New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-28
Use OF SUBMARINE BOATS.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF
THOSE OF THE HOLLAND TYPE
.u,,. THEY CAN DO AND WHAT THEY CANNOT
po-A NAVAL OFFICERS coNchusioNS
AS TO UTILIZING THEM

Holland In this country and of the GustaVe Iede
in France The recent trials Of the latter boat
ut Toulon and Cherbourg gave good deal Oh
satisfaction, ii is reported to naval experts VINO
Declare that there are great possibilities III inc
navy of submarine fighting. Experiments made
with the Holland during the latter part of last
year were no doubt, equally Of not more) sue
cessful.
The Holland is short and blunt. as compared
with the Zede, and in this respect propapiy'
las an advantage. she can be more quickly
turned and more readily maneuvred thah the
French boat.
This boat was originally designed 10 carry one
aerial and one dynamite gun and one torpedo
,ube and nrovsion is made for carrying three
,ornedoes-one in the bow tube and two apart
the tube one on the starboard side and one on
the mort The two guns Gas well as the torpedo
tube) are rigidy built in the hull OF the vessel
and therefore incapable of training either YER
ideally or laterally, except as they are directed
by the position of the boat itself Experience
has shown (as in the case of the Vesuvius) that
long guns firing projectile at low velocity
cannot be fired on board ship with any degree
Of accuracy, as the range must be determined
within possible lmits) either by elevation or
depression of the gun or by the force OF the as
charge In addition, the gun must nave no YER
teal motion during. the lnterNdl tHc pioJo''''c
IS travelling to the muzzle or the range viii be
either decreased increased. The aerial guns
cannot therefore have sufficient accuracy to
warrant their use on board submarine boat.
The stern gun has been abandoned, to give
more room on board the Holland, and it is prob
able that the bow gun will also be given up on
account of the difficulty of hitting target
aimed at.
MOST USEFUL FOR TORPEDOEs.
With the torpedo 1t Is different. The depth
at which it will run and the distance are regu-
lated entirely by its own mechanism, and when
1t is discharged from the tube 1t will auto
matical,y find the depth at which its depth
register has been set, and run TO the end OF the
set range at this depth with slight variations).
In other words it is necessary only to give the
torpedo its proper initial lateral direction. and
II will then run to the point at which 1t is d.
rected From this it would appear that the
best use for which submarine boat could be
designed would be that of special class OF
torpedo boat. Another reason for abandoning
the OF dynamite guns. or any guns other
than those used for firing torpedoes, is that in
a small boat filled with delicate and intricate
machinery where the space is limited the
crew small and their duties so arduous and deli
cate, they scarcely perform any OF them
properly if called upon TO perform so many of
varied nature.
The motive power OF the Holland is gasoene
engine for surface cruising and electric
CINE for underwater propulsion. To charge the
batteries it would he necessary to to the
surface, which could not be done in a seaway
When the batteries are fully charged they will
the motors while the boat is making about
seventy-five miles (submerged). AS the boat
would be submerged for secrecy of operation
and for her own safety when in the presence Of
enemy, her normal cruising radius may be
considered about sixty miles from the point
at which she could come to the surface without
danger Of discovery by the enemy, for the pur-
pose of rechargng her storage batteries
1t has been found by experience that about
The most trying severe and arduous life that
officers and experience in the Navy is on
board of torpedo boats. The quarters are small
close and cramped. and at sea the motion Of
the boats is great and violent that il is al
most impossible to get the sleep and rest so
necessary to all. This state OF affairs would
be much worse small boat OF the Holland
type, partly or entirely submerged all the time
where the crew could not on deck for
fresh air and exercise 1t is doubtful then If
they could live continuously for any length of
time one OF these boats They would there
fore, probably have to be operated from a safe
base, TO which they could resort frequently
either a larger vessel or from shore station
TorpedoCs are taken on board the boat by put
ting them in cage. which is then sunk to the
proper depth and hauled into position, with the
tail of the torpedo al the outer end Of the bow
tube and its axis coincding with the axis Of the
tube. the outer door Of the tube being open The
torpedo is then hauled into the tube by tackles