The San Francisco call., 1897-08-26
WILL Fight
UNDER WATER
The Result Of a Study Of
Submarine Navigation
by G. F. Martin.
A San Francisco Man Invents a
Boat That He Thinks Will
Do Wonders.
Plans and Specifications to Be Sub
mitted to the Fulton Iron
Works.

The result of the studies of G. F. Martin
may now be seen in a model OF a new tor
pedo-boat at his residence, lis Fourteenth
street. This model. with the accompany
ing plans and specifications, indicates
that he has not only given his atten ion
10 ships along the water front of San
Francisco, but he has studied the various
torped o. boats designed by others and cor
recIed .helr mistakes to such an extent
that he is ready to furnish a boat that he
says will destroy everything in the way OF
an offensive flotilla from monster battle
ship to any other torpedo boat that floats.
1t was the model of the fish torpedo
that was selected by Mr.. Martin, and his
boat will look like an imm fish with
a very sharp-pointed nose. The boat,
when in action, will be 81 feet long, with
diameter of II feet. Mr.. Martin feels
sure that it will make "a knots on the sur
face and 16 under water.
There will be four engines IN the boat,
two gasoline and two compressed air. On
the surface one gasoline engine will send
the boat along while the other will be
used for the purpose of com pressing the air
which is to be stored in cyclinders for use
under water. When the boat dips her
nose down and starts for the enemy, the
gasoline engine will be shifted aside and
one OF the com pressed air engines will
take its place, while the other will work
the pumps which fill and empty the
water tanks, By which method the boat
will be raised and lowered In the water.
In the engine-room there will be a plat.
form on which two men will stand. one
directing the movements of the vessel
while the other will manipulate the tor
pedo, which is 10 do the work of destruc-
ton. These two, with the engineer, will
com pose the entire crew.
In place OF a turret from which the
officers OF the vessel may observe the
enemy there will be three headlights,
which will have something of the appear
ance of the eyes of an alligator when he
lies oaskiug on top of the water. These
headlights Will have an elevation of but
eight inches from the surface of the boat
and Will be OF such construction that they
will offer very little, if any, resistance to
the water as the vessel passes through it.
The boat is TO be propelled by powerful
screw of four blades. Back of the screw
will be the rudcer, which will also operate
as Keel.
The construction OF he boat will be of a
nature to make 1t com bine great strength
with lightness. The four ribs running
from end to end will be steel girders and
these will be sheathed with circular sheets
of steel, while the bow will be covered by
two-inch plates Of steel, and will thus en-
able the boat to be used as powerful ram.
The only two openings in the boat,
aside from this provisional hatchway, are
the entering hatch and the hatch through
which the torpedoes are to be ejec. ed.
When in action one torpedo will lie in the
ejector ready for firing. while second vii!
be held in impairment in the rear OF
the engine room ready to be passed for
ward by the aid OF compressed air.
While it is intended that the boat can
remain completely submerged and in
action for six hours, there is no arrange
ment for cooking or sleeping. 1t is esti-
| mated that it VIII cost $35, 900 to build the
first beat. and thereafter they will cos,
about 600 The plans and specitica-
tions are to be submitted to the Fulton
Iron Works next week, and if the bid on
the first boat does not meet the expecta-
tions, then they will lie sent to New Jersey.