The record-union., 1895-03-30
THE SUBMARINE BoAT.

The Government has closed contract
for the construction of a submarine tor
pedo boat. 1t may be of interest to state
that as far back as 1858 or 1854 q shoe
maker living in the town of Michigan
City, Ind, invented a submarine boat,
port. 1t WAS modelled after the lines of
the whiteish, that is SO numerous in the
waters of Lake Michigan. 1t was about
thirty feet long, was made of wood, had
four blade rudder at the stern, and a
propeller wheel at the bow. These were
operated by cranks worked by hand
power. Copper tanks were fitted fore and
aft containing compressed air, with which
10 supply the boats interior. The sides
were dotted with bulrs-eye glasses and
two doors. top and bottom, fitted into
water-tight rubber frames.
With this boat the inventor made fire.
quent and successful trips along the bot
tom of Lake Michigan and opening the
lower door when the boat was down the
occupants could examine the bottom of
the lake. The boat had not much speed
below water. but when half submerged
was rapid. 1t was entirely successful in
sinking or rising at the will Of its
operator by merely shifting the pitch of
the rudder- blades and of the propeller.
each being mounted on ball and sock ct
joint
We have reason 10 believe that this was
the first successful submarine boat built
in this country. The designer was a
poor man and vainly tried to secure
Government attention to his invention.
After time. we believe some Boston
capitalists were induced to invest in the
invention, and unless we are greatly mis-
taken they took it to France where it was
seid TO the French Government.
While submarine boats have been used
IN naval war since l776, none of them
proved sufficiently successful, or at least
they did not come up to the requirements
OF naval demands. But this Michigan
City boat certainly appeared TO fill all
reasonable needs for descent to the bot
tom OF deep waters. An attache of the
REcoRD-UNIoN office was one of the first
persons 20 make descent in the white
nsh boat described. Some time later the
Winans submarine clgsr-shaped boat was
invented and attracted great deal Of at
tention. This boat was the product Of the
genius OF Ross Winaus and his son.
Thomas DeKay Winans. Thomas was
the Inventor OF one of the first patterns Of
the modern plow, and was the inventor
also of the outside bearing on axles. now
so indispensable in railway service.
WinAns received Little announcement
from the Government OF the United
States for his cigar boat, and finally went
to Europe, where be received couuts-
nance and sid, and finally disposed Of his
ri iGhts 70 foreign company.
But we are quite sure that wiasns did
TIos pracede the Michigan City shoe
maker in tbs designing OF the submarine
beat, and Il has always been believed in
she West thar lie got his suggestion for
his ciEsr-shspei cvsft from the white fish
idea OF the shoemaker Of The West. Ever
since the iuyeuuou OF this latter boa.
Americans have been 81 work on The
submarine boat idea, and now the Hol-
land type has been accepted by the Gov
ernmens, aud the oougrao: has been lss.
50 satisfied IS she Navy Department. that
8; las' an almost psrteos boa, has been
planned that The riEh; is reserved in The
contract to purchase the letters patent Of
ghe inventor.