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V.-Submarine Mines.
The system of submarine mining defence is in accordance with plans which have been approved by the War Office.
The submarine mining officer in charge will superintend the laying down and maintaining the submarine mining defences, for the efficiency of which he will be responsible.
After the mines are laid, one submarine mining officer will be stationed at Stonecutter's, and one at Lyemun.
The submarine mining officer in charge will act as a Staff officer for submarine mining; he will visit the various posts as may be necessary, and be responsible for all arrangements being complete and in working order. In case of an attack he will proceed at once to the point where his services may be most required.
The officer or non-commissioned officer in charge at each post will be under the immediate orders of the officer commanding the section, who will facilitate by every means in his power the carrying out of the submarine mining defence, and of the construction of the field works, electric light emplacements, and other accessories of the mine-field defence.
The general distribution of the submarine miners, and the names of the officers or non-commissioned officers in charge, is given in Appendix V.
Orders for laying down the mines have been prepared.
The Rules for the regulation of the traffic are given in Appendix VI; this subject is also further alluded to under heading XIV.
The channel to the north of Stonecutter's Island will be blocked by mooring across it sailing-vessels and junks connected together by chains. As neither time nor material will be available to form a complete barrier on Kellett's Bank, rows of junks loaded with stones will be sunk at intervals so as to make it dangerous for any but vessels of light draught to attempt to pass over the bank.
Dummy mines and obstructions will be placed as soon as the mines are laid down. Boat mines will, as far as possible, be provided to protect the shore ends of the cables at the western entrance, as they are much exposed to attack; the cases for these will be made locally.
The explosives from Nôbels' Magazine on One Tree Island, near Aberdeen, will be removed to the Civil Government magazine on Stone- cutter's Island as soon as hostilities become imminent.
Electric Light.
The lights for the defence of the mine-fields are to be under the entire direction of the officer in charge of the submarine mining defence. Their principal rôle is to show up attacking boats so that they may be fired on by the shore batteries and by the guard-boats, and to light up vessels passing over the obstructions and mines. The lateral range of the electric lights and guns for the defence of the mine-fields must be carefully limited, so that there is no danger of the guard-boats being shown up and fired
upon.
Guard-Boats.
The number of boats required is as follows:-
No. 1 mine-field..
No. 2 No. 3 No. 4
22
99
Total
6442
16
They are to be strong launches, armed and manned by men specially enrolled for the purpose, or by men of the Royal Navy. Failing both these sources they must be manned by sappers and infantry. In the two former cases they will be under the Navy, and a naval officer will be appointed to command; but in the latter, this duty will devolve upon the Royal Engineers. The signals by which they may recognize one another to be the same as those laid down for scout-boats (vide Appendix VII).
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