Telegram-herald., 1890-03-06


beam OF electric light can be sent out
through the lower half Of the pane. so
IS 10 illuminate the water a hundred
yards ahead when the boat is below the
water, and 10 act as a search-light or
signal when the latter is above the sur
face.
Behind the tower are several holes
communicating with Air-pumps in the
vessel. These are lifted with telesco-
pie tubes which. when pushed out TO
their utmost extent will attain .
height OF thirty feet. and SO enable the
crew 10 take in fresh air when they are
submerged TO that depth. An ingenious
system OF floats. valves and counter
poises, similar 10 what is used in we'll
plum bed American houses, prevents
water from entering the tubes without
interfering with the inflow of air. All
parts OF this mechanism which pro ect
above the water are shaped and painted
so as TO be undistinguishable from the
sea, and its fotsam and ietsam at a
hundred yards Behind the pilot house
the tower is arranged for the ingress
and egress OF the crew The idea OF
the construction is apparently borrowed
from jules Verne's romance of Eighty
Thousand Leagues Under the Sea e"
When the outer door is open the little
compartment disclosed is air tight and
air-light, as far as the interior of the
vessel IS concerned.
About fifteen feet from the tower
there seems TO be hatchway, whose
cover its almost hermetically. On the
deck in line with the tower, both IN
front or and behind the latter, are square
apertures. filled apparently with plate
glass, but seemingly so arranged that the
glass can be covered with steel shutters.
On the edge of the deck. or rather on
the side, is more numerous series, but
much smaller than in the centre. On
the sides OF the boat are fanges or
wings TO keep the craft level and
prevent rolling. and on the bottom is a
solid metal keel. The last is very in
6 enious and serves two purposes. Un-
der ordinary circumstances it acts as
ballast, and steadies the vessel very
much as the heavy lead keels do on the
great English cutters. When, however,
the machinery gets out of order and the
boat in consequence is unable TO ascend
to the surface. single motion OF what
is called a safety-lever disengages the
keel and the boat rises by its lighter
specific gravity.
OF the interior OF tho boat little Is
known, Peral and his assistants having
carefully guarded its secrets. Storage
batteries and dynamos of the latest
pattern were imported from Paris and
put into the hull and probably supply
the motive power. English air-pumps
and alr-com presSors were likewise i'm
ported and put into position. When
the boat ascends, its pumps can be
heard forcing water out OF its interior,
from which it is easy to infer that like
other submarine boats, the Peral has
metal water-chamber connected with
it's pumps.
The last trial occurred on Decem Der
Il. 1852. and lasted from $50 a. M, to
5.45, nine hours and quarter. During
this period, 1t made the following
record.
!. On the surface it displayed a speed
varying from seven to twelve miles an
hour.
ii. When submerged 1t displayed
speed varying from six to eleven miles
an hour.
Ill At full speed it turned in ten
lengths: at half speed in five lengths
and when slowed down in two lengths
". 1t subme ged itself in thirty,
thirty-fve and forty seconds.
V. 1t remained below the water
thirty-two minutes invisible and un-
tracesble. during which time it ascended
and descended. turned. went at full
speed, backed and remained motionless
at the will of | eral.
VI. II remained sealed six hours
above and below the surface. showing
that, il necessary IL could stay below
the water for that length OF time.
VII At the distance of mile. I: was
impossible TO distinguish the tower
when the body Of the boat was sub
merged.
VIII 1t rose to the surface in half
minute from a depth OF thirty feet
While the inventor professed himself
as more than satisfied with the trial
trip, he announced that there we're
number OF points in which be could
make Improvements upon the vessel
One OF these was an increase in tho
speed: second was an increase n tho
amount Of compressed air carried and
OF the power OF the air-conn pressors.
and . third was an Improvement in
the optical facilities OF the coming
tower.
Peral is still the hero OF the hour.
Before the last success the governments
advanced $40. 600 70 defrsy bis expenses.
private citizens added s2S. 000 more. and
one ardent patriot n BusnOs Ayres
sent him the hand some sun of 500. 900
for the same purpose. II IL we're ne
CESAR ne coBld nov obtain = conces-
sion 81 $1,000. 600 from the State and
twice as much more from his fellow
countrymen. The effect % rersls in
vsntion upon foreign nations has been
more shan noteworthy Ssva. en-
rineers, constructors. uscbanics. ma
chinists. officers and scientists from
England France Germany. Russia.
Italy. Austria, Portugal Torksy. Den
marx. Holland and even lifte Greece.
s-s a. thioz here ss briEadisrs ve-s in
Washington during ne war It isex-
pec,ed thst another trial trip viIi p.
bad in TIE latter part - April tbisysar.
GoSsALvo = De PIxro.