New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-07
TO BUILD A SUBMARINE BOAT
UNIQUE AND INTERESTING ADDITION
TO THE NAVY.
.,,,.c.,,pr,oS OF A CRAFT WHICH Is EXPECTED
To Rim EIGHT KNOTS AN HOUR UNDER
ATER-CONsTRUCTIoN TO
BE BEGUN AT ONCE
tpv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.1

tsy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.1
Washington. March 6-The Naval Bureau OF Con-
s.ruction and Repairs has completed the prepara-
,ion Of plans and specifications of the Nays first
submarine boat. Within a few days. probably TINS
week Secretary Herbert will let the contract to
huiId the vessel 1t is likely that the Columbia Iron
Works of Baltimore. will undertake the WORK under
the supervision of Mr. Holland the inventor of the
model adopted |; is expected that in eighteen
months the boat will be ready for service As fna-
IN determined upon the craft is a novelty in de-
sign which II successful in practical operations
will prove an important addition to the Navy II
will be capable OF going on the surface at hleh
speed of sinking quickly 10 reasonable depth ana
of travelling under the water 1t VIII De OF steer
throughout Its shape Will be similar to huge
cigar hattencd at the lower side. The general III
mansions will be: Length 50 feet. diameter II Feet
and total displacement Of 13S tons. There VIII be
two kinds OF motive power. one for surface propui-
sion the other for underwater navigation. steam
will be employed when the vessel Is aoat or aWaSh
and twin quadrupe-ex pansion engines will be fitted
in capable Of developing loo horsepower ana oil
making 500 revolutions minute The CRATE surface
will be IS square and the heating surface 700
square feet
For submerged propulsion 20 horsepower dyn-
amo and 345 storage batteries Will be used 1t Is
calculated that when floating light the boat will
make sixteen knots; when partly submerged, nj
teen knots and when entirely below the surface.
eight knots Under ordinary circumstances run
ming awash her endurance will be fifteen hours
and when completely covered by the waves eight
hours. Her armament will consist OF two torpedo
tubes fitted to fire automobile torpedoes. Seven
torpedoes can be carried on board For surface OPP
erations a urret and superstructure have been dc
signed protection against fire and as covering
TO the interior arrangements. The turret Is 10 be
slightly forward of the centre Of buoyancy, and
rises to a height of four and one-half feet. IL Is
formed Of three plates forged into a cylindrical
fh.r hH- heaNx ,ip bar "A
secured TO the deck by strong bolts. The plates
vary in thickness and inclination. The heaviest is
four inches thick and the greatest inclination is 10
degrees the sides. Projecting above the turret
is an cght-inch tube for the pilots head. Abaft
this tube will I've the Gmokestack and air-shaft.
which are placed concentrically and operated by
hydraulic pressure. The superstructure Is % feet
long. feet wide at the base and feet wide at the
top. 1t shaped the ends as TO present the
least possible resistance 10 the water.
The boat IL designed to dive "A depth OF TWEEN
" feet in ten seconds. When the vessel is run
ming full speed on the surface with the smoke
stack and airshafi projecting upward ana II Is
bottom OF he hull are to be opened and the air
allowed to escape through valves placed AZ the
upper ends OF water spaces provided. The blower
is stopped. the furnace ard ashpit doors closed
air tight and the smokestack hauled down and
covered. While the work has been going on thc
air has been forced out from below. water coming
in from the bottom has taken it, place and the
vessel has sunk TO q depth where only the top of
the turret is above the surface. The Inward rush
great that from this time until the boat is entirely
below the surface only few seconds have elapsed.
Horizontal diving rudders. which can be pitched
at any desirable angle. provided and by their
operation the bow Of the vessel j. turned dow
ward. The prOpcllers siil revolving and the
direction must be toward IN" bottom. II ~ cal
culated that for about minute steam can be
used for propulsion. BY the time the boat * below
the water the electrical power is in operation and
no further attention Is given the boilers until
surface propulsion If again thought necessary.
The pilot wishing TO rise, the reverse method Is
adopted II the vessel is AT anchor. the water Is
pressed out Of tanks containing il by eJcctor
pump and air is driven into the tanks. II run
ming under the surface. the boat IS simply st-erod
upward by the rudders. For underwater cruising
light is TO be supplied by ncandescent lamps The
air carried IN the supersructure will be sufficient
for several hours but II IL should be necessary
10 remain long under water quantity OF air
stored board in manganese bronze cylinders
can be drawn upon.
The plans go into detail in every particular and
have been carefully prepared. Whether the vessel
is failure the GOvernmcn: - to lose
nothing II IL does not meet the requirements IL
is to be rejected and the sureties OF the builders
will have to refund whatever payments may have
been made. The general impression in naval cir
ces is that the experiment If we'll worth trying.
and that in the end the Navy may obtain a vessel
Of much value.