The evening times., 1898-12-31
FRENCH SUBMARINE
lTpRpEDo BOATS
SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS MADE
Text of n Conhdehtial Oficial Re-
port From an American Naval
Attache.

The efforts of French naval officers to
perfect submarine torpedo boats appear
to have been at last crowned with sue
report from an American naval attache,
which has just reached the Chief Intelli-
gence Office of the Navy Department.
The results reached by the French indi-
cate that for defensive and offensive pur-
poses underwater boats will play an i'm
portant part in future blockades, and that
1t will probably be out of the question for
an enemy's feet to lie off French port
after the manner in which Sampson
blockaded Santiago. This report, which
will doubtless have the effect of directing
attention anew to the Plunger, near,y
ready for trial at Baltimore. and which
may increase the Congress appropriations
for vessels of this type, is as follows:
Lieut.. Darcius, French navy, has been promoted
to the grade OF commander. and assigned 20 the
position OF cllst OF the military cabinet of the
ministry Of marine. His promotion was due %
the great success which has attended his efforts
during the last eight years in the study Of under
water navigation Largely the result of las
labors six submarine torpedo boats are provided
for In the French naval budget ~ Isyg. Full de.
tails concerning them have been given out.
but the following information i obtained
These boats, which 10 bC laid down in the
various arsenals, Of the following Dimensions.
Displacement. lO5 tons; length. Ill feet breadth.
IL feet; maximum draught aft. feet and horse
power. 2l1, which, operating a single screw wiil
drive the vessels twelve knots on the surface
They will carry four sets Of tOrPedo-launching ap-
paratus.
These vessels are identical with the Naval
row constructing az Cberbuurg. They have q
steaming radius the surface Of 80 knots and
their under water radius ten knots speed, Is
100 miles. The French naval authorities have "a
much confidence in them that the present inten-
tion Is TO lay down great many more Of them,
but probably not until after the Nsrvsl has com
Pleted her trials, so there may be an opportunity
10 improve the boats.
The vessels propelled by steam power when
on the surface and by an electric accumuiatOr
when beneath the surface This electrical ac-
cumulator can be charged with the vessels own
dynamos. The confidence In these new boats
arises from the success of the Zede. This latter
hoat is al Toulon, where she has been dur
ing the last two years undergoing important mod
ihcations. Her propelling force is wholly elec-
tric, and her speed under water is fifteen knots
She has recently made the uip under water from
Toulcn TO Sains d'HyeTes and return, distance
of about forty miles. She was accompanied by a
seagoing torpedo boat, which carried the board
Of inspection.
1t is claimed that a submarine boat has re-
peatedly passed the blockading squadron OFF
Touon and entered tie harbor without discov-
cry. French officers oi the opinion that they
have solved the problem, and this affords them
much satisfaction in view of the importance
which they attach 10 il in connection with the
naval defenses of their ports.