The sun., 1893-06-22
The Bids for a Submarine Bont.


sion. besides authorizing three 1.2o0-ton
gunboats. set apart from an old unused ap-
preparation the sum OF 100000 to be ex-
pended for q submarine torpedo boat and
for making experiments Herewith.
Nine bids have now been received and
opened under tho Navy Departments call
for the construction OF such boat. Four
OF them. those OF c. B. SCHULTZ and OF A. B.
HOARD. both OF Philadelphia. o BRUBAKER Of
Allegheny. and s. LAKE OF Baltimore. con-
tain merely designs, while fifth, that Of j.
AMBROSE OF Youngstown. o.. though Offer
ing at price. $4,000, contains no accom-
panying bond. The other four. however. are
in full form. They are those OF tho Cowles
Engineering Company, Brooklyn. which
will build boat in twelve months for
Sl2O.cOO; G.. c. BAKER Of Washington. who
will build 1t in nine months for $4,000; the
j. p. Holland Torpedo Boat Company OF
New York. in twelve months. for $4,000;
NJ RUuTERBURG OF Philadelphia in eigh-
teen months for $i75,000.
This is really the third call that has been
made for such boat. Secretary WHITNEY
having twice asked for similar bids. and it
has brought out much tho largest number
of responses. Mr.. BAKER and tho Holland
Company are well-known builders OF such
craft. and were represented also ut the two
former competitions. which did not result In
giving out contracts. Altogether. the pros
pect is encouraging for a renewed attempt
to solve this interesting and important
problem in naval construction.
Tho difficulty with q surface torpedo boat
Is that. being necessarily made very light,
in order to get the high speed required for
her. she may be riddled by rapid-fire and
machine guns before she can get within
torpedo range. AS this range is very short
compared with that OF naval guns. she has
to run the gauntlet Of concentrated fire
as soon as she is discovered. a dark night
will aid her. but electric search lights
now greatly lessen that source OF reliance
Secretary WHITNEY therefore did not heel
tate to express his doubts Of the value OF
ordinary torpedo boats. nor to encourage
experiments with submarine craft. like the
Peacemaker. which was exhibited in the
Hudson. and like the BAKER boat, which
moro recently secured. to a certain extent,
the approval OF Commodore FoLGER
Foreign nations have been busy for the
last ten years on the same problem. NOR
DENFELDT's boats. one OF which was begun
Mt Stockholm Us long ago as. 1882. are well
known. as also are the Spanish boats OF
PERAL and the French Gymnote and Goubet.
the latter named after the inventor. There
are also tho devices of CAMPBELL. RAMA
COTE. APosToLOFF. the Finnish engineer
RINGBoM. BJEvALsKY. the Newfoundlander
VAN WITEN. WADDINGToN. and others.
Some Of these devices use steam, which is
generated while the boat Is on the surface,
and Is confined for use under water: some
use electricity or still other motors. The
degree OF success achieved in certain in
stances is quite noteworthy, yet the prob
lem Is not fully solved.
A good submarine boat needs to be able
to submerge itsclfqulckly. to go long dis
tance under water. to keep on an even
keel. to have good degree OF speed. to be
directed accurately and to supply its crew
with purc air for breathing. There seems
to be very little difficulty In getting n
partially submerged boat. or one with the
turrct only showing. and this turret can be
made very stout. to rosist rapld-hro guns.
Such craft could use tho submarine gun
or controlled torpedo. like the SIMS. But
the aim unquestionably will be to secure q
boat that wholly concealed beneath the
water can approach an enemy.
Such q craft would furnish an important
adjunct to harbor defence. and American |
ingenuity would secure great trium ph IL |
able to supply it.