New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-22

tower has a trap on top through which the crew
enter and this, too is made 70 exclude water.
The craft has concal ends. and screw astern pro-
pels 1t when on the surface OF the water and also
while suspended between the top and bottom of
the ocean. so long the smokestack is available
a steam engine furnishes the motive power. but
when the vessel is submerged an electric motor.
taking current from storage batteries. acts as
substitute.
The first novel feature OF Mir Lakes scheme is to
have his boat travel, far as 1t is practicable.
a.ong the bottom OF the ocean, after II Is once
deemed wise disappear from the surface. Hence
he mounts II three wheels. one ca on each end
OF an axle pretty we'll forward. and one (B) under
the rudier. His craft IL then very much Ike
tricycle. Power is applied from within TO the for
ward wheel by electric motor. this plan being
less wastetul OF energy than the use Of his screw
propeller. The wheel under the rudder controls the
course Of the boa, when she Is at the bottom. and
Is operated by the usual steering apparatus Mr.
Lakes reason FOR employing this method OF pro-
erosion is that he believes II practicable thereby.
after submergence to reach an objective point with
greater certainty than by aiming for II through the
water. There many detecting influences from
unknown currents that he is sceptical about any
o. the other boats thus far exploited ever coming
so near to the mark as h. hopes TO DO. or course.
AZ soon as boat SINKS below the surface. It's pilot
cannot see the ship he is aiming for and. no matter
how accurately the enemy has been sighted before
bind" The foo;hold terra hrma, Mr.. Lake
thinks is a surer reliance In getting there" when
one makes a run OF four or five niles entirely under
water. II must he remembered that submarine tor
pedo-boats are intended only for coast and harbor
defence. and hence required only In compare
lively shallow waters. Most 81 the way along the
Gu.f OF Mexico and Atlantic coasts one may go
dozen miles or moro from shore without finding
depth OF more than 100 l25 feet. and practically
everywhere in those regions. except up near Maine
the bottom Is believed 10 be smooth. hard sand
Boats may be butt to withstand greater depths but
probably ijo 2o feet Is the utmost that would be
reached In torpedo service
To sink out Of sight all the submarine boats
for nava. warfare thus far conspicuously discussed
admit n certain amount OF water through suitable
valves into proper compartments \ slight reserve
Of buoyancy is rctaine l. however to assist in sub
sequen, ascent and mis- IS overcome for descent In
the Holland boat by nn-lke ruiders that steer the
boat downward and tina, continue to depress her
course long she is In motion and so long as
they are held In that position The Baker boat has
her propeller mounted on transverse smart run
ming through her amiiships. and that shaft can be
violated so a. aim the propeller upward and thus
force the vessel down. or turn them downward and
force her up In some cases water that has been
admitted Is pumped while the craft Is still be
low. Mr. Lake admits water as the other inventors
DO in order sink. and also retains n reserve OF
buoyancy" but to effect his further descent or 70
Of three different devices one is set Of depth
regulating vanes" designed primarily to perform
the ONCE which their implies, while the boat
is moving. They are fiat. rectangular blades ODD.
usually he'd horizontally. but pivoed and mounted
so that their forward edges may be tipped upward
or downward and steer in either direction. This
apparatus has a special value when approaching
the enemy II Is then desirable to run certain
distance below the surface. say fifteen feet Now
these vanes are automatically controlled by In
gcnious apparatus. The pressure OF the water In
ar object immersed therein varies with the depth.
It Is possible. then. to construct gauge Of such
pattern that when an index hand IS moved along
the scale to A certain figure, say II, the vanes Will
bring the boat to the depth corresponding to that
pressure and keep II there
Another method OF getting the boat to the bottom
Ia to set in motion pair OF propeers &C. G, under
the keel They rotate in horizontal planes. Re-
volvlng in one direction. they pull: in the other.
they push. This plan. however. would be rosorted
to only for nearly perpendicular descent which
could be accomplished In a still different way.
These propellers. therefore intended mainly
for another use. TO be mentioned presently. When
the bottom has been reached by either OF two
systems additional water is let into the craft.
as to give enough weight for traction purposes: for
the driving wheels would not propel unless there
was some weight resting on them.
The third plan for sinking the boat when she ia
not under Roadway. and there is no haste. may
be describcd-hcr although 1t would probably be
used frequently In torpedo service than In
tain peaceful pursuits for which these boats
designed In watcr-tght wells (W w suspended
weights each OF about 600 pounds The latter be-
ing lowered to the bottom and enough water being
let In TO leave the reserve OF buoyancy less than
a ton men would be set TO turning winches and
thus hauling in the ropes to which the weights
were secured In this way the boat would be pulled
down steadily to her quasi anchors II the men
operated properly the craft would he kept level
during this performance Obviously. when the
ropes unreeled again. the reserve of buoyancy
would tend to bring the boat up to the surface