Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-08-25
TERRIBLE BOATS
Invented BY Pittsburg Man, to
Eclipse Anything Ever Built.

Foster Humphrey. the we'll known
young Allegheny inventor, has been
granted patent for submarine COR
pedo boat which promises to astonish
the scientific world The vessel is a
mechanical wonder, and is an achieve
ment for which the scientists of all the
nations of the civilized world have
racked their brains for a half century.
Representatives of the governments
of the United States Russia and France
have witnessed the successful working
OF large model of the vessel at
Washington, and It was pronounced
the greatest acquisition TO warfare
that has been invented during the last
half century. Mr.. Humphrey yester-
day sent plans and drawings of his
submarine boat to England, France
and Russia and he expects soon to op-
en- negotiations for its sale.
Several Pittsburg capitalists have
taken an interest in the invention, and
work will be begun in a week or two
in building one of the vessels. When
completed it will be shipped to New
York, where a test of its worth and
speed will be demonstrated The con-
structlon of the vessel will cost $50 900
The submarine boat will be bullt of
light steel. 1t will be cigar-shaped,
and about 80 feet in length. It's weight
: uyi11 moi avooo1 four .tong aud savnro1
of the vessels can readily be carried on
a Dattleship.
The mechanism of the strange little
craft is intricate and of peculiar ar
rangeraent. The motive power is gen
Grated by a powerful storage battery,
which is ojerated by man in the con-
ming tower in the center of the boat.
When slid from bhe deck of a warship
the torpedo boat dives gently into the
water and keeps on its downward
course until the depth desired is reach
the coming tower the screw propeller
in the rear and large wings on the side
are placed in operation and the boat
rapidly rises to the surface The yes
sci will travel at the rate of IA knots
per hour when every portion of it is
submerged save the coming tower and
but little of this is visible.
The boat will be equipped with com
pressed air cylinders eight feet long
and two feet in diameter, which will
each contain sufficient air to last for
eight hours. When submerged, in the
event of any accident to the machin-
cry, an ingenious device is placed in
operation and the boat Immediately
rises to the surface.
The little demon will be equipped
with Whitehead torpedOes and sub
marine launching torpedo tube While
submerged at a depth of 40 fathoms it
can be cut through the water at
speed of II knots an hour The new
invention, it is said, possesses many
improvements over the submarine
boat Holland. One feature of the lit
tie craft over the latter is that when
descending at a rapid rate the boat
maintains horizontal position. while
The holland descending bow foremost
makes a sudden downward flight, rem
dering it extremely dangerous for the
men in the interior
Mr. Humphrey, the inventor of the
submarine boat, although but % years
of age, POSSESSES a wonderful know
ledge of machinery that has given him
an enviable international reputation.
Five years ago Ire abandoned his pro-
fession as a musician and devoted his
entire time to experimenting with
metals. During this time he has Sc
cured patents on several improve
ments lor machinery and other de-
vices which have proven highly lucra-
tive to him. About two years ago in
his workshop at his home, 2o5 Robin
son street, Allegheny, he commenced
work on the model of the submarine
boat on which he received the patent
rights yesterday. Mr.. Humphrey is
modest about discussing ,ne merits of
his inventions, which may reap him an
enormous fortune, but he is just as
confident that the vessel will be adopt
ed by the War Department of some ma
ton in the near future.
The young genius has prepared de-
signs for another new boat, entirely
different in size and design from the
torpedo boat. The new vessel will be
adapted TO boa surface and submar-
inc sailing, and the inventor expects
to provide it with an enormous speed
that will outdistan2e the fastest tor
pedo boat
The vessel VIII be 200 feet or more
in length and constructed of heavy ar
NOR plate which will be adequate to
resist the largest sized torpedo He
claims that owing to its ability to
avoid battleship by its wonderful
speed and maneuvers and being able
to disappear almost instantly, the
marine terror will be competent to
cope with fleet of battle ships
He claims that when completed, his
vessel, when submerged and running
at the rate of 20 knots an hour, can
turn in any direction or traverse a SER
pentine route without any inconyen-
ience to the men aboard. He proposes