Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-06-27

AN ARTISTS CONCEPTION OF AN
STROYER AND
preaching awe by naval officers every
where. There has seemed TO be some
thing uncanny about them darting about
under the surface Of the waves, and
apparently the great warships Of the
worlds navies were practically helpless
against the attacks OF these artificial ma
rine monsters. The completion, a few
months ago. OF o submarine tOrpedo-boat
for the United States mt Baltimore, in
that country. excited the liveliest In
tercst among naval officers here Follow
ing this. the success Of the Holland SUBJ
marine tOTpclo-boat. news OF which was
Immediately cabled here, set the wits OF
every one TO work. and resulted in the
presentation OF the plans of the strange
craft that IS now being constructed.
The inventors name IS Scrgius Ro-
kosfpky. and he Is q member of the corps
OF marine architects the Russian Govern
Inent employs. with the rank of lieu
tenant. He has long studied the problem
Of submarine navigation, his calculations
being based. strange as IL may seem,
upon come of the principles laid down
ly Jules Verne the novelist, in his
description OF that famous vessel known
the Nautilus. Lieutenant ROkosfpky
told no one but an intimate friend Of his
I.IIe anu Ills laNNr AAtAAA NAiN 4i-Nn VI
Tie success achieved by the submarine in
vention IN America and France excited
such marked alarm. Then. upon advice
OF MS friend. he laid the whole matter
before the Czar's Ministers OF Marine,
md within forty-elght hours his idea was
endorsed. and an order given for the cor
struction Of q submarine vessel accord
ing 20 his plans.
Thus Russia proposes TO make Its own
position superior 10 that OF other govern
men,s by placing in commission as soon
rs possible an engine Of destruction that
VIII cause the objects OF its attack 10
sink 70 the bottom OF tho ocean just as
the submarine torpedo-boat now seeks TO
blow Up warships that lie helpless ana
unaware Of its attack. To be sure. IL has
not tho consolation Of being altogether
unseen in its warfare upon the subma-
zinc torpcdo-boats but IL has one ire
mendous advantage, and that Is that II
has no defensive amor TO contend
AGAINST as the submarine torpedo-boat is
made 20 destroy ships. and not armed
b defend itself.
Tho strictest secrecy IS maintained In
naval circles here concerning the precise
method OF attack which Will be adopted
lv the new craft. IL IS said that this
Russian terror OF the seas VIII ram its
t.a.Nh Na.l.A anu AAAfAA NifttN ftN"ff 'Nr'f.'
Tie crew OF the shattered submarine craft
l0 perish I'm their coffin OF steel The one
important detail of the construction and
1r.rafl0n OF the Russian boat. which IL
D. believed IS not definitely settled, Is the
discharge OF the torpedo ~ short range.
-lls torpedo Is SO constructed. ana It's
fxp0 slye force so nicely calculated, mat
DE explosion will not inJure the RUSSIAN
boat in the least, even though II be IN
..ose engagement.
The task OF locating submarine tor
io-boat which the officers Of the pro-
posed destroyer viii have to face, seems
b. difficult as that Of locating the pro-
verbal needle in the haystack. Science
however. has contributed It's quota 10
lts makeup OF this enemy Of nayiCs, ana
n apparatus has been invented. the
delicate electrical attraction ueedle or
which, superlatlyely sensitive 10 the me-
num OF steel viii az once impel the
Russian craft towards the submarine
victim which IL seeks.
The new boat represents, as a whole. !
lae most modern thought relative 10 sub |
narrc warfare and all that can possibly |
tlpiy thereto. This much is known ae-
irioly Every apparatus that can possl-
l.y 40 the accomplishment OF the pur-
POGO o. toe boat has been utilized. |
iFor now Tho keencst minds are at Work |
.'rEne 20 improve just as the most |
ttIal workmen attainabie are con-
sff4carr the craft an the appurtenances |
thereof The present calculation IS that |
tHe boat viii carry q crew OF four sea-
men and two officers In addition TO |
torpedo expert oddly enough. in many !
ia'ls tho submarine wonder will be /
sery Ike that United States marvel |
known rs the Holland and the accom-
panying illustration shows its possibili- |
tcH ~ terrible execution.
Primarily. II will be an artificial FISH.
modelled IN longitudinal sections very
much Ike a whale about fifty feet long
Tho interior IS 20 be almost entirely
taken up with the operating mechanism,
very little room being provided for living