Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-03-26
BLOWING UP A BATTLESHIP.

Will subnsJnc boats of the Holland
type rcvolutionizc naval warfare Are the
billions OF dollars invested IN battleships
by the great nations Of the world q useless
expenditure! Such are the questions which
are puzzling navalexperts. John p. Hol-
land, the inventor Of the submarine craft
which bears his name, built boat years
ago which ran with success under the wa
tiers Of New York harbor. The first boat
was named the Fcnian, and Mr.. Holland
demonstrated the fact that he could 20
anywhere with it.
ION Castle Point, in Hobokcn," says
he, I've were within three feet Of the rocky
bottom and a feet below tho surface
1et Mt that depth the engine worked per-
iectiy, giving us n speed OF nine miles an
hour. With cur present beat / expect to
go 10 knots an hour before l finish with
her. The difference between a boat of
this type and an ordinary torpedo boat
which sails on the surface. is beyond
words to express. In rough weather life
on surface sailing torpedo boat is horri-
bic. After rough trip the crew have &c
be sent to hospital for treatment. In a
great gale such beat could not live. But
with our type OF boat we are indifferent to
storms. We can accompany leet Of the
biggest wGrships in the widest sea.
BESIDES the quarters fer tho crew we
have cabin Is by 10 feet for the accom-
mediation Of experts or visitors who may
accompany us. Tho temperature in the en-
CINE rooins Of rams and torpedo beats is
almost insupportablc. We shall be perfect
ly cool, having the temperature Of the sea
surrounding tho beat While ships arc
covered with ice we, deep in thc'sea, will
DO rs comfortable as when BY cur firesides
ut home. The boat will no. be in danger
OF sinking, as she is always sunk. She
cannot leak, because her double bottom Is
always filed with water for ballast. II
had contract TO attack Havana, Would
skim the bottom OF Havana bay, rise to
the surface and with the camera obscura
see on sheet of paper before me picture
OF the harbor with its shipping. would
ram holes in the ordinary warships and
blow up the armored vessels. If did not
wish to sink them, / would use the aerial
torpedo guns and cave in the decks, then
practice on the forts at my leisure The
power Of these weapons is enormous. The
muzzlc energy Of the submarine gun Is $50
AoVe toilSs tuouEU 10 force prolcCtlles
through any obstruction. In using the tor
pedo ihroyer the recoil from tie gun
pushes The beat hack into the water out OF
sight, 50 that she cannot be located by the
enemy. The 81 tons of electrical storage
batteries in the bottom OF the boa. always
Keep heE right side up. the center of gray
ity being always under the center Of buoy
ancy. IL our SO foot boat We shall carry
enough gasoline fuel in tanks, surrounded
BY sea water, to make 1000 mile voyage
The telescope turret cnn be projected three
feet Above water In from one to two Sec
onds. The pilot inside can thus obtain a
view of his surroundings. When that Is i'm
possible, the camera ohscura thrust above
the water will throw a picture of the har-
Dor or sea for miles aroaLd-throw it
down tube on to sheet Of white Paper.
giving Photographic view of all that is
going on above the sea-
When the Holland boat is in working or
der, ready for submarine or surface war
fare. the enemy's has,le>hip will be blown
mp rs II anchored over an exploding mine.
u win Be fas more terrible during IN en-