The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1899-11-11
LATE HOLLAND TORPEDO BOAT
IT IS A GREAT DESTROYER
New Terror of the Seas-Steaii"S
Along Under the Water, never
Leaving . Ripple-Can Not Folio"
Its C0urse-Can Sink . battiesniP

New York, Nov. THE submarine
torpedo boat Holland has been success
fully tested in Peconic bay, L. l.
at the close of the test the members
of the board of inspection shook hands
with John P. Holland, the inventor, ana
congratulated him on his success.
He had waited 25 years for victory
Tears streamed down his cheeks when the
naval officers greeted him.
The members of the board went into the
Holland as she lay at the dock and mn
utely examined the mechanism and work
ings.
The requirements for the tests as laid
down by the board were:
"(a) Have three torpedoes in place.
"(b) Have all arrangements made for
discharging torpedoes without delay.
"(c) Be prepared to fire torpedoes at
full speed when submerged as well as
when at full speed on the surface
"(d) Have crew exercised by actual
practice so as to be able to make required
submerged runs and steer straight
course.
"In order to make a trial submerged
run of two miles it is recommended tina,
two marking buoys be placed mile apart
and that boat to serve as torpedo tar
get be anchored at one of these buoys
80 that the Holland, after running mile
under water, can come up to surface tol
observation, discharge her torpedo and
then diving again, can return to the 1rs'
buoy.
"This would complete her two miles un
der water run.
"a measure of her efficiency will bt
shown by the number Of times it is neces
sary for her to come to the surface for Oh
servations."
The owner of the Holland complied
with these specifications and suggested
more elaborate tests, but the suggestion
for additional trials were not accepted b.
the board.
When all was ready the Holland sanl
to the depth of 10 feet, while going a
full speed, which was attained almost i'm
mediately. This left the tips of the fla!
poles on her deck exposed. But for thes
it would have been impossible to hay
traced the boat, as while submerged sh
made no disturbance upon the surface.
She Travelled at the rate of eight knot
an hour, making the distance from star
to turning point in nine and one-hal
minutes.
Arriving at the end of the mile, sh
shot to the surface, her turret comin
into view. Ten seconds later she ha
again disappeared. Within the 10 sec
onds she corrected her course, having de
waited only 70 feet from the true cours
and fired regulation Whitehead torpedo
weighing "a pounds, which went spinnin
off toward the target 800 yards away.
Meanwhile as the deadly missile whirle
, through on its course the Holland swun
, about and started back. She turned in
radius of rs feet or about one and one ha
! times her own length. She was flynn
3 back to the starting point before the mi
J sile had run its course. The return tri
l was made in about the same time as til
l outward run and was equally as success
: full.
8 The range and course is taken by tn
steersman as the boat sinks. While sui
' merged he cannot see anything and has
/ calculate, as he flies along, just how fl
:. the boat travels each second, 80 as
/. know when to rise at the end of the give
q distance. While doing this he must ste'
!. the compass course taken at the momel
0 Of diving.
I The Holland then ran a quarter of
/ mile on the surface as speed test. I'll
: rate attained was eight knots but it W;
claimed she would have passed this spet
j, had the whole mile been run. The Of
! ject Of the short test, however, was
! see how quickly she got under way.
! The Holland then headed for the Ne
Suffolk, where she was tied up. She wi
remain at that place until next wee
when she will be taken to Washingto
She will probably travel by the insit
y route, although Captain Lowe has sougl
Mr.. Hollands permission to 60 by the GU
side course, and the crew is willing
= take her that way.
:. The trials were had today with q ia
. sea running, though this, of course, d
not affect the Holland while under waite
I Street Car Smashed.
Binghampton, N. Y, Nov. 11.-Tw
persons were instantly killed and oy