The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-21
SAILED UNDER THE OCEAN.
worn THE ARGoNAUr ATGHT HAVE
DONE Ar SANTIAGO

marine Bont-RemRined Under Water
10 Ia H~oura-Found wrecks in Bay and
Rivera Run on the OCEANS Bottom.
BALTIMORE. Aug. ~20.-simon Lake. inventor
Of the submarine boat Argonaut. is very well
pleased with his experimental trip. His object
In making IL was to convince the Governments
that the craft could have boon Of service 40
Santiago and other Cuban ports In cutting the
cables and removing the mines. Incidentally
no wanted 10 test the availability OF the subma-
rine boat In locating wrecks In deep water and
removing cargoes. All who were with him on
the trip agree that absolutely no difficulty was
experienced In going over hitherto unexplored
grounds, nor were those on board incon-
venienced In the least by their journey under
water. James L. Gault. who assisted Mr.. Lake
on the voyage. gives the following account Of
the trip;
"The Argonaut started on her maiden voyage
at noon on May 10 with a crew OF six men from
the dock OF the Columbian Iron Works. The
little crafts bow was turned toward Magothy
River. where wo arrived that night. Before we
had been out very long we found that there
was some trouble with the compass: The little
dial, rs We thought, was placed In q neutral
corner OF the boat, but as the vessel Is built en-
tirely OF iron and steel. and electricity Is used
on board. the compass was very erratic, espos
cially when the electric machinery was started,
This difficulty was shortly overcome. The bin.
naole was placed over the coming tower and
there the compass worked frst rate. It pointed
true on all courses. was not affected either by
the current or magnetism Of the boat. and was
as true under water as on the surface.
From Magothy River we went to Annapolis
and after staying there two days went to Solo,
mons Island In the Patuxent River. Here the
water was very clear. and we experimented
with our searchlight under the surface and
could easily follow our diver as for as he could
60. The next day found the vessel at Crisleld.
Here the Argonaut excited great interest. and
frightened the natives almost as much as IL u
were a Spanish cruiser. The colored popula-
ton hastily packed their belongings and left
the city, remaining away as long as the Argos
naut continued at anchor.
AT Crisleld the supplies ran short and were
replenished. Gwynn's Island was the next
place visited. Here experiments were made in
running the vessel on the bottom. The bottom
found here was Of a very peculiar type. 1t very
closely resembles shelled corn. We tried to
make the boat run on her wheels, but found that
while the wheels would revolve. they could not
get sufficient hold to move the boat. The pros
peller was then set working and the wheels
used as rollers. and the vessel then moved along
very nicely.
1T was here that we discovered our first
wrecks; but instead Of finding buried treas.
ures we found a couple of old hulks that wore
of little or no value. We then went to historic
Yorktown and then put into Norfolk. After
a weeks stay there. lying idle. as Mr.. Lake
had to come to Baltimore. we went out to
Hampton Roads. Here the current was strong
and the bottom rough and billy. We gave q
number OF exhibitions and attracted
quite q lot OF attention, especially from
the naval officers Of the United States
cruisers there. We also gave submarine
demonstrations. in one of which we
ter. Two of Uncle Sans officers requested the
privilege OF making a descent in her. They
the next day and they feared that some acct.
dent might occur which would delay them,
t Aase op liRfo1c thas v ves asE 81 e6is t type e Sers issa
the thing for cutting cables and destroying
Mr.. Lake had hoped to, have the privilege
OF going on the bottom at Hampton Roads and
picking up the cables which connected the
fused him. We then went out to Cape Henry.
Near the lighthouses we found some bargea
work on. them and found that they were loaded
with soft coal. We were unable to unload the
made our way to the broad Atlantic and. when
the conditions, were best for submerglng che
boat. We found it about Twenty-Five miles from
Everything worked as we'll as could be de-
sired. The bottom OF the ocean there IL an
so s1e hard dn that g ons conId hardly = T push Gaf fls sahT
spear down into it. Il is very Interesting to st
In the divers compartment with the door open
the way as the submarine craft goes roninG
over the. bottom above them.
Lake decided 70 try his hand at cGtlc finding
and cable e99tting. and determined to lay9
and ran across and hauled the cable into the
long. The water now was very muddy or nc=
count Of recent r3ins. but the cnbie whIf qnd
there is no doubt that submarine vrsse.s Of
this type would have enabled sampson TO eater
and the siege and bicceksde Would have ibSsSi
over much sooner, and would have saved mill
i'" I'VE O. r e1i'drs am N a the Pa t J for two wseks
experimenting and found several wrecks, The
divers discovered come tim bers OF o vessel said
Of the timbers above the mud had been alnosS
entirely eaten eySags but now, and then one
p sT9 of the way wase thrSonGseSSo. fTTfR e sed pf esssn % SeIs
found to be as hard as iron and thoroughlY
bottom d the ship was entirely, covered with
which held the ship together were nearly al
into Iron OXIDE. which was collected
which they We're ~ s driven en- We Y ot then ii ia Ssvea
s1!Ebf9 SSl II t shs tfIp Ts sr a 3 %in NEARLY 1900
miles. The greatest length Of time OF one subs
was zen hours ana nItoen .minuteA
and we could have stayed longer. The crews
least inco1venience. The voyage would have
been voted q great pleasure trip had the boa1
for the crew. AS 1t was. the engine room, Rals
operating room and sleeping quarters were
all Ia one. The beds were white pine boards
fourteen inches wide. The trip was suticiepL
however, 20 demonstrate satisfactorily the
praoticability OF submarine boats for navigats
Ing the bottom OF oceans. rivers or bays, and
also to prove. the habitahleness and seaworthis
Ing. OF the Argonaut."