The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-19
HOLLAND TORPEDO BOAT.
A Cigar-shaped Vessel which VIII Dive
IIGe Duck.

In the shipyards of the Columbia Iron
works. az Baltimore, Md. Is an engine
OF destruction which il expected 10 be
more formidable in naval warfare than
England's greatest battleship. says the
New York Journal. IL is submarine
torpedo boat. which Is being constructed
under contract for the United states
Government by the John l.. Holland
Torpedo Boat Company.
The growth OF this curious craft Is
being jealousy watched by John +. tiol-
land, the inventor. who expects In II 10
reap the fruit Of his labor for more
than twenty years.
At first II was designed to have this
boat ready for launching early I'm April
next but owing to the Venezuelan issue
orders have been given. II is said, to I'M
ish the vessel as rapidly as possible.
Many conditions We're put into the con-
tract. but all OF them were accepted by
the inventor III the vessel performs all
that IS promised she Will accomplish full
Is 80 per cent. more than any submarine
vessel ever built
Her dimensions will be: Length, 50
feet. diameter az maximum width, II feet.
displacement-light or floating on the sur
face-llS.5 tons: with superstructure
awash. or with only her turret showing.
1874 tons totally submerged, l3S5
tons. The vessel is expected to have
reserve buoyancy. or tendency 10 rise
of Goo tons when awaSh. and $40
pounds when lying sim under water.
NJ fl|M inc boat =" running AT luz ~littl
on the surface she must reach deptA
of 20 feet within one minute after the
order is given TO dive Automatic ar
raugements must Ice placed so as TO
keep the vessel from sinking below a re-
quired depth.
There are besides. conditions regard
ing the storage of ammunition. for steer
iug fixed course beneath the waves, Tor
supplying air 10 the crew; Tor escape or
the crew in event Of serious damage 10
lfHII hundred other do
tails.
The cost must not exceed $4,000. and
the inventor expects TO complete her Tor
less than $4,000.
automobile torpeiOes and two explosion
air tubes. with the plant necessary to
operate them. will be supplied by the Gov
eminent
when completed the new destroyer will
0utwardly De "A cigar-shaped steel shell,
with a small turrct and smokS-stack
just forward Of the centre. Each OF the
ends viii be- covered with tips Ot solid
manganese bronze, feet inches In
length.
The boat is framed with angle bars.
placed % inches apart and these frames
are covered with 3-s-inch American steel
plates except the top surface, which Tor
greater protection. Is incased In l-2-lnch
0ll-tompered. anncaled steel armor plate.
4 complete double shell Will extend three
quarters 0f her length aft from the stem
The space between the inner aud outer
shells is 10 De used for fuel bunkers and
water-ballast tanks. and this space Is
suh-diyided 10y steel hull<heads placed with
due allowance for the weight each space
D. 10 hold. The boats plates are made
col the best American steel and are strop-
ped ON the inside by bands running fore
and aft. and are also riveted 70 the angle
frames. so that the vessel is capable Of
resisting great pressure.
Bulkheads of steel, ii OF an inch thick,
divide the interior OF the boat into seven
compartments. while thshoors are i-i-inch
steel Amidships Is the boller-room. IL
extends four feet forward and five feet
aft of the midship line. forming a steel
walled room nine feet long. The pilots
cage in the armored turret is directly
over this room.
Forward of the hoiler-rOom Is the tor
Woodworking chamber. a compartment
ten feet two inches long. Next TO this
room, and separated from IL by steel
wall. is the forward tube compartment
twelve feet six inches long. This chamber
extends To- the bow.
Directly ait of the hoilcr-room is the
machinery compartment. twenty feet In
length. and AIT this are three rooms, the
first of whicn are five feet long, the sec
ond seven feet three inches long, and
the third five feet six inches.