The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-15
SUBMARINE WARFARE
PRESENT PROMISES OF SUB
MARINE NAVIGATION.

Craft Passes Under Craft-NaVal Bx-
perts Pleased With the Baker Boat
at Detroit-Whet is Doing in This
Line Abroad.
| Washington Letter In Nel1 York Times.
Commodore Folger, the naval chief OF
ordnance, has returned from an important
trip to Detroit, where he witnessed the
trials with a submarine boat, a type of
naval construction in which the bureau of
ordnance has always taken great interest
and toward the attainment OF which the
efforts of the department have been. to a
limited extent, directed. The boat tried is
the invention Of George c. Baker Of Chi
cago, with whom the navy department has
had correspondence IN former years on the
subject of submarine navigation.
! Commodore Folger said to a reporter:
| THE trial of the Baker boat was very inter-
estng. 1t is the first really encouraging
| thing in the way of submarine navigation
we have had in this country. and justifies
| the hope that something may be done In
that direction which shall materially in
crease the effectiveness of the United States
naval force"
"Do you think the experiments at Detroit
point to new line Of construction in the
| navyW was asked.
"They certainly indicate that it is worth
struction. 1 can tell better of the future
| possibilities after have seen the Baker boat
| in its improved condition"
The boat will be increased in power and
changes made in the motive apparatus that
she may become more reliable and prompt
| IN her performances. She will be tried very
thoroughly when certain alterations have
been made by the inventor. The trial at
Detroit, coming as it does in the same week
as the experiments at New York with the
Ericsson submarine gun, is suggestive of the
line of future thought and application in the
navy.
The ordnance experts and naval con-
structors have been encouraged by foreign
experiments in the same line TO believe that
warship could be operated at will under
the surface of the sea. The importance of
such craft is obvious
1t multiplies in deadly efficiency the tor
pedo, and seems TO realize all the diabol-
ioal purposes OF autagonism afioat The
American officers in Europe have closely
observed the progress of submarine boat
experiments on the continent, and have
kept the navy department informed of the
results. From the accounts which have
found their way to the department, France,
Spain and Portugal have attained more or
less satisfactory results with boats capable
of going beneath the surface of the water.
In Spain, of the three built, the Gymnote
has travelled under water for forty minutes,
going nearly three miles in that time and
passing beneath line Of torpedo boats rep
resentng a blockade.
The Gouber is now being used as a school
for the French naval officers, who are en-
abled by this means to become familiar with
the mysteries of submarine navigation and
the peculiar working and management of
the boat. Some of the French authorities,
including the admiral. Lespes, who has
charge OF the experiments with the craft,
express great satisfaction at the perform
ance of the boat. During one test the boat
ran about harbor for some time at the
rate OF about six knots, gong down and
rising at will. Then she went down to a
depth Of five meters, and preserved at this
depth absolute immovability.
In Spain the Peral, invented by lieuten-
ant Of the Spanish navy of that name, is
represented as not having fulfilled the
promises of its designer, and the experts
have asserted, in the light of the inability
OF the Peral TO como up to the ideal. that
the problem of submarine navigation is
stillwithin the domain OF experimental.
Lieut.. Peral was invited by the authorities
to build another and larger boat. He &C
cordingly drew up plans for boat of 100
tons, the original Peral being eighty-fve
TONS The authorities and Peral quarreled,
the former insisting on certain conditions to
be observed by the inventor, while the lat
ter held that he should be- allowed liberty of
action, and SO between them the work of
construction was not undertaken.
In Portugal man named Mello has in
! vented a submarine craft appropriately
called the Plongeur. 1t is cylindrical in
shape and its two propellers are worked
by electricity, which is stored in accumu-
lators. Torpedoes of various types are used
for the armament of these boats.
In the United States there have been
good many designs prepared for submarine
boats, and enthusiastic inventors have been
found who were certain of the powers
of their invention, but, beyond Mr..
Bakers boat, the navy department has
had nothing presented to it which
really merited serious attention. The
department has had before it plans
that might amount to something
IL the money for construction were forth
coming from a conservative congress. In
1889 the navy department invited bids for a
submarine boat, and two bids were received.
The bureau of ordnance was taken with the
design covered by what is known as the
Holland type Of submarine boat, which
came In with the bid of the Columbian iron
works Of Baltimore. The other bid was
from George c. Baker, the inventor of The
boat tested last week. The department
found that it had insufficient funds at its
| disposal for the construction of a submarine
| boat and the coast defense vessel, which it
then had in view, and the available appro-
| priation for the former Yves sacrificed In be-
| half of the latter.
| 1t was recommended by the bureau Of
ordnance that $4,000 be asked of congress
! for O submarine boat, but nothing has ever
| come of the recommendation. The sub
sequent progress and development in
| storage batteries and electric motors has
established confidence among ordnance
officers THAT electricity can be utilized by
submarine navigation, feature that
greatly simplifes the problem. Commodore
Folger has urged upon the department. the
advisability of inviting plans and proposals
for building a submarine boat which would
be adapted to naval purposes. It really
| seems at last as though the navy would
secure such a craft. It will depend upon
the results Of future tests of the improved
Baker boat.