The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-21

There is something ghostIy about SUBJ
marine navigation. A pilot on the Hol-
land boat says that when the propelling
power is turned on the noise sounds like
the rattle of a steam radiator before it
warns up. There is always more or less es-
cape Of air, and this makes a Kissing sound,
rather intimidating at first. A triangular
"drag," hung above the rudder, shows
whether the boat has held to her course,
for tho steersman has no landmarks to
guide him as soon as the coming tower Is
submerged. All tho steering is done by
compass, together with estimates of the
distance covered within q certain period,
with the motive force exertedSto q certain
degree. When the boat moves forward in
a straight line, the "drag" hangs over the
rudder. If she swings to port nr starboard,
tho drag is at once thrown out OF line
with the axis of the. boat. a conditions eft-
ly shown by an Instrument within. The
horizontal rudders or fins enable the nayi-
gator to raise or defect the bow at will.
When the cover was lifted upon return
ing to the surface, like the skylight on a
roof, the collision Of the two atlnospheres
within and without caused the ears to
tingle as If they had been sharply slapped.
On shore once more the ordinary conversa-
tion of those about seemed like whispers.
The eyes were blurred by the influx of
natural light and the clearness of the sur
roundings. There was an irresistible de-
sire to feel and touch things to see if they
were real and not some impalpable, ghost
ly, grizzly object of the fancy.
In the depths Of the ocean feb 20 inches
or 2 feet long look as big as sharks. This
is due to the magnifying effect of the fluid
all about. A shell on the bottom no larger
than a small saucer look as big as q plat
ter. The utmost distance any object was
distinguishahle according to the navigator
was 65 feet. This was when the sur was
shining and the boat was boring a path
80 to So feet below the surface. The cur
rent rolled tiny shells, stones and other OBJ
jects along like the wind blowing down a
country lane. The currents mi eddies of
the deep affect the marino growths like
wise. They sway and swirl, curve and
rise, like a field of wheat on a summer
day. Seaweed, anemones, sponges, deep
water ferns, coral sprays and dozens OF
sorts of minor growths give variety to the
gardens hidden from all but a favored
few. Dark green, brown, maroon, yellow
and drab are the prevailing colors. Con-
trasts quito as vivid and enhancing as
any landscape garden of the earth are
these submerged floral fields.
The submarine boats will be the most
destructive fighting monsters that ever in
vaded Father Neptune's territory. The
Russian boat that Spain is reported to be
after has proved a successful traveller be-
meath the waves, and rather more is known
about her by the naval experts of foreign
nations than the Russian government
would like to admit. 1t is known that the
Russian boat is about so feet long, and
that the interior is taken upalmost entire
~ with the operating mechanism. The
only portion of the boat above the water
when she travels will be the small coming
tower, in which the commander stands.
The means of propulsion is a naphtha or
gasoline engine operating an ordinary
small screw propeller. When in motion,
vertical rudders will effect the lateral di-
rection Of the craft. On each side Of the
center line and forward of the propeller
are two horizontal ruddcrs. These rudders
arc pivoted aud regulate the depth Of the
rising and diving of the boat. When it is
desired that the vessel shall dive, the rear
edges Of the ruddors are pushed down
ward. This causes the stern to move up
ward and the bow downward, and the div
ing follows.
How tho naval war Of th~efuture, fought
with such strange craft as these subma-
rinc boats, will be managed and what the
outcome will be are questions that the
men who make d study of such matters
find it difficult to come to O conclusion
upon. Tho moro they study the problem
the moro the naval experts arc convinced
that the submarine boats will bring the
millennium nearer, for they cannot see
how it will be possible to wage war under
such remarkable conditions rs will obtain
when battles are fought under the water
instead of In tho water.
Tho first difficulty encountered by those
who study the subject is how on earth, or
rather ON sea, it will be possible to locate
q boat that travels under water. Even
though tho vessel TINT seeks to find her
with hostile intent is ablo herself to sink
beneath the waves. how can the great
depth Of tho ocean be searched successful
~ for such i tiny thing asa 90 loot boat
that nlay be fathoins deep a may be with
NT*Et1E