The sun., 1898-04-03
THE HOLLAND BOAT.
FACTS ABOUT THE SUBMARINE CRAFT
WHICH WAS CHRISTENEO IN BLOOD.
The SaDguinary Launching Incident Which
Sailors Regard NJ Significant Omen.
How Mrs. Nixon Broke the Bottle ON the
Diving Boat.

In these times. when torpedoes and
torpedo boats are occupying so much OF
the public attention, new interest is add.
ed to tie experiments with the Holland
submarine boat. Great things have been
promised for this craft, but as matter
of fact much is yet to be demonstrated.
There is a vast difference between declar-
ing that boat can dive to the bottom
Of the ocean and run for hours without
coming to the top and the executing of
that somewhat startling maneuver But
there has been a similar difference be.
tween the claims made for the boat by
its inventor and those made for him by
enthusiastic Hut uniformed writers.
Inventor Holland has been testing
his new boat in the waters about New
York harbor recently, and, although he
has not sunk to the bottom Of the ocean,
he has succeeded in submelging his
craft for several feet. This would be
enough to protect her from the heaviest
fire in case Il hostile warship should try
to sink her. During the tests the sub
marine boat carried two steel fiagstaffs
BY which her course and the depth to
which she was submerged could be
plainly seen. In actual warfare she
would carry 10 such telltales and wonld
be as perfectly hidden at the depth Of
half dozen feet as at SO.
There is little doubt but that this
craft would provea formidable addition
to our navy, for she is fitted with tor
pedo tube, and at an hours notice could
be sent out armed to destroy the most
powerful battleship afoat. The torpedo
gun Is located in the stern of tho boat,
and it il Mr.. Hollands plan if sent on
such mission to dive under the war
SHIP and discharge the deadly missive
just as his craft rises on the other side
of the enemy-a back hand stroke, as it
were, which would be fatal one, for
at such close range there would he no
possibility Of missing the mark.
The Holland boat was built in the
shipyard Of Mr.. Lewis Nixon, formerly
a lieutenant in the United States navy.
When it WAS launched, something hap
pened which naval officers, who have
imbibed much of the superstition which
the everyday sailor has, regard as sig
nificant. They say that the Holland was
christened in blood and that she is
bound to be destructive craft
The christening in blood happened
in this wise Mrs. Lewis Nixon. the
wife Of the shipbnilder, was invited to
christen the Holland. Mrs. Nixon has
probably named more craft than any
woman, married or single. She took
great interest in tho Holland from the
time its frame was bcgun.
AS Mrs. Nixon stood Oh the platform,
clutching the pint bottle Of traditional
champagne, the inventor Of the Holland
was hMrying nervOusly about watching
the men preparing to chop away the
supports. Amid the din of the axes and
hammers Holland rushed up to Mrs
Nixon and said:
do be sure that bottle breaks. ~
The magical thrill of life quivered
and shot through the keel up to Mrs.
Nixon's hand. With terrific crash she
struck the bottle against the black bow.
The glass few into a thousand pieces.
With the remnant of the nerk still
clutched in her upifted hand Mrs. Nix
cn watched the Holland dip and cour.
tesy to her as it started slowly toward
the water.
Look at your hand, Mrs. Nixon!'
called one Of the guests on the platform
Mrs. Nixon's hand was bathed and drip
ping with blood, flowing from cuts
made hy the glass.
1.-The Holland will lie fighter and
death dealer, announced the same nan
with solelnnity. IL never knew it to
'all, that tho blood shed at II christening
'"ant the new craft would carry disas.
! = and he fiyhtnrp ~