The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-07-01


yacht designer of Philadelphia who of
late years has won an enviable reputation
for skill in shipbuilding. He is no mere
theorist, and he is not looking for funds
with which to experiment, for n wealthy
Philadelphian has already ordered sub
marine boat built from his plans and has
furnished the Sal 900 which, it is estimat-
ed, will be required.
There are to no many novel features
about the new boat. In tho first place, she
will accommodate crew Of 10 persons
comfortably, and they will be able to live
for l2 hours beneath the surface without
rising to the top for a supply Of fresh air.
Rising only twice In "a hours, the yacht
will be able to travel for 18 days at full
speed and cover from 4, 500 to 5000 miles
by using only &c per cent Of her power.
The craft will be a cigar shaped cylinder
100 feet long and about 12 feet in diameter
at the midship section. The sides are to
be constructed of mild steel varying in
thickness from three .eighths Of an inch at
the ends to half an inch in the other parts.
In one side and in the bottom large Sec
tion of this steel plating will be so con-
structed that 1t can be slid back, unour-
tanning, 30 to speak, large windows Of
thick and perfectly clear plate glass.
Thus may the yacht be made into a sub
marine observatory at will, for by the
aid of powerful electric searchlights the
depths of the sea can be illuminated and
the passengers and crew may view the
wonders of the oceans bed spread out be-
fore them. The wealthy owner intends to
invite small parties of scientists to accom-
pany him on his submarine trips and
thus add a great deal to the general store
of knowledge.
In the bow of the boat are to be con-
structed two elliptical openings fitted with
air chambers. Through these persons Glad
In diving suits may walk out when the
boat is resting on the bottom of the ocean.
Should it be desired to turn the yacht into a
torpedo boat these doors could be supplant-
ed with torpedo tubes. This would indeed
make the craft a submarine monster.
Creeping swiftly and unseen through the
depths below the warship of an enemy a
blow could be dealt which would result in
instant destruction. Then, as the huge
floating fort settled down into the water,
the commander of the submarine boat,
throwing open his observation window
could back off u safe distance and leisurely
watch the destruction which he had caused.
The diving apparatus of the boat is rad
ically different from that Of any other sub
marine boat yet constructed. The princi-
pie by which the fish sustains himself In
the water and darts up or dives down has
been copied. On either side of the boat
are 10 be two lateral rudders or diving
planes corresponding to the lateral fins Of
the fish. These are to be regulated by q
shaft running through the boat and by a
set of levers which may be operated by the
helmsmaD. When the levers are not
touched, the fins act automatically, so as
to keep the boat on level keel, but when
they are depressed or elevated the boat
shoots up or down just as required.
Should the machinery by an accident be-
come disarranged a reserve buoyanoy Of
from 700 to 1000 pounds, which Is to be
always maintained, will allow the craft to
rise at once to the surface. The air sup
ply is to be drawn from tanks, and after
1t has been used 1t will be exhausted by
means of blowers and pumps to another
compartment, whence IL Ia forced out into
the water.
Motor power for driving the boat forward
will be furnished by gas engines, the gas
being made from gasoline and exploded
by sparks from a storage battery. The
engines will exhaust into the open air
when on the surface, but when under wa
ter the gases will be discharged outboard
by q vacuum pump. There will be two
engines, and one can be disconnected from
the driving shaft and be used to furnish
power for the air compressor. If desired
for naval purposes, Mr., Dantzbeoher says
he can fit such boat with three rotary
pumps operated by electricity. These
pumps will furnish the power for discharg-
ing the torpedoes, and he thinks 1t will
prove much more satisfactory than the
compressed air apparatus now in use.
The craft now being constructed, how
ever, is intended mainly for the peaceful
purposes of science and recreation, and
whether or not her owner ever has chance
to come forward and. destroy hostil
navy to save our coast cities he can at
least furnish his friends with most won
derful pleasure trip in the depths of the
ocean. S. II. MACDONALD.
.-Ess-sssc=.-raE.xs