The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-08-28
A QUEER CRAFT.

The submarine boat invented by Simon
Lake ana launched at Baltimore last
week, is al Interesting auair, both In
purpose ana construction.
She slid down the ways all right when
ths chochs were knocked out and the
"stringers" sawn asunder, but when she
reached the water she took u sudden dip by
tho stern ana stuck her stern wheel,
which ia 10 got as "a guido and rudder,
hard ana last in the mud. with her bows
still resting on the ends of tho ways
Two tugs broke nine nine-inch manila
hawsers like wrapping cord trying 10
float her OFF, but did not succeed, and 10
is not believed she will be iloated until
her two-ton detachable iron keel has been
lot go and her water tanks pumped out.
Inen it Is expected she will bob up on
an even keel. Ihe detachable keel il
intended to be let go in case the boat
should fail TO rise after dive to the bot
tom. and there is little doubt that 10 will
prove effective, as her buoyancy viii DO
so balanced that the release of the two
ton weight will send her rapidly to the
surface
The boat was christoned Argonaut by
Miss Miriam Lake, granddaughter or
Mr.. Lake, the inventor OF the boat. she
smashed bottle OF champagne against
the side OF the novel craft as IL started on
its way. A great crowd Of people wit
messed the launching.
When engaged in saving valuables from
well-kuown wrecks she is to run on tine
surface OF the sea with her string of
barges, like a tug boat and her tow. She
is also to sink herself and barges to the
bottom OF the coast and run over the hard
sands as IL she were u locomotive with "a
train of cars attached. Tho inventors
of the craft intend TO look for some OF
the 2000 vessels sunk and the slO0, OOO, 900
lost annually at sea. The boat may also
dat fnr mi
lighthouses, bridges, docks and break
waters. She may also make journeys
among beds Of coral or sponge for busi-
ness purposes, and take down scientific
and pleasure parties.
The boat is To be able to descend TO a
depth of 800 feet. and is to sink or rise at
the will of tho operator in the pilot house.
When searching along the coasts for valu-
able wrecks the locomotive will carry
search light, which Is to throw beam
from 800 feet To u quarter OF mile in
width. When the vessel Is on the bottom
the divers are to pass in and out OF her as
readily as they would enter or leave "a
house on dry land. They will also have
the advantage of lights in their opera
lions ana derricks TO assist them. Her
crew may live in her for days without
coming to the surface, and operations
may be carried on day or night and in
calm or stormy weather The inventor,
Ilake. has uC-
complished many of these things, he says,
in an experimental boat. He has wit
nesses that no propelled his model on the
surface in any desired direction, sub
merged the boat and brought her to the
surface again, ana guided the locomotive
along the hottom of the Atlantic uoast.
and walked out of THO craft while it was
under water. and nofie of the sea entered
her. He found marked articles which had
been thrown over board and returned them
TO the beach. The new machine is To
carry six men captain, an en-
gineer and four divers. The hull is built
of steel and strongly ribbed TO Withstand
n pressure OF l30 pounds TO the square
inch. which is the pressure at a depth OF
300 feet. The wrecker is divided into four
com mpartments - the engine ana living
room, the divers room, with an air
look adjoining, and the lookout and
operating chamber in the bow. In the
engine room there will be placed the
steam engine and the boiler which
Ii to operate the vessel when she is run
ming on the surface. A dynamo will DO
geared to the propeller shaft as an auxil-
iaIy force when working on the bottom.
Under the front part of the craft will be-
two wheels studded with teeth to give
them grip on the oceans bed. These
wheels will be driven by an electric
motor. At tho rsar of the locomotive
there will be wheel To carry the weight
aft. The saving in energy by using the