Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 92.djvu/531

 Mimicry on the High Seas

���Camouflage at Sea

��The first illustration shcvs how ciosely related the problems of a submarine commander are to those of a duck hunter. He must estimate the speed and course of his target and shoot enough ahead to allow for them. The centre picture shows the appearance of a ship at 2,000 yards, seen through the periscope of a submarine under ideal conditions. The range is determined by the height of the smokestack above the waterline. The two side illustrations are examples of the way the camoufleur changes the light and shade on the hulls, funnels, etc., of vessels, thereby confusing an observer both as to the length of the ship and the angle of her approach or departure. The ordinarily high lights are toned down, and the naturally dull portions are thrown

��up by painting them in bright colors. At the bottom is seen a complete camouflaged boat, and one that was painted by a master-hand. The whole idea is to give the impression of a sinking ship, and to merge the ship proper into the back- ground. It will be noticed that the dark shaded patches on the hull would convey, at a distance, the impression of a funnel and waterlogged hull, while the sham "sea" merges into the real sea and makes it appear that the alleged steamer is in a sinking condition. This particular instance is a most in- genious one. A more common one is to paint the hull of a smaller vessel of radically different di- mensions on the hull of the boat, or to "paint off" the stern and raise up the apparent waterline.

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