows:-
On First Day.-No. IV mine-field and the mines in Friendly Channel in No. III. All multiple and group cables in Nos. II and III mine-fields.
On Second Day.--Multiple and group cables in No. I mine-field, mines in No. II mine-field, and in No. III to the north of the Friendly Channel.
On Third Day.-The mines in No. III to the south of the Friendly Channel and No. I mine-field.
On Fourth Day.--The whole completed and any necessary repairs to mine-fields carried out.
8. The detailed programme for laying out is as follows:-
Eastern Defence, No. IV mine-field, Lyemun.
"Solent," 1st trip.-Embarks lines of buoyant mines Nos. 43-44, 41-42, 49-50, and tows out a J.B. pinnace, containing Nos. XI and XII multiple cables. Lays out, first multiple cables, then mines in order shown above.
CC
Solent," 2nd trip.-Lays out Nos. 47-48, 45–46, 53–54, and 51-52 mines. The two trips take probably six to seven hours.
Western Defence, Nos. I, II, and III mine-fields, Stonecutters, and Belchers. "Miner," 1st trip.-Proceeds to western mine-fields with alignment, test room, and observing station parties, lands them at their respective stations, leaves three J.B. pinnaces at Belchers, and lays Nos. VIII, IX, and X multiple J.B. buoys.
66
Miner," 2nd trip.-Embarks and lays out B.B., C.C., D.D., H.H., J.J., K.K.L., M., T., N., V., U group cables and M. D. J. Bs.
"Miner," 3rd trip.-Lays Y., Z., A.A., E.E., F.F., G.G., O., P., W., X., Q., A., S. group cables and M. D. J. Bs.
"Miner," 4th trip.-Lays A., B., C., D., E., F., G., H., J., K. group cables and
M. D. J. Bs.
The "Megohm," towed by a hired launch, lays the main cables in the following order: VIII, IX, X, VII, III, IV, V, VI, II, I.
"Solent," 3rd and 4th trips.--Lays the western marking buoys, Nos. 3 and 4, of the Friendly Channel in No. III mine-field. Lays the lines of ground mines in the following order: 61-63, 64-66, 67–69, 70–72, 73-75, 76–78, 79–81, 82-84.
"Solent" and "Miner," 5th and subsequent trips.--The groups of E.C. mines are laid by the "Solent" and "Miner" in the following order: L., M., N., O., B.B., C.C., D.D., H.H., P., Q., R., S., J.J., K.K., G.G., F.F., T., U., V., W., X., A.A., Z., Y,, E.E., A., B., C., D., E., F., G., H., K.
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