The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-06
Important New Phases Of Submarine
Warfare,

Two novel and suggestive trials OF Amer
! lean devices in submarine warfare are now
In progress. and their real purport and
es specially their real relation are perhaps
not generally understood.
The experiments with the Destroyers
gun arc still going on. and tho latest
| shot Is great improvement over the first,
in point OF effective results. The eccen-
trio movements OF tho proiectles. both YER
tically and literally. have OF course been
surprising; yet it is seen that the subma-
rine gun has good degree OF accuracy at
800 feet. and total range twice as great.
Tho other experiments. simultaneously
| going on. have boen with the BAKER sub
marine boat at Detroit. This is only one
Of several American inventions Of the Sort
| Five years ago Congress provided for build
ing steel submarine torpedo boat. and
not quite four years ago Secretary WHIT
My. under the suggestion Of the Bureau
| OF Naval Ordnance, published a circular de-
| scribing its requirements and inviting pro-
| posaIs for 1t. Speed. certainty OF direction,
| invisibllity. and safety from the encriv's
fire were said to be tho greatest needs In
such craft. But In order that inventors
might not bc discouraged the Navy Depart
mcnt made the following provision:
III no novel method for insurng certainty OF ap.
pronch when srhmerged) he devised design showing
Ht the expense o. invsibty great speed for use out.
side the range OF effective hostile fire would be desira.
bic: providing always tina. submergence to safety
depth be quickly secured and certainty
su be retained when coming within the danger zone.
Within the danger zone part of tho speed OF
may be given up for the sake OF obtaining cover
provided certainty Of approach DO still
until the object attack nintv
Is virtually secure when the boat Is deepIy sub
merged for tho purpose Of obtaining total invisibty
or for delivering the attack at vulnerable point"
A good many things were suggested In
the recent trials OF the BAKER boat at De-
troit, although she was not quite successful.
1t should be noted that SIMS, with his cleo
trically directed torpedo. has recently com
peted III England q series Of successful
experiments from n boat in motion. That
is To shy. at II speed OF eight or nine knots
lie launched his torpedo. which carries n
reel of wire. and sent 1t at speed OF from
fifteen to twenty knots ahead OF him. at
distances over mile. under complete con-
troll as to direction and speed
Now. it Is perfectly feasible to-day to
submorgc the BAKER boat until the coming
tower IL only about one foot above the
water: and 1t makes very little difference
whether there is heavy sea or not. Ac-
cordingly. 1t would be practicable to carry
n SINS torpedo alongside such partially
submerged boat for distance Of q milo
from an enemys blockading fleet. and by
means Of range lights on the torpedo float
direct it with absolute accuracy toward
hostile ship. The charge Of the torpedo Is
900 pounds. 1T is unlikely that any net
could be devised sufficiently strong to with
stand tho blow Of such torpedo. We UNI
dcIstand that the Naval Ordnance Bureau
regards this ms II perfectly feasible plan,
ana That II Will recommend the acquisition
OF trial SIMS boat for this purpose.
In the next place, tine submarine boat may
be considered with view to utilization of