Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-06-13
SCIENTIFIC MATTERS.
WONDERFUL PROGRESS IN SCIENCE
AND INVENTION.
A Powerful Engine Of Destruction
i'm the Form of q Torpedo Boat
for Submarine observation-disclosures
tiOn Time in FOOt-RncinH.

for Submarine Operations-Rcac-
tiOn Time in Foot-RacinH.
The contract for the construction of
the Holland submarine torpedo boat
for the United States navy has been
awarded to a Baltimore firm, which
will thus have the honor of building
the first submarine boat for the gov.
ernmept Work will begin on the
craft Immediately: The boat will be
capable Of going on the surface at
high speed; of sinking quickly to a
reasonable depth, and Of travelling
under the water. 1t will be Of steel
throughout. Its shape will be similar
to huge cigar flattened at the lower
side. The general dimensions " ill be-:
Length, 50 feet; diameter, II feet,
and a total displacement of 1873 tons.
There will be two kinds Of motive
power, one for surface propulsion,
the other for underwater navigation.
Steam will be employed when the
vessel is afloat or awash, and twin
quadruple expansion engines will be
fitted in, capable Of developing 1000
horsepower, and of making 500 revo-
lutions minute. The CRATE surface
will be 3S square feet, and the heat
submerged propulsion 7O-horse-
power dynamo and 345 storage bat
teries will be used. 1t is calculated
that when floating light the boat will
make 16 knots; when partly sub
| merged, Is knots; and when entirely
below the surface, S knots. Under
| ordinary circumstances running
awash, her endurance will be Is
hours, and when completely covered
by the waves, hours. It's armament
will consist of torpedo tubes, fitted to
fire automobile torpedoes. Seven
torpedoes will be carried on board.
For surface operations turret and
superstructure have been designed as
protection against fire, and as COW
ering to the interior arrangements.
The turret is to be slightly forward
of the center of buoyancy, and rises to
a height Of four and one-Ealf feet. 1t
is formed of three plates, forged into
cylindrical shape, fastened together
by heavy angle bars, and secured to
| the deck by strong bolts. The plates
vary in thickness at inclination. The
heaviest is four inches thick, and the
greatest inclination is 20 degrees on
the sides. Projecting above the turret
is an eight-inch tube for the pilots
head. About this tube will be the
| smokestack and airshaft, which are
placed concentrically and operated
by hydraulic pressure. The super
| structure is 81 feet long, 5 feet vide
at the base and feet wide at the top.
! 1t is so shaped at the ends as to pre-
sent the least possible resistance to
the water.
The boat is designed to dive to a
depth Of 20 feet in 10 seconds. When
the vessel is running at full speed on
the surface, with the smokestaclk and
airsraft projecting Upward, and it is
desired to dive, Kingston valves,
| placed at the bottom of the hull are
| to be opened and the air allowed to
| escape through valves placed at the
upper ends of water spaces provided.
The blower is stopped. the furnace
| and ashpit doors closed alright, and
the smokestack hauled down and COW
cred. While the work has been going
| on the air has been forced out from
below, water coming in from the bot
| tom has taken it's place, and the vessel
has sunk to a depth where only the
top of the turret is above the surface.
The inward rush of water is control
laDle, anu IL can De maze SO great LuaC
from this time. until the boat is entire
ly below the surface only a few Sec
onds have elapsed. Horizontal diving
rudders, which can be pitched at any
| desirable angle, are provided, and by
their operation the bow Of the vessel
is turned downward. The propellers
are still revolving, and the direction
must be toward the bottom. 1t is
| calculated that for about one minute
| steam can be used for propulsion.
BY the time the boat is below the
water the electrical power is in opera
ton, and no further attention is given
the boilers until the surface propul-
sion is again thought necessary. The
| pilot wishing to rise. the reverse
method is adopted. If the vessel is at
anchor. tho water is pressed out of
tanks containing it by an ejector
pump, and air is driven into the tanks.
If running under the surface, the boat
is simply steered upward by the rud-
ders. For underwater cruising, light
is to be supplied by incandescent
| lamps. The air carried in the super
structure will be sufficient for several
hours, but if it should be necessary to
| remain long under water, a quantity
of air stored on board in nlaganese
bronze cylinders can be drawn upon.
Reaction Time In Foot-Racing.
Prof e. W. Scripture Of the YalaS
49,