The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-17
Captain loves observations and Ar
gument In Favor of It's Purchase by
the United States Government.
SURFACE VESSELS USELESS
FIFTY SUBMARINE BOATS NEEDED IN
LONG ISLAND SOUND.
Navy Department Urged to Secure the
Holland Before 1t In Taken by
Some European Power.

NEW YORK. Nov. 1.-THE official re-
ports on the Holland boat, from John
Lowe. captain. United States navy, and the
Board of Inspection and Survey, Of which
the president is Frederick Rodgers. rear
admiral, United States navy. were made
public to-day. Both reports deal at length
in the technicallties Of the trials and both
agree that the trials have been successful in
almost every particular. Captain Lowe. in
addition, submits a report Of his observa-
tions as ordered by the government.
The trial of the Holland took place on
Nov. before the Board of Inspection and
Survey, comprising Rear Admiral Rodgers,
United States navy, president Commander
William H. Emory. United States navy;
Commander Charles r. Rocker, United
States navy: Naval Constructor w. L.
Capps. United States navy; Lieut.. Richard
Henderson, United States navy, recorder
The start was made off New Suffolk. L. l..
with the following men on board: Comman-
der William H. Emory. United States
navy; Capt John Lowe. United States
navy. and several members of the crew,
making nine persons in all. or four more
than when going into fight There were
three whitehead torpedoes on board. The
tests comprised running on the surface and
under the water. diving and torpedo firing,
and they were all very successful.
Captain Lowe concludes his technical re-
port as follows: 81 report my belief that the
Holland is successful and veritable sub
marine torpedo boat, capable OF making
veritable attack upon an enemy unseen and
undetectable, and that, therefore, she is an
engine of warfare of terrible potency
which the government must necessarily
adopt into its service"
OF his personal observations, he says:
Concerning the worse than worthlessness
Of the present above water torpedo system,
its methods, theories and appliances, the
need for deliverance from its absurdities
and from the Fools Paradise of its false
security, and instead the absolute need of
a real torpedo system such as the SUBJ
marine system, have already reported, un-
der date of Nov. IA, 1898. l would like to
give further reasons why a submarine serv-
ice should at once be organized as matter
of public necessity and security In the first
place, we must concede that. notwithstand-
ing The 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 appliances
when war is made, has already placed it.
| self In a position Of inferiority and has
| ceased to possess those valuable attributes
| which are well described in the term man.
hood. Such nation is already seen in the
position of China, prey to the weakest and
| most rapacious, and a disturbance to all
| the rest Of mankind. If, then, we propose
| to fight, We must fight with every fighting
appliance. and. therefore. If there is any
a 1f1o 10 In, rny,,o ri,
fare, we must not permit our hands to be
| tied behind our backs by any Hague con-
ference or pusillanimous humanitaranism
| forbidding such appliance.
OUR WEAK PLACE.
I'VE have distant dependencies. the Phil
| ippines. Hawaii and the like. Will an en-
emy seek to bring US to terms by attack
| ing these? Perhaps so. But If so the move
| would be weak one, exceedingly weak
| Let us not deceive ourselves. Any power
| full enemy would not play at war after that
| fashion. They would strike us in the vitals
| An efght-day dash across the Atlantic
would bring their ships to Montauk Point,
| where they would encounter the American
| fleet which, being destroyed by force Of
numbers, the remainder of the enemy's
| ships could pass on and anchor In Long
Island sound, in perfect security and very
| shortly Long island would become a foreign
possession.
| Don't consider this scheme a fanciful
| one, it is not original to my mind. So many
have spoken of it. that am satisfied it has
been considered and digested In foreign
| councils and is part of their programme
Our last Spanish war convinced me that
our own people were at that time awake
| to this fact, for We saw the army diligently
| fortifying against what? Phantom ships In
| our next war it won't be phantom ships,
| for there are at least two nations which
| can do this singlehanded. We need right off
and right now fifty submarine torpedo ves-
| sells in Long Island sound to preserve the
peace and give potency to our diplomacy.
1T seems to me quite a necessity that
| this government should not allow this
skill and knowledge Of those owning and
| running the Holland boat to pass out of it's
| own hands from native to foreign lands,
| but should forestall such catastrophe by
| at once purchasing the Holland boat and
putting the Holland people under some ban
| whereby they will be prevented from dis
| closing secrets to the disadvantage OF the
| United States. How keenly foreign gov
| ernments are alive to the Holland. I have
shown in my facts herein reported. con-
cerning the presences of foreign officers
| upon her.
II desire to add my own opinion as to
| what the future policy OF the Navy De-
| partment should be, after inaugurating a
submarine service. Instead OF doing too
| much with one vessel. each one should be a
distinct vessel OF Its kind. and not have
combined two or more kinds in one vessel.
| Thus. there should be submarine torpedo
| boats. submarine gunboats. submarine OBJ
seryation and dispatch boats submarine