The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-05-17

Elizahethport, n j., May IL John z.
Hollands submarine torpedo boat was sue
Ccssfully launched at Lewis Nixon's Cres-
cent shipyard today. The launching was
a very quiet affair. Those present We're
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Nixon, Lieut., Com
mander Kimbali, Naval CoGst ructor Hoover,
Naval Constructor Root, Mrs. Isaac Law
renee, Capt, and Mrs. Jackques and Mr..
EihT B. Frost There was some sup
pressed excitement among the spectators
just before the launch, as there was some
do when she struck the water.
by $50 O'Clock all was ready. The top
of the turret was screwed tightly down,
and the word was given and The little YES
sci moved Mrs. Nixon raised bottle of
champagne and crashed il over the bull
dog nose OF the craft, which she chisten-
ed the iIoll2 nd. The vessel sweptdown the
ways In an instant she struck the water
ana her stem cut beneath the surface. An
othe~ instant and the water was sweeping
over the whale-like back, Sizing upward
Ike fountain, when 1t encoun tered
the little turret amidshIship. The how
stood high out of the water: then it sank
down The stern appeared again above tie
surface, and the vessel slipped easily away
in the bay.
Tie Holland was then taken in tow by a
tugboat She resembles a huge cigar Her
cross section is perfectly circular She Ia
pers off almost t. "a point aft, and her TOO W
il round Her length is fifty-fiye feet, and
her diameter eleven feet. OH the back,
properly speaking, she mas no deck; there
Is light sgpersGructure, which extends
from the bow well toward the stern. This
gives hcr an entrance into the water and a
run. and also protects some of her ma
cldnery.
The only entrance to the boat is through
the top us the turret which arises about
the middle. The top closes down 50 tightly
as to prevent the iagress Of water. In the
sides are long Sits Of glass, through " hich
the commander OF the vessel VIII take his
observations.
The vessel is propelled by single screw.
The motive power, when she is running
on tie surface. is to be derived from a
gasoline engine. capable OF generating
fifty horsepower. Sufficient fuel Is car
ried To run this engine 1000 miles.
In trave.inG submerged, an electric mo
tor, driven by Tie current from the storage
aattery. will prppsl the boat. The boat will
have a speed OF eight knots per hour on the
surface, and Of fourteen knots submerged
She has two rudders, One of these is a
Il Stsf4A Ct N
on the horizontal plane. The second is d
horizontal ruddar u steer the craft on the
vertical nlaT' or TO cause her TO dive and
keep hcr running at a given depth under the
surface There are also In the boat tanks
To- which more or less water may be adj
mitted. SO As to alter the trim or disrlace-
ment Ordinarily the craft viii be SO bal
lasted as To have a reserve buoyaRcy that
is. a constant tendency To rise to the sur
equal to l ,0oo pounds When she is
running submerged this will he overcome
by the horizontal rudders.
As to armament there is an 1S-inch
torpedo expulsion tube on the axis OF the
boat forward, for which three auto mobile
torDedos are carried Above this tube,
inCiining slightly upward from the center,
is an s-inch aerial torpedo gun, which viii
throw an Sc-pound dynamite shell over a
mile and a half. Just above the axis, and
parallel to il, pointing aft, is a submari
gun capable of hurting 1SO-pound dyna-
mite shell 500 yards under water with Il
high velocity. These guns are all pneu-
matte, and before placed in the boat were
carefully and successfully tested under the
conditions under which they Will be used.
The boat will have room for twenty dyna-
mite shells
A crew Of five men will be nece ssary to
nut her IN motion. One Of these is herConl-
mander. who viii direct all operations 4
second man will sit at the commander s
feet. ready to grasp any OF the levers about
him. By which he will govern every move
rnput of the boat A third will be the en-
gineer. crowded in the little compartment
aft The other two men VIII work the
guns.
When il is intended to dive, the top Of
The tturet will he closed; the horizontal rud-
dcrs thrown down, and Immediately the
vessel will plunge beneath the surface. As
! soon as she has reached the depth it is Ge-
sired. an automatic device VIII bc set in
operation, which viii keep her moving on "A
| fixed plane.
IN ATTACKING d AbSlliC tldlt-CSilip Nllt
| Holland boat viii move on the surface,
| driven by either gasoline engines, or her
electric motor, until she is within the usual
range Of the enemy. Then she may sink
| herself. until the turret alone shows above
the surface. Being telescope, this turret
may hc pushed up to such height that the
hull will he covered by a foot of water.
The submarine boat Will move on the
enemy below the surface. When she is
within striking distance several methods OF
attack viii be open to her commander
One OF these viii be to get below the battle
ship and send q torpedo at her. Anotheristo
| suddenly stick the boats bow out OF the
water and hurl an eighty-pound she'll al
the enemy from his bow gun.