The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-18
SUBMARINE WAR VESSEL.
t@ s.Ae5 81 H. "t @#-& -s-
The Government Interested in a Mar
Vicious Invention for Coast
Defenses.
Not A. Ripple Caused by the
Graft as 1t Plows tho
Water.
III Successful tho Invention VIII Protect
Our CoMst Against the Fleets of The
~. World. @5@94

that the United States WAS it's sponsor and
was eagerly awaiting its final trial. IL the
com plete success that is now promised ahall
be achieved the coast defense question, now
ths most serious that confronts the govern
msnt in a naval sense, will have been set
tied. and we can defy the combined nnvies
OF the world. This inventor of the boat.
George G. Baker, 10 q well-known citizen of
Chicago. president Of the Baker wire works.
Lie cams to Detroit to launch his venture
undo the auspices of a gentleman olcse to
the secretary Of war, simply because Detroit
offered the best advantages for his purpose
In boat building, and tho boat has boon
constructed to his complete satisfaction.
The boat IN forty feet long. nine feet
beam, fourteen feet depth, seventy-fve tons
displacement. and ia designed to run under
water and fire torpedos. The United States
government has agreed to send naval Off
Gers for the purpose Of inspection when all
tho machinery 10 in place and the craft is
ready for operation at sea.
6hs made the run from Orleans street 70
the River Rouge Monday, submerged to
ths turret lookout and smokestack. was
perfectly obedieat to her helm and sailed
Eplendidly. Steam was uGed as q motive
power.
When in actual work iii the torpedo ser
vice she will DO totally submerged to q
depth Of six feet below the surface of the
water. Har peculiar and finely drawn lines
Offer no resistance or suction points to the
water, and whom she is submerged ct six
feet no ripple or bubble will betray her
passage.
Ghn sill fn Nfyn - ~ Hn~ In yvnfnp 1r A1no-
trioity and the electrical machinery is now
being put in at a cost Of $4,000. Tho tor
podo ID to carry 100 pounds Of dynamite in
cased in a highly maRnstizsd steel shell, 50
that when coming in contact with the metal
Of a warBhip it will stick there until
the explosion takes place, the time OF
which, it has been demonstrated, can be
regulated to q second. The fuse is a secret
which will become iRnited when
soaked with water to q certain degree.
A ffty-horge POWER Jenny motor will be
used to propsl tho boat This will be fur
with 22b Detroit storage battery
cells. These cells will have ruff power
to run this boat At the ratio Of ten miles an
hour for four hours. but going at a slower
spsed the supply will last for u longer time.
She will therefore run forty miles entirely
Tho boat whom submerged will be sup
Piled with sufficient air for the crew Of four
. . AhEb tWtRby ADAtb J. AGiC tllEG
different methods by which this air ID sup
piled, a patents have been applied for in
ths three GASES.
This formidable engine Of wal is Intended
for coast defense, to 20 out and meet the
big ships shat might stand off twelve or
fourteen miles and batter down out cities.
Secretary Humphrey, Of the Michigan
company, is enthusiastic over
:he boat and declares it the great invention
If tho age. He says: This differs from
in keeping an oven keel when going
Others take an inclined shuts at a
comparatively sharp angle. The wheelnoan
las control at his hand of the propeller
wheels, and can defect them 80 that the
ooat will go down or run ct any angie.
Ballast of pig iron Inc pig lead and water
s used. With the lead and iron the boat
sis. But whom the water ballast is intro
lueed, sufficient 1S taken, q little over two
ona, to sink tho vessel to the top of the
upper structure, leaving the turret lookout
projecting above the water.
stOf course, the smoke-stack is not used
With electricity, but a movable stack is
lsed when it 10 necessary to charge the bat
cry with the steam engine. No further
'G1last ID used, but when it becomes neces-
AIRY to sink the boat below the turret look
a slight DETECTION of the propeller
gets her to the dapths desired, and I
urthsr manipulation keeps her on her
curse at the proper depth. Tho torpedo +,
ill be fred by electricity. Walter God
ard Is tho electrician Of the boat and John
lowe 10 the %engineer. (
"Shs can go out forty miles from port. {
aeat the biggest war vessels atloat, place
or terribly destructive torpedo where it
Ill in a few moment lure tho vessel and
er crew to destruction, and at no time be
the slightest danger herself