The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-03
THE SUBMARINE BOAT.
HOW III FEELS TO DIVE IN THE
LITTLE HOLLAND.

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a Craft which Could Sink Fleet,
Meantime keeping out of Harms
Way Under the Surface-Descrip-
ton of the Working of the Naval
wonder.
New York April Ii know how Jonah
felt when he went down into the whale.
In company with a government expert
I made a trial trip in the new Holland
submarine boat off Pert Amboy.
The day was fine and the water clear.
The inventor wished to make very sure
of that, for on cloudy day with muggy
water, the best results cannot be obtained
from the submarine torpedo.
What 1 saw on that trip convinced me
that, on any day, with any kind of sea.
the submarine boat is a success. But on
a clear day 1t is a marvel.
We got into the boat through the little
man-hole that serves as door. 1t is only
as big as the coal hole of the average
residence; and if there had been a heavy
weight among us he would have had TO
stay out. When we got down II was lit
| tie better. for we found ourselves In a
small compartment in which four men
only could sit with ease. No one could
stand upright except directly under the
turret-like entrance and no man could
wear his hat inside the boat It was too
low.
1t was like climbing down into a big cigar
to get down into the. little interior space
and wait for the upper door to be closed
We were the filler" and all around us
was the wrapper of iron, covered with
steel plate that overlapped our big cl-
gar was Havana make" and we felt
It.
To outsiders 1t might have been interest
| ing watching the great round top with its
tunnels and portfolios and escaping steam
| But to us inside 1t was gloomy, prsonlke
| and confined. We were Gagged alive TO ex-
| pertinent with elements that do not like
| man.
Soon there was commotion above. a
| turning and twisting, a great creaking
and big roar and we began 10 sink.
To those inside a submarine boat there
Is no apparent motion unless you look
out of tho windows 1t Is the same IN a
swift moving railway train. You must lis
ten to the engine andthe wheels, and must
look out OF the window before you realize
you are going.
The only sign that told us that we were
sinking was the rushing of the waters
past our windows we went down.
IN time of war the sport must be in
tensely thrilling for then you would have
lookout to keep. Objects on top Of the
water mean boats; and IL there are cruis-
ers afloat you could amuse yourself look
ing out for them and planning their des-
truetion.
1t took three minutes to get down as
far as the inventor thought best to sink.
Our dip downward took three minutes
then we rose. pushed rapidly through tho
water for an eighth OF a mile and quick
ly caught up again. The whole thing took
less than half an hour, but In that time
even the skeptical government agent
aboard was convinced of the speed and
practicabiity of the boat
The power that took us down was sew
eral thousand pounds of pig iron-some
OF II on deck and some Of IT below-and q
quantity Of water which was let In one
of the compartments in order to sink the
vessel.
When the water Is not let In the Hol-
land always floats, but as soon as 90
boat Is 10 go down, the lower compart
ments are filled with water ana the course
is turned downward by the means of 6
rudder.
All this was explained to us by Mr.. lIol
lands lieutenant as we stood watching
the preparations for our trip. We wen
down a depth of 80 feet and steamed
through the water at the rate of knots
an hour.
The special use which the governmen
will make of the Holland submarine Graf
Is that of attack upon warships. 1t Is no
intended for land use, although ii coulC
be brought close enough to the coast 4
make formidable enemy.
Its most important use would be in deeI
ocean, face TO face with a mighty cruiser
Without exposing herself above the wate
the Holland can lift her fore end with IL
powerful torpedoes, and fire upon the en-
emy's ship 1t can expose only yer!
small point, and Immediately dive dow
as soon as the torpedo had been sent forth
While we were under the water the In
teresting question arose OF a submarine
, attack How far II could be carried on
and what damage could be done. The sub
marine battle could Be an advantage on!
2 in destroying submarine boats for tn
! little vessels would be 50 evenly matched
that neither could go unchanged from tn
fray. Both would be destroyed But Will
the cruiser on top OF the water fghtini
with a submarine craft underneath, IN
E battle would be a very uneven one, Will
e the chances all in favor of the little boat
r The inventor pointed out 10 us the dari
Z objects above us which represented small
: boats These looked very near although
! they were long way off. A government
| tug followed US TO keep watch Of oui
Z progress. This we could plainly see al
times, when we pulled away from 1t quick