Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-12-24
TO STEAM UNDER WATER.
A New Submarine Beat Constructed in
Detroit.

DKrRolr. Mich. Dec. ss.-A new sub
marine boat has last been constructed ai
the Detroit Boat Works. from cesigns By
Frederick A. Ballin, naval architect Of this
city. George c, Baker Of Chicago being the
Inventor. The invention consists in re-
vsrsihle propellsrs working on each eide Ct
the boat amsdships, Their duty 10 10 pre-
pei Is well as regulate the desired INNER
sion. When the boat 10 in operation very
little OF the hull will be visible, and because
Of this an observing tower Is provided At
the highest point, surmouuutins IL couple
Of feet. The power necessary TO .ubmerse
the remaining portion of the hall, amouat
irg to about ten cubic feet. will be very
small.
shaft to any dastied angle, /, is evident tha,
the wheels will have tendency to draw the
blat downward at 40 obliqae angle with the
level Of the water, hu. ~ the remainins
buoyaney sets perpen3icnlark Upward, the
direction OF the boat will be in the hne Of
the resolvept ef these t~o forces. The
more scute the angle Of the shaft the deeper
die boat will sink. IL turned at sa angle
sf 80 degrees there will be no more forward
motion, but, instead, 3 vertical downwAtd
motion. As the buoysucy changes shghtly
with the depth under water, there will be .
certain point where i, will be possible 10
maintain = direction parallel With the level
Il the water At sny desired depth.
The experimental beat Is bu,l, Of wood
for the sake Of ecor o nv. although origin
ally designed TO he made of steel, ltis 40
sset long, feet wids. and II feet deep.
TIE hull is constructed of solid oak ffsmsr,
nodded inches, and boited together fore
and aft without spaces. These france are
covered With 6 skin Of prepared canvAs,
over which 4 one iaeh plsrking is fastened,
well calked, making the thickness Of the
she'll seyen inches Sli through. The iong,.
tudinal sections are pArshoiic, while all
cross sections are true ellipses. Ga the
inside ths null is well braeed by beams.
shelves Enj strinsets. and II 10 cslenisssd
that 1t will Withstand safely Al external
pressure Of 40 pounds, equivalent to sub
mersian Of SO feet.
ihe question of power was the most i'm
po,tsrt one - solve. Storage bst,erie.
naturally suggested themselves as they re-
quite neither fuel or air. but they we're
ruled out when il vas demonstrated that
400 cells, weighing nearly Is tone, could
furnish the necessary power for only 10
hours before they would have to bs re-
charged. Steam vas iiuslly adopted ~
the one most simple, reliable and attainable.
The machinery in the boat consists of .
90 hor,e power Roberts safety pipe boiler
and by 8 inch Willard engine, an ex-
hsust condenser, a Worthinston duplex
pressure pump, and a 10 by Ii by ~
inches Hughes blowing engine, and also =
hand force pump. Tbs boiler bad TO be
built up inside the boat. The outtide
casing is made of one. quarter inch steei
boiler plate, riveted ana cslked, and as the
fire door and Ash PIT covers eau be screwed
down perfectly sir tight, no gas can eecape
inside the boat.
The smokestsck is conueeted with an
outside eas;-iron conduit. which 10 provided
with check controlled from the inside
TIE blowing engine is capable of changing
the air 10 the boa! in two minutes. drawing
it through four inch iolet pipe, which can
be extended eight feet above the bull At orr
end Of the boat and discharsina It AT the
other. II submersion is desired the dis
charge 10 closed, and the air eau be stored
In the hull at a pressure OF about bfteen
pounds suii e.ent Ia quantity to last three
men for several hours.
Ingress to the boat 10 secured through
the observing tower, which 10 provided with
tight fl i;irg cover that can be opened or
shut from the inside. rne body Of ths
tower hiss around the sdos five eide liah.
or psep-holes, and the cover 10 closed BY
one OF hesvy glsss.
The lateral direction Of the boat is con-
ttolIed by balanced rudder under the
stern, which Ia worked by u steering wheel
si,psted at the tower.
Be.ides the machinery, about % tons OF
iron and five tons of water 10 needed to
ballast the boat to ,he required draught, and
the water can be pumped out by either
steam or hand ia case of emergency. The
exhaust from the different engines is con
deuscd by The siphou and expelled at the
side Of the hull. The interior is lighted By
incsndescent lights, electricity being fur.
nlsbed by eight 900-ampere Woodward
cells.
An anchor will be carried on top Of the
hull, And two tow posis are provided for
fastening lines. An iron railing secures
against slipping from the top
1t is claimed for this boot that her every
movement. forward, backward. up Ard
down. will be controlled BY steam screw,
and that she will no: Dig her nose in the
mud, bs has hsppe ned to every submarine
boat thus far built.