The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-28
SUBMARINE BOAT TESTED
Queer Craft With Wheel Under 1t, Aimed
to Find Hidden Treasure

Baltimore, Nd, Dec. N.-The first pub
lie test of the submarine boat, built after
plans of Edward Lake, of this city, and
especially designed to explore the bottoms
of water areas in search of sunken treas
ure given recently, proved eminently sue
cessful. The locality chosen for the expert
ment is the body of water known as Spring
Gardens, or middle branch of the Patapsco
River, and the course taken by the peculiar
craft covered about one mile and half.
The water varied in depth from six or
eight to twenty-five and thirty feet. Under
all conditions, whether completely sub
merged, with the deck awash. running over
hard bottom or blowing through the deep
mud, the vessel behaved to the entire sat-
isfact;on Of the designer.
Among those who witnessed the test was
William Master, president of the Column
bian Iron Works, which built the vessel.
The boat, which has been named the Ar
gonaut, has q round hull, and is pointed
at both ends. The sides are pierced by cir
cular lights; al the rear end a propeller
is attached, and at the nose is powerful
reflector. The hull rests upon a carriage
provided with spar wheels, which enables
movements along the bottom.
The upper part is a platform, broken by
a circular coming tower, with an opening
for a telescope smokestack
The motive power IS gasoline for sailing
on the water and compressed air when the
vessel is submerged.
There are four ways Of maintaining the
air supply. During surface steam:ng it is
admitted through a door; down to a depth
of so feet one OF two hollow masts serves
as an injection tube. and the other as an
escape pipe.
Rubber hose is employed until depth of
100 feet is reached. Below this distance all
apertures are closed and compressed air is
relied upon.
This VIII enable the vessel TO remain un-
der water for whole day. With air conn
ing in through the most or hose, sojourn
of three days on the bottom is deemed prac-
ticable.
When everything was in readiness today.
and the more venturesome visitors had al
lowed themselves 10 be shut up in the in
terror, the Argonaut was first propelled or
the surface in various directions. She was
then put through her PAGES. with her con-
ming tower just out of the water.
Next she was sunk 10 the bottom and
again brought 10 the surface. Then she was
submerged and travelled over the bottom
forward and backward. The mud appeared
to offer no impediment. Only when the
wheels struck hard ground did the men 81
men inside feel any marked vibration.
The next experiment was exceedingly IN
teresting. While on the bottom the xessei
came TO a stop. a door was opened on the
side, and through it a diver. clad in the
ordinary diving dress, passed, rising 10 the
surface.
de remained N the water some line, and
then bearded the Argonaut in the way ne
had left q. During all this time the door
OF exit stood open. the pressure OF the at
mosphere inside being sufficient 10 keep cut
the water.
The Argo1sut seemed at az times 70 be
under perfect control. and completed aer
trip without the slightest mishap- Il l. or
lya model. but was built large enough -
demonstrate the success Of the inventors
IDEAS. In very deep water a storage bat
tery VIII be depended upon ior power and
light