Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-12-10
HOLLAND DESCRIBES
HIS OWN BOAT.
He Says it Gan Do all and More
Than He Has Claimed for It.


/ have built six submarine boats. The
first, in 1877. was IA feet long, built for
private purposes. The second, con-
structed in 1879. was 80 feet long and
feet in diameter. Boat number three
was working model, 161s feet long by
80 inches in diameter. Number four
was the Zalinski beat, 40 by feet.
Number five is So by 111A feet, Ct los
tons displacement.
Number six. the present boat, Is So
feet long by 10 feet Inches in diam
eter. Her displacement is rs tons.
The first and greatest desideratum
in a submarine boat 1t simplicity. Each
man has one thing to do and nothing
else. The crew of this boat consist of
one pilot, one operator" or assistant
pilot, one electrician, one engineer and
two torpedo experts. Six men can run
this boat under any fleet of war ships
in any harbor, attack anything on land
or sea, and AT the same time disap-
pear after each discharge of guns and
always be out of reach of the enemy's
fire There is very much less danger in
a submarine boat of this kind than on
any surface boat If these beats be-
come an established feature OF marine
and naval service, they will be used
for carrying passengers through tina
rough sea between Dover and Calais.
They are absolutely safe and free from
motion. Neither fogs nor storms can
have any effect on them. There Will
be no collisions, for they sail far be-
low the deepest ocean liners. The pass
sage across the English channel can
be made along the bottom OF the sea
in from one to two hours. With COM
pressed air in steel tubes, such as We.
use in this boat, the ventilation will
be perfect. These tubes stand pres
sure of 5000 pounds to the square ineh-
When our boat goes to sea for BUSH
ness, she will carry one aerial torpedo
thrower, one submarine gun, one
Whitehead expulsion tube. Even when
in action there will be no great in
convenience from recoil or the exnlo-
sion. The indicators will show exactly
where we are. II we approach land a
little bell rings the warning, II will
be exactly like riding in well-lighted,
comfortably seated railway car through
a tunnel.
The difference between boat Of this
type and an ordinary torpedo boat which
sails on the surface is beyond words 20
express In rough weather, life on a tor
pedo boat is horrible. After rough trip
the crew have to be sent 20 a hospital for
treatment In a gale such a boat could
not live. We are Indifferent 10 storms.
We can accompany a fleet OF the biggese
war ships in the widest seas Beside tha
quarters for the crew. we have cabin
l5xl0 feet for the accommodations OF cx--'
perts or visitors who may accompany lis
The temperature In the engine rooms u
rams and torpedo boats Is almost insup-
portable. We shall be perfectly cool. hav-
ing the temperature Of the sea surrounds
ing the boat while ships are covered
with ice, we, deep in the sea, viii DO
as comfortable as by our nrezdes az home.
The boat will not be In danger OF sinking.
as she Is always sunk. She cannot leak.
because her double bottom is always 1sied
with water for ballast
In a bOmbardment ] would use the aerial
torpedo guns to sink the warship. then
practice en- the forts at my leisure. This
power of these weapons Is enormous. Tie
muzzle energy Of the submarine gun Is 80
foot tons, enough 70 force projcctaes
through any obstruction.
In using the torpedo gun the recon
from the gun pushes the boat back into
the water out Of sight. 70 that She cam
not be located By the enemy. The twenty
one tons OF electrical storage batteries ia
the bottom Of tho boat always keep her
right side up, the centre Of gravity being
always under the centre OF buoyancy. In
our fifty-thee foot boat we carry enough
gasolene fuel in tanks surrounded bg sea
water TO make a 2ooo-mile voyage The
telescope turret can be projected thres
feet above water in from one to two sac
ons The pilot Ia side can thus obtain u
view Of his surroundings, When that IL
impossible the camera-obscura thrust
above the water wih throw picture *
the harbor or sea for miles around-throw
1t down a tube on a sheet 81 white paper
giving a Photographic view Of ali thai IL
going on above the sea
JOHN p. HOLLAND.
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