The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-08
LAUNCH OF H PLUNGER.
GOVERNMENT SUBMARINE BoAT IN
THE WATER AT BALTIMoRE.

me IL the Holland Boat for which the Navy
DEPARTMENT Contracted BtGers rron the
Roat Launched ut Elisabeth In Some TIM
portant Detniis-Descviption or the Craft.
BALTIMORE. Aug. 7.-Amid a din Of cheers
and tho shrieking Of steam whistles, the Hol-
land submarine torpedo boat Plungcr glidcd
down the ways of the Columbian Iron Works
at noon to-day. As she struck the water she
rolled violently from side to side. and the men
on her superstructure, who had volunteered to
20 with her on her first plunge, chung TO the
masts. which bore the Stars and Stripes and
navy e jack" Several ladies screamed in fright,
but after q second or two tho steel fish slowly
rlghted and rested with about q third Of her
body above the water line.
On a platform erected beside the port bow Of
the boat stood Miss Ernestine Wardwel and her
father, Col. wardwell. In her right hand Miss
wardwell hold q bottle OF champagne decorated
with ribbons of tho national and Maryland col
ors. Tho moment the vessel moved she shat
tered the bottle against the bow and said:
II christen thee Plungcr."
A cheer arose from tho asscmblage. which for
an hour previous had been pouring through the
gateway OF the iron works. and then every
thing ashore and afioat in the neighborhood
that possessed a steam whistle blew 1t in salute
to the strange new craft. The tug Mohawk was
IN waiting IN n'iustreaH ahu was sooh "ione'
aide tho Plungcr. The tug towed her back to
the works. w. o. BeckenbauRh then mounted
the platform and sang the verses of a song he had
composed for the occasion. The first was to the
Plunger, the second to Mr.. William Master,
President Of the Columbian Iron Works. and the
third to John p. Holland. the boats inventor.
He was applauded upon the completion Of the
song. and then sang Tho StarSpangled Ban
ner."
49,. ~ Ia,I,nS ionnos.s =, S,San.. ~
- !. to-os5o.. tror, TO t,hs. IN No. ~ =,
Sa.' Ts" uom.ns aa. 81. s.. IN
pedo tube IN her bow. but an aerial gun in the
- "a ..nnr,In. a,n IN hor stor, Tho
Plunger is simply a submarine torpedo boat.
Tho Holland can fiRht most destructively. prob
ably. when running on the surface. being capa-
bic Of hurting dynamitec cartridges through tho
cir for a distance of a mile or more.
Tho PlunEer, being the hrst vessel OF tho kind
authorized by the Government. was loaded down
snorn w.r" sunn,,es hr the e,PHe o,I .ns n Comn y
them, and aSsin.t the better Judgment Of the
hoiena company 2 MAYA e1perts, one OF these
able the vessel 70 remain stationary in the water
when saomergeo: Ahother was the use OF Two
one cou!a pe used az one time and therefore, an
extra lube Is supernuous. The use OF steam for
s soEI Sn TGsn.9 e s ana ' rss SGaassSqq as 4 nsss rs%nse q
T Inc n ota uses saspsne .oE s than n buh Pans.
ger. but i much simpler. a pattsr Of great i'm.
PoItsnce IN s Hn Sininn n ~ Inc essen.
1ai ieatHres In oivlhg sha IN running unoer wa
Lhis description Of the Plunser is from the
b8itt,hore sun , a. ,... nm, d,,n.,,1
feet, :he has : displaosnenI when foatinE light
q hoS tons: and when down 70 the load line, or
se,s Of motive power sre provided: one for The
Snoas a T Tat = M y nSsSo
snE.n s;, WITH ii steam faInIshsd from . water;
S sor syssns a cSis q 1e,n ss1is p%iii au mStSr lie 6sd nd dIS%
S Tnsn ss1 ans s,sr.r inc oe,l st sas 40 P soTsset etss Ct nc
81 reaaiiv H Ieyersiibie in tbeir aetionl tbus AZ rem.
SSna3a ~ stasm eneina be;ns nsed as a a n-ine
Gntar 'T = s sieai newer o s Iso b 40 cappnct'
Cd saa 70 e pr% o9si,Ion shaft ia l placed cdI IN the s1 m,, q II, The
main propelier shafts. The moor may thus
operate a special propeller, IN addition to driv.
engines.
The capacity Of the storage cells Is amply
eivfne Oh the power REQUIRED 10 propei the YES.
seIma speea OF ABOUT . kn3ts i9r AZ Least siH
al Nii1 zach y aneed Sf IL fnots in the ivht
conSitions- WhiIe she viii he Sbie To reachS IL
k kbifs With VII i three ib feet q 9 water s SS;ss 1.-THE the hull
viii be aoceptebiel
AT thaaa snaada an endurance NJ ATTAIN honpa
axaSS snS teT bonr. submsrosS ;a antic,ns,aa
she viii carry no guns or other armSment ex.
can, Avs an;omohfa forn.Soss to he Ia"nchad
fram two eTpniaion tuSea Two SdSitionai tor.
nedoes can be Garfield IL desired
This Iittls yesaeI has hetter nro.ect;on than
anv 1nns couIS ave her in her nhiHtv n aseI
nro,sction nndeS tSe water IL rannirements
Are fulfilled, even when runnine at fuii Ipeed on
fhe snrface in q normal condition With smoks
sisct nm she viii Ia AHA 10 reach = dsntS M
tWSntv fsst v,thip twenty saconda aSter m
swSatI Lges ~ s"1yHv ny sSeooavs stteL ny
order " gisen 10 dive: win tnrSe teet OF watsi
orer INC nv u u ruhI ~ n taa speea ~ Wy
OF twenty feet within ten ssconds After the ordeII
tUrrnt ,isss sbnnt ponr ana = hsif fs., nha1s Nv
hull the pilots head being protected BY an ar
hH connieteiv sphmsrSed ~;th threa Ies, ~
Water nysr TIE tnr,et Whil. he pjInt oh, AIMS !
vieW ovsr the water Nv mean. of ~ !, camers
iucida In a tnh. thet nroyscts anove tho s~rTsrc
49, comnIets shsil snnrronnas the vsssei ron
the starp AZ 10 ahont .hrae-ons tsrs ~ ~.
ien0tb Of the ho.t Tbs torNerd onen mae
within the inner sSel contsin" the tnrna5p an
nnisinn tmbes Ahnft ~ .his ansc = n ~ bo;Isr
Witch IA incased in aabeatoaD with a donbi,