The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-08-22
A NOVEL BOAT.
Made to Run Under Water Guided
by Fins and Driven by Electricity.


In the boiler room Of the Delem a.er
iron-works. at the foot Of West
Thirteetk street. dozen men are build
ing an iron steamboat Of peculiar de-
sign, and have about all the plates
riveted In place. 1t Is thirty feet long
by seven and half broad and six deep.
The model is very sharp where the wa
ter Is divided, while the run aft will
give solid water to the wheel. 1t looks
much like substantial steam launch,
except the side frames are carried up
and arched over the top to form the
rounded deck, which wholly covers the
hold except at a round hatch in the
center. At this hatch a well is to be
constructed, with door on one side
leading into the hold. On each side of
the Keel enough lead will be placed to
load the vessel 10 the waters edge,
after all the machinery, stores. etc,
are on board. There are a number of
small compartments which can be filed
with water and emptied at the pleasure
OF the crew, and by this means the
vessel can be sunk to any depth below
the surface. Over the water-ballast
compartments, on each side and be-
meath the floor, are a number of six
inch iron tubes which will be filled
with compressed air, to be liberated as
the air grows foul within the boat.
The motive power Is electricity,
furnished by storage batteries which
will turn the propeller by a common
dynamo. Incandescent electric lamps
will furnish light. The boat is steered
to port or starbord by common rud-
der, while the horizontal rudder or fin
on each side of the stern post will ele-
vate or depress the stern, and thus
shove the vessel further from or nearer
to the surface. independent of the
action of the water-ballast pump. The
inventor. Mr.. j. H L. Tuck, says that
she will attain speed of eight knots
an hour. and can travel 100 miles with
her ordinary storage batteries. A hand
crank is also fitted for turning the pro-
peller shaft. by which q slow speed
could be obtained.
The well hole in the center of the
boat is filled with an air-tight latch,
which can be removed from within.
ANY one Of the crew wishing to go on
deck when the boat is below the sur
face, has only to dress in an ordinary
divers suit, with air tubes connecting
with the interior of the boat, enter the
well. close the door. gradually fill the
well with water, and then remove the
hatch. In the well are suitable devices
for directing the man at the wheel as
well as those in charge OF the apparat-
us for elcvating. lowering and propell-
ing the boat. When leaving the well
the hatch is closed, the water runs into
the water ballast compartments. and
then the man opens the door and re-
moves his armor.
In warfare large torpedo can be
10 each end of the boat. with
a strong insulated wire connecting the
two together, and with an electric
battery in the boat. To apply the tor
pedoes to the bottom Of n ship the
boat has only torun beneath II. When
directly athwart-ships, under her keel,
the pilot in the wcll-hole can loosen the
and allow them to rise under
the bilges of the ship. Then he can
run his boat ahead n safe distance and
explode the torpedoes. Ii desirable a
small cupola, with glass windows and
an electric lamp, can replace the well,
and the boat can be operated from
within.
The boat is designed to remain under /,
water without Inconvenience to the
crew for forty-eight hours, but rub
Der tube device will be attached by
means of which air can be drawn from
he surface of the water under ordinary
A small mercury indi-
,ator will show the boats distance be-
ow the surface. Y. Sun.