The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-09
SAILING UNDER WATER.
The Dream Of Jules Verne Realized at
Last.

A Submarine Boat That Can Be Pro-
PEELED 500 Feet Beneath the Surface.
It's Practical Efficiency Shown by
Successful Tests-The Work of an
Oshkosh Inventor, Who Has Spent
Years in the Task-D Description of
the Boat.
From the New York Times.
Oshkosh, Wis, Dec. 2.-The triumph of
solving the problem Of practical subma-
rinc navigation must be accorded an Osh-
kosh inventor. His name is Richard Rad
datz and he issa student as well as
genius His great work is not.merely in
the experimental stage. Definite, practi
cal results have been obtained. and tn e
vessel that is the embodiment of his ideas
has been tested and proved.
About ten years ago Mr.. Raddatz, then
a student at college, conceived the idea of
constructing a submarine boat, one that
would be thoroughly practical He be-
came thoroughly impressed, and devoted
all his time and energy to the work. His
preparation was most painstaking and
comprehensive. He. studied and expert
mented unremittingly and devoured all
scientific works in point that he could OBJ
tain, and mastered in detail the mechan-
ism and construction of every submarine
vessel, either in this or foreign countries,
of which there is record
A bout a year ago, when he had formed
n number of original ideas and had
reached the conclusion that he was pre-
pared to build successful boat, the young
inventor unfolded his plans to "a number
4 a se,1
build a wooden boat, which. If it proved
successful, was TO be the model of one to
be constructed later on.
The building of the boat was com
menced, operations being carried on in a
very quiet manner so as not to arouse pub
lie curiosity and thus delay the work.
Finally the boat was completed and
launched, and with the exception that it
leaked worked to the satisfaction of the
inventor. He then determined TO build
a steel boat the following year, and
having interested a few of his most
intimate friends in the matter,
work was 0begun in the spring.
Only the best material was used, and Mr..
RaddatZ superintendent work himself.
Some Of the casting was done in this
city, some in Milwaukee. some
in Chicago and New York, and
a snail amount in Paris, France.
Operations as before, were car
rteQ on WnOliy IN secret, only Anew per
sonal friends of the inventor knowing it,
and these doubling the capabilities of the
boat. The ship was at last completed,
and then came the fateful day when the
test was to be made
Alone Raddatz made the first trip. The
awkward looking craft sank from sight
and the spectators were in an agony of
suspense for what seemed an intermin-
able period, until ii again rose, some
distance from the point of submersion.
Other voyages followed, and after time
the courageous inventor had company
upon his journeys beneath the surface of
the water. until ten descents in all, each
attended by trip of more or less length,
had been made. In all the boat was
handled very easily and to advantage, so
that its utility and practicability have
been amply demonstrated.
1t is fifty feet long four feet wide, and
seven and one-half feet high at the high
est part. 1t is made of five-sixteenths
inch soft steel, Of great strength and
toughness, riveted on to an angle iron
framework. with double-riveted seams.
and was built to operate at depth of
800 feet, being about eight times the
depth an ordinary diver would care to
visit, and nearly three times the depth
. ever attained by human beings The
\ ship is therefore capable of visit
ing the bottom at all parts Of Lake
,
TIi&er Basin, sos feet deep, and Racine
GRAND Haven Basin. $50 feet deep At
the Nront of the boat is solid spur three
feet long, and weighing some 500 pounds.
4 similar casting at the stern contains
the propeller shaft and its watertight
stufin8 box. as we'll as the thrust block
of the ship. The shell is com posed cs-
sentiallN of three parts cylindrical
body and two conical ends AT the top
of the cylindrical body is a dome two feet
ia diameter inside, in which are eight
windows, commanding every part of the
horizon, and a Searchlight of 20, 600 candle
power capable OF throwing a beam of
light 500 feet ahead of the ship, clearly
illuminating the path of the ship, and
thereby avoiding all danger of COLLISIONS
with rocks and other obstacles, ana en-
aiding thy steersman to find and distin
guish objects on the bottom, for which he
may or may not be looking
The dome is sarmounted by an eigh-
teen-inch air-tight manhead aud cove.
A rudder at the stern and few small
holes on the side complete what can be
seen from the outside. Inside everything
is made bright as day by three iucandes
cent lamps of high candle power kept
burning continuously, and erous
small lamps placed over different ma
chimes, whose functions ave TO illuminate.
The principal and most complicated ma
chimes in the boat are the series oil the
different parts of the air machine. These
subject the air to a threshold process,
the first being the chemical, the ma
chine, a series of tanks, chambers tubes.
etc, for this operation being situated in
the extreme bow Of the boat, From the
chemical tanks the air is carried to ma
chine, where 1t is Subjected first to d
Northumberland process and then to "a
mechanical operation, after which it is
carried to the electrical machine, where
it is electrified and otherwise electrically
purified and rendered fit for inspiration.
Much time has been spent upon the air
machinery by the inventor, who has pro
duced a correspondingly perfect machine
which can keep the air in the ship in a
pure and healthy condition for a period Of
q twenty-four hours if necessary, and at a
5cst of about 81. The ship is propelled biz
Means of a 24-inch screw wheel. 36-inch
IyAariable) pitch, which is driven direct
hyi an electric motor, running at l.SO0
reAolutions per minute Means of raisingl
and sinking the boat are afforded by'
hydraulic machines. These machines are
of the best steel, and were wrought and
empered in France, and are capable of
landing about nm ,,N4t,1e