Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-06

be practically worthless. My friend was
30 very well satisfied with what he had seen
that he urged me to abandon that boat and
build larger one, suitable for use In war.
Accordingly, the first boat was sunk in the
middle of the Passaic river and abandoned.
and Immediately started to work on my
second vessel at Delamaters shop. foot Of
18th street, North river New York This
boat was finished in April, 81, and she was
very successful indeed.
Called It De keni.n Ram.
"she excited thas bsity Of everybody,
particularly newspaper men, but the policy
Of my partner I'M he business forbade us
giving them any for nation. They were
always. courteous and gentlemanly. but
were invariably adnoy@d at our reticence.
On one occasion dps of them. having wit
messed a few su sssfYl dives and being
refused permission % Into the boat. told
paper reports wo1H help in place of him
dering the project He noticed, however,
that the machine was evidently designed
the designer was Enthusiastically Irish. judg-
ing by his brogue. apd 1t happened that at
the same time the Fenian political excite
ment was causing trouble In Ireland. This
gentleman was good enough to conclude
that the vessel was evidently intended for
the Fenians to help them blow up the Eng
lish navy, and he got even with me by
facetiousiy naming my vessel the .Fenian
A1
and have even become reconciled TO use it
myself. sixteen-foot working model of
the present vessel was built in 1852. and In
that some new devices were applied.
Seizure of the Boats.
For some reason unknown to me, my
partner seized both boats and had them
towed toward New Haven. On the way up
the smaller vessel was allowed to sink OPP
pesite White Stone. Long Island. and it
al l,~ty ;,~
An attempt was made on two or three sue
ceeding days to locate it by dragging, but
they failed to find 1t, and it was lost. The
other boat was hauled out of the water at
New Haven and she is lying there still.
Our partnership having been dissolved by
the seizure of my boats, l endeavored to
start a company in order to develop the
idea. In 1886 Capt ZaEnski of dynamite
gun fame organized "a company for me- We
built rough experimental vessel, wooden
sheathing under iron frame. with the OBJ
ject of satisfying the stockholders that it
was possible to navigate her water.
That vessel fell off the ways while being
launched. and was irreparably injured, even
though Capt Zalinski spent considerable
of his own money In a useless endeavor to
put 1t in working order again. Toward the
end of 1887 Commander kimball. Capt. Con-
verse and Commander Maynard Of the
val ordnance department, who had studied
the reports of my work, induced. Admiral
Sicard. who was then chief of ordnance,
10 ADVISE secretary whitney TO appropriate
some of the money at his disposal for the
construction of submarine boat
Plans Won in Competition.
He did so, and competition was held in
1885, in which. my plans were selected in
preference to others proposed by Norden-
feldt. Baker, Prof. Tuck and some others.
1 failed to get the appropriation. owing to
an informaity in my bid that was made for
me by the>CfampS of Philadelphia An
other coinpesitione was hid the following
year in which my plans were also success
full. but l Jailed to get the money again.
because after the decision was given in my
favor a change, bf political parties occurred.
appropriatioh!ithat I had won twice was
diverted. as funds :wereJneeded to complete
the Monterey in SAP Francisco. was dis
couraged by my rtpeated failures with the
government that 4 determined to renew my
resolution to drop Submarines for good but
Mr. khmball eontnned to urge me to try
again. new company was formed by Mr..
Z. b. Frost of NewHYork. Another appro-
priation was gotten in 1888, and in 1895.
after repeated setbacks. l contracted with
the government to build. the Plunger. Dur
ing the development of the plans for this
vessel numerous dtfieYties were encoun-
tered due partly to theSNaYy Department s
requirements. 1 nropoSd alterations that
were not accepted. >and<so L was compelled
to build the boat from the original plans.
Knowing that at best the Plunger would be
but an imperfect vessel owing to these
causes. | advised my company to build an
shnud be sefh
any conditions prescribed by the Navy De-
partmept., and the result -is the. vessel that
we have brought here her. TO Washington to