Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-11-17
HOLLAND BOAT TEST
The Inventor Congratulated
by the Naval Board.
STRANGE CRAFT MEETS ALL DEN ANDS
At nm Eight Knot Gait. Submerged to
Depth of Ten Feet, the Boat Made
the Course and Successfully
Discharged n Torpedo.

Discharged Torpedo.
NEW YORK, Nov. John p. Hol.
land, who for % years has given most OF
his time to submarine boats, the culmina
ton of which is the boat named after
himself, stood on the deck of the yacht
Josephine at Greenpoint yesterday after
noon with tears streaming down his
cheeks while the members of the board
of inspection and survey of the United
States navy, headed by Rear Admiral
Frederick Rogers, stepped to him and
shook his hand and congratulated him
upon his success. There was no express
sion of opinion by the members of the
board, but the action was significant.
The day for which Holland had waited
a quarter of century, lacking II days,
for his idea was conceived on Nov. II,
1874, was one of success in every way.
The climax occurred when the members
of the board quietly congratulated the in.
ventor, thing, it is said. that never be.
fore occurred to any inventor submitting
inventions to naval officers.
There was a big crowd on the dock at
Grcenport and also at the dock at New
Suffolk Many ladies were present.
The requirements for the tests as laid
down by the board were: "IIavc three
torpedoes in place. have all arrangements
made for charging torpcdoes without de
lay, be prepared to fire torpedoes at full
speed when submerged as well as when
at full speed on surface and have crew
exercised by actual practice so MS to be
able to make required submerged runs
and steer Il straight course.
In order to make Il trial submerged run
of two miles it is recommended that two
marking buoys be placed in the lower or
Sandy Hook bay Il mile apart and that a
boat to serve as torpedo target be an
chOred near one of these buoys. so that
the Holland after running Il mile under
water can come up to the surface for Oh
servatiOn. discharge her torpedo and
them diving again. can return to first
buoy. This would complete her two mile
under water run. \ measure of her ELI
cheney will be shown by the number of
times it is necessary for her to come to
the surface for observation"
The owners of the Holland complied
with these specifications ana suggested
some more elaborate tests. but the sugges-
tons for additional trials were not ac-
cepted by the board. The only departure
from the requirements was the transfer
of the trials from Sandy Hook bay to
Peconic bay.
The Holland ran out to the course and
then Captain Lowe and Commander En-
Dry descended into the little round tur-
ret on the top of the Holland. The cap
was closed, and the Holland prepared to
make the first trip along the measured
mile.
When all was ready the Holland sank
to depth of ten feet while going at full
speed, which was attained almost imme-
uately. This left the tips of the flag
poles on her deck exposed. But for these
it would have been impossible to have
traced the boat, as while submerged she
made no disturbance upon the surface.
She travelled at the rate of eight knots
an hour. making the distance from start
to turning point in 90 minutes.
Arriving ut the end of the mile, she
shot to the surface, her turrct coming in
to view. Ten seconds later she had again
disappeared. Within the ten seconds she
corrected her course, having dcviatcd on
ly 30 feet from the true course and fired
Il regulation Whitehead torpedo weighing
$40 pounds, which went spinning off to-
ward the target 500 yards away.
Meanwhile, as the deadly missile whirl-
ed true on its course the Holland swung
about and started back. She turned in Il
radius of - feet, or about one and one
half times her own length. She was fly
ing back to the starting point before the
missile had run its course. The return
trip was made in about the same time as
the outward run and was equally sue
cess.