The evening times., 1899-11-18

l. IS DtilSNe1 at DSpdiNhiSil
that Congress viii make an appropriation
for the purchase of the Holland submarine
boat. TIE recent very strong report of
Capt John Lowe. Chief Engineer, L. s. N,
to the Secretary of the Navy, recommend
ing the purchase by the Government CT
the vessel and all patent rights connected
Herewith. has. it is thought, removed all
doubt as TO the practical character OF The
vessel as an engine of naval warfare. That
Congress will readily avail itself of the
present opportunity to secure such a tre-
mendous auxiliary to the navy at fairly
reasonable cost there is scarcely any
doubt.
The report of Chief Engineer Lowe was
not sent in until the Board of Inspection
and Survey had made a thorough exami-
nation Of the vessel. had witnessed all or
its evolutions and had become thoroughly
satisfied that the wonderful submarine
boat could perform ali that its inventor
claimed for il.
This Board of Inspection and Survey was
COMPOSED of Rear Admiral Rodgers, Com
mander W H. Emory, Commander Roel-
ker Naval Constructor katZ. Lieutenant
Commander Henderson. and Captain Lowe.
These officials were appointed 10 this
edge of the science OF shipbuilding for
naval requirements and by virtue OF their
Office their verdict as to the Holland will
be accepted without question by the Sec
reary of the Navy, for the report which
was written by CAPTAIN Lowe received the
unanimous approval of the ether members
OF the board.
1t is understood that Secretary Long will
either in his annual report recommend the
purchase of the submarine boat. or that
ne will cause a separate bill TO be pre-
sented in Congress providing for its &C
QUESTION.
Rear AGmira! HichboIn, Chief Naval Con-
structor. said today to Times reporter
that re knew nothing in an official way
about the Holland boat and its construc-
tion for it had been built by private enter
prise but. he added:
If the boat can 90 all that it is claimed
she can DO, and from the report Of Cap
tain Lowe there is TO doubt CT it. the YES
sci would be most desirable acquisition
10 the navy. The possibilities Of feet
OF such craft for coast defence can scarce
ly be imagined. They would render abso-
lutely safe from invasion every seaport
city in the country, and would be dread
To invaders. for the commander Of no in
vading ship could guess AT what moment
a submarine boat would suddenly rise TO
the surface ard at close range discharge a
smell lIEl NCaiu SSliu IIs largest Ddlllt-
ship 10 the bottom The shot fired. the
little defender would instantly disappear
frcm view, to appear again, either at
safe distance. O. 10 be close enough TO dis
Chsrge another shell if it was needed.
who can tell the possibilities of six or
eight Of these submarine boats working in
the night among a great fleet Of bat,ieships
and cruisers? The submarine boats would
steal silently away from the harbor in the
s-fCCTs, of nia-lT and moi sPlpssly and swift
IL glide upon the surface of the water un
II within three or four miles of an inyad-
ing heet and then disappear from view
Cnly 10 reappear in the midst of the enc
my 10 discharge their engines of destruc
Lion, and disappear before the enemy could
comprehend anything except that their yes
sells were sinking.
This mode of attack could be kept up
for an indefinite time by the submarine
boats, and with almost guaranteed safety,
Tor even in daylight. with the vessels ly-
ing on the surface of the water. so little of
them would be exposed that this would
make a very uncertain target.
If the Holland boat can do all that DR..
Holland claims for it, the strongest fleet
Of naval vessels in the world could be kept
away from the coast cities in this country
by 4 small number of these little subma-
Iine vessels
Another high official said of the Holland
boat:
1T is just what we need and if we had
had half dozen of them in the Spanish
American war the enemy's fleet would not
have remained long unmolested in the
Santiago Harbor. | believe that the Gov
ernment should act upon the recommended
tions of Captain Lowe and purchase the
Holland boat, and at once begin the con-
struction OF az least fifty more submarine
vessels like it.
These boats should be placed in the
harbors Of all great seacoast cities like
New York, Boston, Philadelphia, the
Southern and Gulf cities and along the
coast of California. They should be kept
there as part of the coast defence, and,
that they would render a good account of
themselves and do a wonderful work of de-
struction in case of invasion appears from
the report of Captain Lowe. to be no long
a doubt.
The introduction OF the Holland boat
in the navy means the reyolutiOniZing of
the navies of the world. for these would be
terrorized at the unknown danger constant
ly threatening them in time of war with
this country, and no one can tell when a
war will break out
Captain Lowe, in his report to the Sec
resry refers to the use of submarine boats
in naval warfare as follows:
In the first place must concede that,
NOTWITHSTANDING Inc Hague conference,
the time has not yet arrived for nations to
disarm. On the contrary. that nation
which is not ready to fight, that ceases to
study war, that ceases to use the most
frightful war-like appliances when war is
made, has already placed itself in a posi-
tion of inferiority, and has ceased to
possess those valuable attributes which are
well described in the term manhood.
'If then. We propose to fight. We must fight
with every fighting appliance, and, there
FORE if there is anything valuable in sub
marine torpedo warfare, we must not per-
nit cur hands TO be tied behind our backs
by any Hague Conference or pusilanimous
humantarianism forbidding such appli-
aace.
Again. conceding war to be possible
consider where the United States is weak
and how to resist attack. let us not, ostrich
like, hide cur head in the sand. hu: if we
see danger let us look upon it.
I'VE have distant dependencies-the
Philippines. Hawaii and the like. VIII
an enemy seek TO bring us to terms BIZ at
tacking these? Perhaps But. if so. the
move would be a weak one, exceedingly
weak. In fact could afford TO offer these
gambit upon which the enemy
could waste its strength while we were
developing counter moves.
Let us not deceive ourselves. And pow
erful enemy would not play at war after
that fashion They would strike us in the
yitals. An eight-day dash across the At
lantic would bring their ships TO Montauk